Noosa - Johnsons Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, putting it in feet and miles for you.

The next 16 days are a bit of a mixed bag, with a slow start giving way to a few pulses of energy, but the quality is really going to be the main talking point. We’ll see a solid run of mid-range swell, but the wind is going to be the main character for a lot of it, playing havoc with the surface. The standout session is going to be the very last day on the forecast.

We’re starting with a bit of a flat spell. The first good surf doesn’t show up until Monday, August 17th, at Johnsons (Noosa). That morning we’ve got a 8ft swell coming from the SE with a short period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate (558). The wind is a cross-offshore breeze, which is clean but the surf is described as marginal. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is about 1° cooler than average for this time of year, so pretty normal really.

The swell hangs around the 7ft to 8ft mark through Tuesday and Wednesday, with the energy building to a moderate 591 by Tuesday afternoon. The wind stays cross-offshore from the SE, keeping the surface clean, but the period is still short (7-8 seconds) and the overall conditions are still only marginal. This is a punchy, short-period swell, so it’s not the most user-friendly, but there’s definitely some push in the water. For more experienced surfers on a bigger board, it’s worth a paddle.

The second half of the week sees the swell ease back. Thursday, August 20th, afternoon session shows a drop to 3ft from the SE with a period of 8 seconds, but the combined energy is still moderate (263) and the wind goes light and cross-offshore, which is actually a decent window. That’s the first time we see a bit of a recovery in the wave quality.

We then hit a big gap. From Friday, August 21st, all the way through to Saturday, August 29th, the surf is pretty poor. The swell stays small, mostly under 3ft, with onshore or cross-shore winds and very low energy levels (dropping to as low as 41). There’s a bit of a pulse on the 27th with a 4ft NE swell, but the wind is strong and offshore, making it tricky. It’s a real patch of flat, messy conditions and not much to get excited about. You’re better off doing something else for over a week.

Now, the real silver lining. The very last day on the books, Sunday, August 30th, is the one to circle. The morning session shows a 5ft swell from the SSE with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy jumps back up to a strong 478. The wind is a moderate offshore breeze from the SSE, so we’re looking at clean, lined-up waves. This is the standout of the whole period. The swell direction is bang on for Johnsons’ optimum from the ENE, so expect some nice, long, peeling rights. The period is a bit longer, giving the waves some shape and power. It’s a proper groundswell pulse, and for a point break like Johnsons, that’s a beautiful thing. The only downside is the light rain, but you won’t care when you’re in the water. This is the one to chase.

Rusty

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