Ketewel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let's have a look at what's on the cards for the next fortnight or so. Honestly, it's a bit of a tough stretch ahead. The forecast is looking pretty average for the most part, with a lot of messy, choppy conditions blowing across the water. The water temp is sitting at about 80°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The one spot we’re keeping an eye on is Ketewel, a tricky reef setup that doesn’t break all that often. When it’s on, it’s for the advanced crew only. For the first few days, from Tuesday the 25th of August right through to Sunday the 30th, it’s all cross-on winds with that moderate to gentle breeze and the surf is just poor. Not worth getting wet for. We see a bit of a shift on Thursday the 27th afternoon when the wind goes onshore, but the swell is still only around 3ft from the SSW with a very long 20 second period – that’s proper groundswell energy, and with an energy reading of 1644, it’s got some punch, but it’s still rated as marginal.

The real potential, and I mean the only real standout window we’ve got, starts on Friday the 28th of August. The wind turns light and onshore, which at least makes for clean faces. The swell bumps up to about 8ft from the SSW with a 16 second period – that’s a solid, strong groundswell with a combined energy of 3139. This is getting into expert territory now, too big for learners. The quality is still only marginal, but it’s the best we’ll see. The good news carries into Saturday the 29th with slightly smaller 6ft sets and light onshore winds, but still clean.

After that weekend, it's back to the grind. From Sunday the 30th through to Wednesday the 9th of September, it’s a long, frustrating run of mostly poor surf with cross-on winds, a mix of moderate and gentle breezes, and the swell just falling away. There’s a tiny flicker of life around the 6th and 7th of September, with some 6ft to 7ft SSW swell and onshore winds, but it’s still mostly marginal. The energy kicks up a bit – 2482 on the 6th afternoon – but the inconsistency of this break combined with the less-than-ideal wind means it’s not going to be a classic. It is what it is.

Sadly, there’s no real standout to get properly excited about. If I had to pick the best option, it would be the Friday 28th of August into the Saturday 29th at Ketewel. The SSW swell with a 16 second period, combined with that light onshore wind, will be the cleanest and most powerful we’re likely to get, even if it’s not perfect. Crowds are always possible there, so prepare to share the peak.

Rusty.

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