Emerald Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's have a look at what's on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Well, I gotta be straight with you – we're looking at a pretty quiet run for a while. The swell is small and inconsistent, and most of the time the wind is just not playing the game. It's not that there's no surf, but it's mostly "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions" – the kind of stuff that makes you wonder if you should have just stayed in bed. There's a real gap here from now until the end of the month where there's nothing that really gets the heart pumping. The forecast is mostly weak, short-period windswell, and the wind is often onshore or cross-onshore, which just ruins the shape.

The one spot we've got is Emerald Beach, a point break that's fairly consistent and exposed to the swell. The water temp is sitting at 67°, which is about average for this time of year. The swell direction is mostly from the ENE, which is okay, but the optimum is from the NE, so it's not a perfect match.

The best chance of something decent looks like Thursday morning, August 27th. We've got a small 3ft swell from the ENE with an 8-second period, and the wind is blowing from the SSW at 12 mph – that's offshore, so it'll be clean. The combined wave energy is moderate at 105, and it's described as "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions". It's not going to be epic, but it'll be the most user-friendly session of the week. The wind will be moderate, so it won't be glassy, but it'll be clean enough for a few fun ones.

The other session that's worth a mention is Sunday morning, August 30th. The swell drops to 2ft from the ENE with a 10-second period, which is a bit longer period, giving it a touch more push. The wind is SSW again at 9 mph, which is offshore, and the energy is weak at 76. It's going to be very small, but clean and rideable for a log or a mini-mal. The same for Sunday afternoon – 2ft with a 10-second period, but the wind is a cross-offshore from the SE, so it'll be clean.

Now, if you're looking for something a bit bigger, keep an eye on Tuesday morning, September 8th. The swell picks up to 4ft from the NNE with a 6-second period, which is a short, choppy windswell. The wind is from the SSE at 6 mph, so it's a cross-offshore, and the energy is moderate at 110. It's described as "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions", so don't expect magic. Then Tuesday afternoon the swell jumps to 6ft from the NE with a 6-second period, which is a lot of energy at 237, but the wind is onshore from the east at 9 mph, making it a choppy mess. That's an expert-only session if you're keen, but it's not going to be pretty.

So, the standout is Thursday morning, August 27th for the cleanest conditions, and Sunday, August 30th for a small, clean longboard session. The rest is a write-off. The long-range stuff on September 8th is promising for a bigger swell, but the wind is a worry and the period is short, so it's not a sure thing. Crowds are often a problem at Emerald Beach, so be prepared for company on those clean days.

Rusty.

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