Dunes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way. The next 16 days are a bit of a mixed bag, with a slow start and a couple of solid standouts to get the blood pumping, especially towards the end.

The first real chance to get wet comes on Thursday the 16th of July. It’s not going to blow your socks off, but there’s a clean 2ft swell from the SW at Dunes. The wind is a cross-offshore from the ENE at 22 mph, which is a bit on the fresh side, but the water is warm at 76°, running about average for this time of year. The combined wave energy is moderate (554). Not a day for heroics, but it’s surfable.

Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th are similar stories – the swell bumps up to 4ft and 4ft from the SW and WSW, with those cross-offshore morning winds keeping things clean. Still, the energy is only moderate (488, 462). It’s the kind of surf you take when you need a session, but not the one you call your mates about.

Now, Sunday the 19th of July is where things start to get interesting. The swell picks up to 6ft from the SW with a 15-second period. That’s proper groundswell, and the combined energy jumps to a strong (1258). The morning wind is cross-off from the ENE at 12 mph, keeping it clean. This is a solid intermediate day. That long period means the waves will have good shape and power. This is the first standout of the forecast.

Monday the 20th of July sees the swell drop back to 4ft, but the wind turns offshore from the ESE at 9 mph, making for a clean, glassy morning session. Energy is moderate (540). A fun, user-friendly day.

Things go quiet from Tuesday the 21st through to Sunday the 26th. The swell drops below 3ft for most of that stretch, with winds being either too strong or onshore. The energy dips into the weak to low moderate range (between 138 and 376). There’s a small window on the 21st afternoon with a clean 4ft swell, but honestly, this is a lull. A gap of nearly a week where you’re not missing much by staying on the beach.

The surf starts to show signs of life again on Monday the 27th of July. Morning sees a 3ft SW swell with a 14-second period and a moderate offshore breeze from the SSE at 16 mph. Energy is moderate (518). The afternoon cleans up further with lighter winds.

Tuesday the 28th brings another promising morning with a 3ft offshore swell (SE, 19 mph) and a long 16-second period (514). Clean, lined up, but that offshore is strong.

But hold onto your board, because the real standout is shaping up for Friday the 31st of July. Thursday the 30th is a good precursor with a 3ft swell from the WSW and a 16-second period, and strong energy (727). But Friday morning is the pick of the outlook. We’ve got a 4ft swell from the SW with an 18-second period – a very long period groundswell. The combined energy is strong (1141). The wind is a light cross-offshore from the ESE at just 6 mph. This is going to be clean, powerful, and have excellent shape for experienced surfers. Dunes is a reef break, so that long period will really shine. Definitely the one to circle on the calendar, but keep in mind it’s still a couple of weeks out, so we’ll need to keep an eye on it.

Rusty, out.

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