Fourth Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer. We’ve got a solid run of swell coming in, but it’s not all smooth sailing. The water temp is sitting at 61°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The main story is a big, long-period groundswell from the SSW that’s gonna be pumping through. The energy is massive, hitting 4340 (strong to very strong wave energy) on Friday afternoon the 14th, with a 10ft swell. That’s some serious size. The wind is a cross-shore from the ESE at 12 mph, which will put a bit of a chop on it, so it’s not going to be perfect. This is definitely advanced territory at that size.

Saturday morning the 15th looks a lot cleaner. The swell drops to 7ft from the SSW, with a lovely cross-off breeze from the NNE at 9 mph. Clean faces. The energy is still strong at 1874 (moderate wave energy). This is a solid option for the experienced crew.

The real standouts, the ones you’d circle on the calendar, are the Monday morning on the 17th and the Thursday morning on the 20th. On the 17th, we’ve got a 6ft SSW swell with a 19-second period – that’s very long period groundswell, so it’ll have heaps of punch and long lulls between sets. The wind is a fresh offshore from the N at 19 mph, making for clean, groomed waves. The energy is 2573 (strong wave energy). On the 20th, the swell jumps back up to 10ft from the SW, 16-second period, and the wind is a whisper-light WNW at 3 mph, almost glassy. The energy is 3794 (strong to very strong wave energy). That’s a big, clean day for experts only.

There’s a bit of a rough patch from the 18th to the 19th, with strong onshore winds and lumpy conditions, so you’ll want to sit that out.

Then, the forecast gets really interesting for the 23rd. Sunday afternoon on the 23rd, we’ve got a 10ft SSW swell, 17-second period, and a gentle cross-off breeze from the NNE at 9 mph. The energy is 4812 (strong to very strong wave energy). This is a fantastic, clean groundswell. It’s a long way out, so treat it as promising but not locked in.

Later on, the 26th of August offers a real treat for the morning session: a glassy 8ft SSW swell. The wind is from the SW at only 3 mph, making it dead flat. That’s beautiful. And the 29th is looking excellent too, with a 7ft SW swell, 18-second period, and a clean offshore wind from the NNW at 16 mph. The energy is 2974 (strong wave energy). That’s another one for the experienced surfer to get excited about.

Fourth Beach is a fairly exposed beach, so it gets the swell, but it can get a bit straight with these long-period swells. It’s a consistent break, but be aware that crowds are possible here.

If you’re not a strong paddler, be careful with anything over 8ft – that’s expert territory. The 4ft to 7ft swells with clean winds are your best bet for a fun, manageable session.

Rusty.

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