Halfway Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s cooking at Halfway. We’ve got a solid run of swell, but it’s not all for the faint of heart. There’s a big pulse of energy early next week that’s going to be a real handful.

First up, the water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The pattern kicks off this Sunday, the 9th of August, with a SSW swell of 7ft at a very long 16 seconds. The combined energy is pumping at 2228 (moderate wave energy). The wind is a cross-off from the ESE at 16 mph, which will keep things clean. But the comment says it’s marginal, and the score is a bit average. The swell is decent, but it’s not all coming together for a standout.

Monday the 10th is where things get interesting, but also a bit intimidating. The morning sees a 6ft SSW swell with a crazy long 19-second period, and the energy jumps to 3713 (moderate wave energy). The wind is still cross-off, clean. But the afternoon is the real story: the swell jumps to 10ft from the SSW with a period of 18 seconds, and the combined energy hits 5492 (strong wave energy). The forecast says it’s too big for this break. That’s a lot of water moving around. For experienced surfers only, if you’re game. Tuesday the 11th morning is much the same, with 10ft and 4834 energy (strong wave energy), still too big. It eases to 8ft in the afternoon.

The standout window for the experienced crew is Friday the 14th through to Sunday the 16th. The swell drops to a more manageable 7ft to 8ft, still a long-period SSW groundswell (15-17 seconds). The wind is light and cross-off, from the SE or SSE at just 9 mph, making for clean conditions. The combined energy ranges from 2243 to 2950 (moderate wave energy). The forecast calls these “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” This is the pick of the bunch if you’ve got the skills. The 19th of August sees a brief window of true offshore wind from the ESE at 19 mph, which is a rare treat, but the swell is 8ft and the energy is high, so it’s still a big day.

Later in the run, from Saturday the 22nd into Sunday the 23rd, the swell eases back to 5ft to 7ft, with periods dropping to 13-14 seconds. The wind stays light and cross-off. The energy is lower, around 1153 to 1645 (moderate wave energy), but the forecast is calling it “excellent surf conditions.” This is a solid call for intermediate surfers who want cleaner, less intimidating waves.

The biggest standout is the Friday the 14th to Sunday the 16th window. The swell is solid, the wind is clean, and the energy is there. It’s a groundswell with a long period, so it’ll be powerful and have better shape, but it’ll also have longer waits between sets. This spot is fairly consistent, so you’ll get waves. Crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so you might have some company, but it won’t be a circus.

If you’re a beginner, the swell is over 5ft for most of the period, so it’s going to be a challenge. The 5ft days on the 23rd of August might be your best bet, but even then, it’s a long-period swell, so it’ll be pushy.

Rusty.

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