Fourth Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s on the menu for Fourth Beach.

The next fortnight is a bit of a rollercoaster, starting with some solid, clean groundswell for the experienced crew, but then it gets messy with a big blow before a potential monster swell shows up that’s way too big for this spot.

The first real action kicks off on Wednesday the 29th of July. We've got a solid SSW groundswell pushing in at 10 feet with a 13-second period. The combined energy is serious, sitting at 2547. It’s a bit of a beast for the average punter, making this one for the advanced surfers only. The morning sees a light offshore breeze from the NNE, keeping things clean. The afternoon stays clean with a light cross-off breeze, and the swell drops a touch to 8 feet.

Thursday the 30th holds in there. The morning is the standout with a clear sky, a strong 16 mph offshore from the NNW, and a 5-foot SSW swell. The period bumps up to 15 seconds, giving it some real grunt and that long-period feel. The energy is 1363. It’s going to be clean and lined up. The afternoon is a bit mellower but still clean.

Friday the 31st of July sees the swell jumping back up. The morning is a bit tricky with a fresh 19 mph offshore, but the swell is 6 feet with a very long 17-second period, energy at 2209. The real highlight is the afternoon: an 8-foot SSW swell, 17-second period, and a solid 9 mph offshore wind from the north. The energy jumps to 3308, and it’s described as excellent for experienced surfers. That’s a top session for the crew who can handle it.

Then we hit a wall. Saturday the 1st of August and Sunday the 2nd get blown out by strong onshore winds. The swell gets huge, hitting 13 feet, but it’s a mess. Not worth paddling out.

Monday the 3rd and Tuesday the 4th of August see the winds swing offshore again, cleaning it up. The swell drops back to the 5 to 8-foot range. The afternoon of Tuesday the 4th is a beauty: 8 feet from the SSW, 18-second period, and a light offshore breeze. The energy is high at 3653. This is another session for the advanced surfers. Wednesday the 5th of August has a glassy afternoon with zero wind and a 7-foot groundswell, which is a rare treat.

The week of the 6th starts to get messy again with rain and cross-onshore winds, but it clears up. The real standout of the entire forecast, however, is Saturday the 8th of August. The morning sees a massive 15-foot SW swell with a 16-second period. The wind is a strong 19 mph offshore from the north. The combined energy is a staggering 8850. The issue? It’s just too big for Fourth Beach, even for experts. The afternoon is the same size and energy. It’s a spectacle to watch, but not to paddle. After that, the 9th of August through the 13th of August is a write-off with near-gale force winds from the west and southwest, making the surf unsurfable.

So, to sum it up: the best bets are the afternoon of Friday the 31st of July and the afternoon of Tuesday the 4th of August. If you’re an advanced surfer and you want some serious power, those are your windows. The glassy afternoon of Wednesday the 5th of August is also a gem. The 8th of August is a no-go for riding, but it’ll be a show.

Rusty.

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