Donuts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this outlook for Donuts is a tough one. We’ve got a 16-day window, but the first proper surf doesn’t show up until Friday afternoon, July 24th, and even then, it’s a real mixed bag. Expect a long stretch of nothing special before we get into it.

Alright, let’s start with the overall pattern. The swell is coming from the SW, and the direction is what the spot wants, but that’s where the good news ends. The water temp is a whopping 73°F, which is a huge 6°F warmer than normal for this time of year – feels like a hot tub, and that’s unusual.

Friday afternoon, July 24th, kicks things off with a small 2ft swell from the SW, period of 24 seconds. That’s a very long-period groundswell, which means clean, powerful lines, but at a reef like Donuts, it can be a bit tricky – watch for it to stand up fast. The wind is light and offshore from the W at 6 mph, which is glassy, and that’s a big positive. The combined energy is moderate at 548. It’s rated marginal, and honestly, for a break that’s inconsistent, it’s a gamble. But if you’re keen, it’s the best of a rough week.

Saturday morning, July 25th, the swell bumps to 3ft, still SW, period 21 seconds. But the wind swings to a light cross-onshore at 6 mph, making it choppy. The energy is moderate at 742, but the conditions are poor – not worth it.

Sunday, July 26th, sees 3ft from the SW, period dropping to 19 seconds. Wind is light cross-onshore again, and the energy is moderate at 838. Still poor.

Monday, July 27th, the swell hits 4ft, period 18 seconds, with a gentle cross-shore breeze at 9 mph. The energy is now moderate at 1000. It’s marginal, but the cross-shore wind means slight chop. Still not great.

Tuesday, July 28th, morning has 4ft, period 17 seconds, gentle cross-shore, and energy at 1032 – moderate. But again, it’s marginal. Afternoon wipes out with cross-onshore.

The real standout in this whole window is Friday, July 31st. The swell builds to 6ft in the morning, climbing to 7ft in the afternoon, from the SSW, period 14 seconds. That’s a solid, moderate swell, but it’s getting big – over 5ft, so it’s too big for beginners. The wind is offshore from the W and WNW at 6-9 mph, which is clean. The energy jumps to strong at 1337 in the morning and 1584 in the afternoon. But it’s still rated marginal, and Donuts is inconsistent and sheltered. The long period of 14 seconds means it’s groundswell, and with the size, it’s only for experts. Still, if you’re experienced, Friday afternoon is the best on offer.

After that, things drop off fast. Saturday, August 1st, has 6ft and 5ft, but the wind is offshore, and the period drops to 12-13 seconds. The energy is moderate at 937 and 758. Conditions are poor.

From Sunday, August 2nd, all the way through to Saturday, August 8th, the swell fades to 1ft to 3ft, with poor conditions and weak energy below 354. The wind is mostly cross-onshore or offshore, but the swell is too small and weak. The combined energy dips to 95 by Saturday afternoon, August 8th. That’s a long gap of nothing – about a week of flat, poor surf.

So, the only real standout is Friday, July 31st, afternoon. It’s a long way out, so treat it as promising but not locked in. For the rest, it’s a waiting game. Donuts doesn’t fire often, and this forecast shows why.

Rusty.

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