Jarosite Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for Jarosite Reef. We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but there’s some real power building in the second week if you’re patient and know what you’re doing.

The first few days are pretty quiet. Sunday and Monday (19th-20th July) are small, with weak swell around 2 ft to 2 ft from the SSW or SW. The combined energy is low (170, 169, 185, 131), so it’s pretty limp. Sunday afternoon does go glassy, which is a treat, but the waves are just too ordinary to get excited about. You could get wet, but you won’t be raving about it.

We start to see a little more life on Tuesday morning (21st July). The swell bumps up to 3 ft from the SW, the period stretches to 14 seconds, and the energy jumps to 317. That’s a proper groundswell pulse. The winds are light cross-off, so it stays clean. It’s still small, but it’s the best the first week has to offer. Conditions hold into the afternoon with an offshore wind and a similar 3 ft swell.

Now, things get crazy from Thursday 23rd July onward, but you have to be careful what you wish for. Thursday morning sees a massive jump: 12 ft of SW swell with a 13-second period and combined energy of 6133. That’s a lot of power. The wind is cross-off at 16 mph, so it’s clean, but 12 ft is expert territory only. This isn’t a beginner’s wave. Thursday afternoon is similar, with 10 ft and 5166 energy. The wind picks up to 19 mph, but it’s still cross-off, keeping it clean.

Friday 24th July is the biggest day on the books. The morning has 8 ft and manageable winds, but the afternoon is a monster: 16 ft of SW swell, 14-second period, and combined energy of 11806. That’s a serious, serious swell. The wind is cross-off at 19 mph, but the forecast suggests the swell is too big for this break. It might be more of a spectacle than a session for most.

The weekend (25th-26th July) stays big, with Saturday morning at 6 ft, but the afternoon jumps back to 12 ft, and Sunday morning has 7 ft. The wind stays offshore or cross-off, so the faces will be clean, but these are still big waves. Sunday afternoon drops to 5 ft, which is a bit more manageable.

After that, the swell backs off significantly. Monday 27th July is a write-off with poor conditions and onshore wind. But hold on – Tuesday 28th July is a real standout. The morning has 5 ft from the SSW, a 14-second period, combined energy of 820, and a clean offshore wind from the NW at 12 mph. The afternoon is even better: 5 ft, 13-second period, 668 energy, and still offshore. This is the window for a good, solid session on a clean reef.

The last few days of the month (29th-31st July) and into August are small and inconsistent. A few pulses of 3 ft to 4 ft with long periods, but the winds are too strong and cross-off, making it messy. The first week of August looks poor, with small swell and poor conditions.

Best on offer: Tuesday 28th July. Both morning and afternoon sessions at Jarosite Reef. The 5 ft SW groundswell, combined with a clean offshore wind, will give you the best shape and manageable size. The reef handles long-period swell well, so those 14-second gaps between sets will make paddling out easier. Keep in mind, this is an advanced reef break, and it can get crowded sometimes.

Rusty.

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