Fourth Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s look at what’s coming up for Fourth Beach over the next 16 days.

The big picture is a solid run of long-period SSW groundswell with some proper size and good energy. Water temp is about 59°F, which is normal for the season. The first half of the week has some real gems, but the second half gets blown out with onshore winds. There’s a quiet stretch from Thursday the 27th through the end of the first week, then things improve again toward the start of September.

The best window starts Monday afternoon, the 24th of August. We’ve got a 7ft SSW swell with a 14-second period, and the wind is glassy – ESE at 6 mph. That’s clean, lined-up waves with moderate energy (1933) and perfect for experienced surfers. This break is consistent, so you’ll get plenty of waves. Crowds are sometimes a factor, so you might have company, but with conditions like this, it’s worth it.

Next up, Wednesday morning the 26th of August is a ripper. The swell is 7ft from the SW, period 14 seconds, and the wind is WNW at 9 mph – cross-offshore and clean. Energy is strong (2260), and the surf is excellent for experienced surfers. This is a solid session.

Wednesday afternoon the 26th is a beast – 12ft SSW swell with a 20-second period, wind is SSW at 12 mph onshore. That’s massive energy (8962), but it’s too big for this break and the wind is on it. That’s expert-only, and with the onshore, it’s more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Jump to Sunday morning the 30th of August – another standout. A 10ft SSW groundswell, 18-second period, and the wind is offshore from the N at 9 mph. That’s clean, powerful, and the energy is huge (6059). This is a long-period groundswell, so it’ll have better shape and longer lulls, making paddling out easier. But at a beach break like Fourth Beach, it might break a bit straight. Still, for experienced surfers, it’s a beauty.

The first week of September has some promise. Sunday morning the 6th of September is the pick of the second week – 7ft SSW swell, 16-second period, ENE wind at 9 mph cross-offshore and clean. Energy is moderate (1956), and it’s excellent for experienced surfers. That’s about 13 days out, so it’s one to watch but not lock in.

For the rest, there’s a lot of onshore wind and choppy conditions, especially from the 27th to the 29th of August, and again in early September. The swell stays around 5ft to 8ft, but the wind is junk. The 29th of August has a 4ft SSE swell with a long 18-second period, but cross-shore winds at 16 mph, so it’s marginal.

In short, the best surf is Monday afternoon the 24th, Wednesday morning the 26th, and Sunday morning the 30th of August. The long-range Sunday the 6th of September is also worth a look. Skip the windy days and wait for the clean ones.

Rusty.

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