Fourth Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Alright, let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for Fourth Beach over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with some serious size on the way, but you’ll need to pick your windows carefully. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We kick off on Thursday the 23rd of July, but honestly, it’s a write-off. We’ve got a solid 10ft SSW groundswell rolling in with a 15-second period, packing some serious grunt (3378 combined swell energy). The problem is the wind – a light cross-onshore breeze is just messing things up, and the wave comment says the conditions are marginal. It’s a frustrating start, but don’t let it get you down.

Friday the 24th is where things start to look up. The morning is the standout early in the period. The swell has dropped a touch to a clean 6ft from the SSW, still with a nice 13-second period (1127 combined swell energy). The magic is the wind: a light offshore breeze from the north. This is going to deliver clean, lined-up waves. It’s a bit under the 8ft mark, so it’s not just for experts.

Saturday the 25th is another decent option. The swell eases a bit more to 5ft, still from the SSW, with a 12-second period. The afternoon session is the pick, with a light offshore wind from the north again, promising clean conditions. The swell energy is moderate (597), but the quality is good.

Sunday the 26th gets a bit weird. The morning is a no-go with strong NW winds, but the afternoon throws a curveball. A big 12ft swell from the WSW shows up, but with a short 9-second period (1995 combined swell energy). The wave comment says it’s too big for this break, so unless you’re a serious charger looking for a challenge, give it a miss.

Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th are mostly onshore and messy, with the swell hanging in the 8ft to 10ft range, but the wind is just not playing ball. Not worth the paddle.

Wednesday the 29th of July is a beauty. The morning is clean with a fresh offshore north wind, but the afternoon is the real highlight. We’ve got 6ft of clean, lined-up SSW groundswell (1676 combined swell energy) with a gentle offshore breeze. This is excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers – the shape should be proper.

Thursday the 30th is a smaller day with 4ft of very long-period SSW groundswell (16 seconds, 882 combined swell energy). The morning has a clean cross-offshore wind. This longer-period stuff will produce beautiful waves, but tends to break a bit straight on the beach, so look for the better peaks.

Now, Friday the 31st of July is a standout. This is the one to circle. The morning session has 8ft of clean, powerful SSW groundswell with a 16-second period (2657 combined swell energy) and a moderate offshore breeze. The afternoon is just as good, with a slight offshore air and the same solid swell. This is expert territory, but for those with the skills, it’s going to be epic.

Saturday the 1st of August gets big again. A solid 12ft SSW groundswell (15 seconds, 8074 combined swell energy) is pumping, with a fresh offshore breeze. The wave comment says it’s too big for this break though, so unless you’re a lunatic with a guns, stay on the beach.

The rest of the run into the second week is a bit of a blur. Sunday the 2nd of August is windy and big, Monday and Tuesday the 3rd and 4th are smaller with cross-shore winds, and Wednesday the 5th of August offers another look at a solid 8ft SSW groundswell with a 17-second period (3724 combined swell energy) and a clean offshore wind – another one for the advanced crew. The wind gets fresh on Thursday the 6th, but it’s offshore so it stays clean.

To sum it up: the best bet for the keen surfer is the afternoon of Wednesday the 29th of July, and if you’re an experienced surfer, make sure you’re out there for the morning of Friday the 31st of July – that’s the pick of the whole period.

Rusty.

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