Hat Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Hat Head.

We’re in for a bit of a slow start, but things pick up. The water temp is sittin’ around 68°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, nothin’ weird there.

The first real chance to get wet is early Wednesday morning, the 5th of August. It’s nothin’ to write home about, just a tiny 2ft easterly windswell with a short period, but the wind is glassy out of the WSW. You’ll be paddlin’ out in clean, smooth conditions even if the waves are small. The energy is real weak (79), so it’s a great session for a beginner just to get the feel of it.

Thursday morning on the 6th brings a shift. A clean 1ft southerly groundswell rollin’ in with a 12-second period, and a light offshore breeze from the SSW. It’s gonna be clean, but tiny. The energy is still low (60). Great for a longboard and a peaceful morning.

Friday morning the 7th is the first little standout. The swell picks up to 2ft from the SSE, period a solid 10 seconds, and the wind is glassy again from the WSW. The energy jumps to a moderate 155. It’s still small, but the conditions are gonna be perfect. This is the best of the early window for a casual splash.

Saturday morning the 8th is clean again with a 2ft southerly swell and offshore winds, energy at 128. Clean, but still small.

Alright, now we get to the meat. Sunday the 9th starts to get messy. An onshore northerly wind picks up and the swell bumps to 4ft by morning, then 6ft by afternoon with a howlin’ 19 mph onshore breeze. The energy gets strong (502), but the wind is trash. It’s gonna be a washing machine out there. Not for the paddle surfer, but if you’re into kite surfing, that afternoon session might be your jam.

Monday the 10th is the biggest swell of the run so far, with 7ft out of the NE in the morning. The energy is strong (526), but the period is short (8 seconds) and it’s a cross-shore wind. The wave quality is marginal. That’s expert territory if you’re brave, but it’s not gonna be pretty.

The real gem of this whole forecast looks like Wednesday the 12th. The swell settles to a clean 3ft from the ENE with a nice 10-second period. The energy is moderate (210-236) and the wind goes glassy in the afternoon. Expect clean, fun waves with good shape. This is the day to circle.

Thursday the 13th morning has a bit more size at 4ft from the S, but the period drops to 7 seconds. Still clean with a light offshore wind (222 energy). It’s surfable, but the shorter period means it won’t have the same push.

Friday the 14th morning is glassy again with a 3ft southerly swell. Clean, but the energy is moderate (292). Afternoon gets messy with a cross-onshore wind and a bigger 5ft southerly groundswell (717 energy). That’s a lot of juice, but the wind ruins it.

Saturday the 15th morning is another good call. A clean 4ft southerly groundswell with a 10-second period, and a gentle offshore from the SSW. Energy is solid (282). This is a proper session for a decent wave.

After that, the second week is a bit of a mixed bag of small, clean mornings and messy afternoons. The 20th of August morning is worth a mention: a glassy 3ft from the ESE, but the period is only 6 seconds, so the energy is weak (97). It’s a glassy board-paddlin’ morning, but don’t expect much power.

Overall, the best on offer is Wednesday the 12th. The glassy conditions and clean 3ft from the ENE will give you the best chance of a smile. The Saturday the 15th morning is a close second. Hat Head can be inconsistent, so when the stars align like this, you gotta go.

Keep your eyes peeled, the forecasts can always change for the better.

Rusty.

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