Fourth Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The long-range charts have been lighting up for the back half of this run, but the next few days are going to test your patience. We’ve got a solid window of surfable waves coming, but you gotta pick your moments. This is Fourth Beach we’re talking about, so it’s all about that consistency and picking the right tide and wind.

The first real chance to get wet is Sunday morning, August 16th. It’s not going to be epic, but there’s clean, chest-high swell rolling in from the SSW. The water’s sitting at a normal 61° for this time of year, which is about what you’d expect. The NE cross-off is keeping the face tidy, so it’s a worth a paddle if you’re keen, but the tide might be a bit questionable. The energy’s moderate at (1173), so there’s a bit of push, but it’s not going to blow your skirt up. Later that afternoon, it bumps up a bit in size, but the wind swings east and puts a cross-chop on it, so you’re better off waiting.

Things start to get more interesting on Monday, August 17th. The morning kicks off with a fresh NNE offshore wind and a solid 6ft of SSW groundswell. The period is up at 19 seconds, so there’s real push behind it—the energy is strong (2573). It’s a bit on the bigger side but still manageable. The afternoon is the standout of the day. The wind drops to a moderate offshore, the swell holds at 6ft with an 18-second period, and it’s just clean. This is your window for some proper, lined-up walls. The energy backs off a touch (1944), but the quality is there.

Now, you gotta be careful. Tuesday, August 18th is a write-off. The wind swings onshore from the WSW and it gets lumpy and messy. Not worth your time. Wednesday morning, the 19th, has some clean cross-off surf again around 6ft, but it’s the afternoon that’s the real gem. Glassy conditions, light S wind, and clean 6ft SW swell with a solid 16-second period. That’s the kind of session you remember.

The swell really starts to jack up on Thursday, August 20th, pushing into the 8ft to 10ft range. But it’s coming with a cross-shore wind, which makes it a bit of a handful. It’s big, but not pretty. Friday the 21st sees the biggest pulse, with a 12ft SSW swell predicted for the afternoon. The wind is light, but at that size, Fourth Beach is going to be a washing machine. Unless you’re an expert and know the break like the back of your hand, this one is for the big-wave crew only. The energy here is massive (7060).

We get a bit of a breather on the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd, with surf settling back into the 7ft to 7ft range, but the winds are a bit all over the place. A lighter NW cross-off on Saturday morning keeps it clean-ish, but it’s not a standout. The following week, it drops further. Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th are small and unimpressive, with Tuesday being a complete loss due to a fresh cross-shore W wind.

But hold on, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Wednesday the 26th starts to look big again, with 8ft SW swell building, but the wind is messy. The real winner is in the first week of September. Thursday morning, the 27th, is looking like a gem. A light offshore NNW wind, clean 7ft SSW swell with a 15-second period, and an energy reading of (2188). That’s going to be firing. And then Friday morning, the 28th, is another good one—gentle offshore N wind and some clean 5ft SSW groundswell. It’s a bit smaller, but a classic Fourth Beach day.

The last couple of days of the run, the 29th and 30th, are a mix of strong winds and lumpy conditions. Not much to write home about there. The long-range stuff, especially the 27th, is promising, but it’s a way off, so keep an eye on the charts. As it stands, the pick of the run is Monday afternoon, August 17th for the quality, or the glassy Wednesday afternoon session on the 19th. That’s where I’d be pointing the car.

Stay stoked.

Rusty

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