Fourth Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, but it’s a tale of two halves. The first few days offer some clean, powerful groundswell for experienced surfers, then a massive pulse of energy rolls in that’s way too big for this spot. After that, things settle back into a more manageable, clean run for the second week.

Let’s start Tuesday morning, 4th August. Fourth Beach is seeing a 5ft SSW groundswell with a long 15-second period, pumping out moderate wave energy (1640). The wind’s a cross-off from the WNW at 16 mph, keeping things pretty clean. The water’s sitting at 62°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year. It’s a marginal session though, and for advanced surfers only. The afternoon jumps to 7ft and a 19-second period, but the wind swings cross-on and it gets choppy – not the best.

Wednesday morning, 5th August, is a bit better with a clean 7ft SW swell at 16 seconds. The wind is a gentle cross-shore, so there’s a slight cross-chop. Then Wednesday afternoon is the first real standout – a 10ft SSW groundswell with a 16-second period, and the wind goes glassy offshore from the south at 3 mph. The energy is charging (4504). This is excellent surf, but at 10ft, it’s only for experts. The long period will make it heave and suck at a beach break, so look for a bank that handles it.

Thursday, 6th August, is another cracker. Morning brings 8ft SSW swell, 16-second period, and a clean offshore breeze from the north at 12 mph. Wave energy is strong (3832). The afternoon holds the same size with a cross-off breeze – still clean. Both sessions are labelled excellent for experienced surfers. This is some of the best quality on offer.

Friday, 7th August, keeps the 10ft SW swell going, but the wind is a bit more variable. The morning is clean with a cross-off, but the overall call is marginal. The afternoon goes light cross-shore.

Then things get wild. Saturday, 8th August, a massive 16ft SSW swell hits with a 12-second period, and the wind is a near gale from the southwest at 31 mph. It’s blown out and dangerous – zero appeal for surfing. Sunday, 9th, is still huge at 15ft to 13ft, and while the wind is cleaner, the swell is simply too big for this break. This pattern of huge, unmanageable swell continues through Monday, Tuesday, and into Wednesday, 12th August. Honestly, the setup looks far more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing during this stretch.

The first real chance to get back in the water is Thursday afternoon, 13th August. The swell drops to 8ft SSW, and the wind goes clean cross-off from the northwest. The wave energy is still strong (2924), and it’s an excellent session for experienced surfers. Friday, 14th August, holds 10ft SSW in the morning with a clean cross-off, but the afternoon is the standout of the second week: an 12ft SSW groundswell with a long 18-second period, and it goes glassy with a light southeast wind. The energy is pumping (7604), but this is expert-only territory.

The following days, 15th and 16th August, stay in the 10ft to 12ft range, mostly clean, but the swell is still on the big side. The Sunday afternoon, 16th August, is another gem – 10ft SSW swell, 16-second period, and glassy conditions. Excellent for anyone with the skills.

The final few days, 17th and 18th August, see the swell drop back to 7ft to 7ft, opening it up for strong intermediates. The morning of Tuesday, 18th, is a clean offshore session with 6ft SW swell – a nice, mellow end to the run.

And the very last day, Wednesday morning, 19th August, is an absolute standout for the true experts: a 10ft SW groundswell, 15-second period, with a light offshore breeze. The energy is massive (7859), and it’s labelled exceptional. That’s one to mark on the calendar if you’re keen on a big, clean, powerful session.

The absolute best on offer? Thursday 6th August for the clean, offshore conditions with a solid 8ft groundswell, and the glassy, expert-level session on Thursday 14th August. For the true die-hards, the final morning on 19th August is a promise of something special.

Crowds are possible at Fourth Beach, so keep an eye out.

Rusty.

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