Noosa - Johnsons Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, breaking it down in feet and inches.

First thing, we’ve got a solid run of clean surf shaping up at Noosa - Johnsons. Water temp is 69.1°, right around average for the time of year, so no need for a thick wetsuit.

The week kicks off proper on Wednesday the 22nd of July with a nice 5.6ft east swell, period of 9 seconds. The combined energy is a strong 730, so there’s plenty of push behind it. Wind is a light cross-off from the southeast. It’s not glassy, but it’s clean and workable. This is the standout session of the whole forecast – the morning is going to be the pick with very good surf conditions. The afternoon drops a little to 5.2ft, still clean, but the energy comes down to 408.

Thursday the 23rd sees a drop in size to 4.3ft, but the wind goes glassy offshore from the SSW first thing. That’s a beautiful window for a longboard or a mid-length cruiser. The period drops to 8 seconds, so it’s a bit more wind swell, but glassy conditions always make it worth the paddle out.

Friday the 24th is smaller again at 3.3ft, but the wind turns offshore from the south at 12 mph. The waves will be clean but small. If you’re a beginner, this is a good day to get some practice in, as the 3.3ft is well within the comfort zone. Saturday morning the 25th bounces back up to 3.6ft with offshore wind again, moderate breeze, clean. Consistency is fairly consistent, so you won’t be waiting around forever.

From Sunday the 26th onwards, the surf starts to fade. Sunday morning is 2.3ft and glassy, but the energy is down to 77, so it’s weak. By Monday the 27th we’re down to 1.0ft, and that’s pretty much it for a good stretch. There’s a long gap of several days where the surf is tiny and the conditions are poor, with the odd bit of rain around. The combined energy stays below 100 for most of that, and the swell direction shifts around a lot.

The second week shows a few flickers of life again. Around the 5th and 6th of August, there’s a small increase in swell from the southeast, with periods climbing up to 14 or even 18 seconds. That’s proper long-period groundswell, and while the wave heights are only 1.0ft to 2.0ft, the period is long enough to wrap into the point. The morning of the 6th of August has a cross-off breeze from the west-southwest and a combined energy of 124, which is the most interesting wave energy in the second week. It’s small, but for a point break like Johnsons, that long period can still produce a rideable wave. Keep an eye on it, but don’t book the day off work just yet.

For the beginner surfer, most of the first week is manageable, with the biggest day being 5.6ft – still fine for a progressing beginner. Anything over 8.2ft, which we don’t see here, would be for experts only.

Crowds at Johnsons are often busy, so expect company, especially on the glassy Thursday morning. It’s popular for a reason.

All in all, the standout is Wednesday the 22nd of July morning. Get on it.

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