Kirra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this stretch at Kirra is a bit of a frustrating wait. The first week or so is pretty grim, with tiny, weak swells and a lot of poor surf conditions. The real standout doesn’t show up until Sunday the 9th of August, and even then, it’s a one-session wonder.

The water temp is sitting around 69°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

We kick off on Monday the 27th of July. The swell is a limp 3ft out of the south, with a combined energy of 213 (moderate), but it’s a cross-offshore wind out of the southeast, and the conditions are just poor. Nothing to get excited about. Tuesday the 28th is even smaller, with a morning glass-off but only 3ft of weak SSE swell. Afternoon winds shift to a cross-shore, and the energy drops to 102 (weak). The whole week pretty much stays this way – tiny, weak, and hardly worth a paddle. Wednesday the 29th is a total flat day with 2ft and a short period of 6 seconds. Thursday the 30th has a bit of offshore breeze, but the swell is still tiny at 2ft. Friday the 31st finally sees a pulse of energy – by the afternoon, we get a 5ft SSE swell with a 12-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 602 (strong). The wind is offshore from the south, so it’s clean, but the conditions are still described as “very ordinary.” It’s surfable, but it’s not classic Kirra.

Saturday the 1st of August is a step back, with smaller 4ft swell and light rain in the morning. The energy is 368 (moderate), with offshore winds, but it’s still ordinary. Sunday the 2nd is similar, with 3ft swell and a bit of energy (468, moderate). The afternoon sees a 2ft swell with a very long 14-second period from the SE, but it’s a cross-offshore wind and the waves are small. The long period here is notable – it’s a groundswell, but at a beach/point setup like Kirra, the long period can make it a bit straight and tricky. Still, the energy is 492 (moderate).

Monday the 3rd of August has a morning glass-off with 3ft SSE swell and a 11-second period, which is encouraging. The energy is 476 (moderate), and it’s clean. But the afternoon turns cross-shore and the session is gone. The first half of the second week is a bit of a mixed bag. Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th are small, with offshore winds but weak swell (3ft to 4ft) and short periods. Thursday the 6th sees a bump in size to 6ft SE swell, but it’s short period (7 seconds) and the wind is offshore in the morning, making it surfable but ordinary. The energy is 414 (moderate). Friday the 7th brings 7ft SE swell, again short period, with offshore winds. The energy is 586 (strong). This is getting bigger, but it’s a bit of a messy, short-period swell, so it’s more for guys who don’t mind a bit of a bumpy ride.

Now, the standout. Sunday the 9th of August morning is the best session on offer. The swell is 7ft out of the SE, with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is a beefy 897 (strong). The wind is glassy – absolutely dead calm with an ESE direction – so it’s going to be clean as a whistle. The break is Kirra (point/groyne), and this is a classic setup for a point break. The swell direction is SE, which is close to the optimum swell direction of SE, so it should wrap in nicely. However, the crowds are listed as “often”, so expect company. This is a day for experienced surfers – 7ft is getting into the “experts only” territory for many, and the period is solid, offering good shaped waves with long gaps between sets. The only downside is that the afternoon turns onshore with a NNE wind, so the window is tight. Get in early.

The rest of the second week fades fast. Monday the 10th is a write-off with cross-onshore winds and a dropping swell. Tuesday the 11th is clean but tiny again at 2ft.

So, to sum it up: the first week and a half is a write-off. The only real standout is the Sunday morning of the 9th of August. Mark it on your calendar, but don’t be late. It’s a promising session, but it’s a long way out, so keep an eye on the forecasts. For the rest, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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