Fourth Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here, breaking down the next 16 days at Fourth Beach.

We’ve got a slow start, but the swell is gonna build into something serious. First decent window is Friday afternoon, July 24th, with a 5ft SSW swell at 13 seconds. The wind is a light cross-shore from the ESE, so it’s a bit bumpy. Not the cleanest start, but it’s a start.

Saturday the 25th is a mixed bag. The morning is clean but the wind is a stiff 12 mph from the NNW, creating a cross-offshore breeze. The swell’s a bit smaller at 5ft, but the real highlight is Saturday afternoon. The wind swings NNE at 6 mph, turning fully offshore, and the swell holds at 5ft from the SSW. The energy is solid (677) and the conditions are clean. Good session for experienced surfers.

Sunday the 26th is a washout. The wind is howling from the NW at 28 mph in the morning and then from the west at 25 mph in the afternoon. The swell jumps to 10ft, but it’s messy and strong. The energy is very strong (2255), but the wind is onshore and the surf is poor. Stay on the beach.

Monday the 27th is no better. The swell is maxing out at 10ft from the SSW, with a massive 5983 energy, but it’s all cross-onshore. The wind is from the SW, and the waves are choppy and messy. Tuesday the 28th is a slight improvement, with light cross-onshore winds and the swell holding at 10ft, but the energy is still very strong (3741). Marginal, but not great.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Wednesday the 29th of July is a standout. The morning brings a 8ft SSW swell with a 13-second period, and the wind is a clean offshore from the NNE. The energy is strong (1930), and the conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. Then, Wednesday afternoon, the wind goes glassy from the ESE, and the swell drops to 7ft. The energy is still strong (1767), and the waves are glassy and clean. This is the best single day of the first week.

Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st keep the quality going. Thursday has a solid 5ft SSW swell with a 15-second period, and the wind is offshore in the morning and cross-offshore in the afternoon. Clean. Friday the 31st sees a 7ft SSW swell with a very long 17-second period, and the wind is offshore from the north. The energy is huge (2688) and the waves are clean. Proper groundswell.

Saturday the 1st of August is looking like a potential big-wave day. The swell is 10ft from the SSW with a 17-second period, and the wind is cross-offshore. The energy is massive (5534 in the morning, 4222 in the afternoon). The afternoon is rated as excellent for experienced surfers. This is for experts only.

Sunday the 2nd and Monday the 3rd see the swell staying solid, but the winds start to get a bit more aggressive. The 2nd has a 7ft SSW swell with offshore winds, but the energy is still very strong (2405). The 3rd has an 8ft SW swell, but the wind swings to the west and causes a lumpy cross-chop.

From the 5th of August onwards, the swell goes massive. Wednesday the 5th has a 15ft SW swell, and the energy is 8860. The wind is cross-offshore, but the swell is too big for this break. Thursday the 6th is even bigger, with a 20ft SSW swell and an 18-second period, and the energy is a staggering 21836. This is a full-on, heavy-duty, expert-only, potentially dangerous swell. The wind is strong, but it’s clean. The same goes for the 7th and 8th of August, with waves over 13ft and 21ft.

The water temperature is 62°, which is about average for the time of year (anomaly -0.1°). This spot is fairly exposed to the SW swell, and it’s consistent. The crowds are listed as “sometimes”, so you’ll have company, but it’s not a madhouse.

To sum it up: the best on offer for the average surfer is Wednesday the 29th of July and Friday the 31st of July. The standout for the entire period, if you’re a serious charger, is Saturday the 1st of August. The rest of the first week has some solid sessions, but the second week is all about ridiculously heavy, oversized swell that is only for the experienced.

Rusty.

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