Lido Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, grab a coffee and let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Lido Beach. Straight up, I gotta be honest with ya—this 16-day stretch is a tough one. There’s a big ol’ gap right at the start with nothing worth paddling out for, and the whole run is a bit of a grind. For the first week and a half, from Monday 24 August right through to Tuesday 1 September, it’s mostly flat or messy. We’re talking tiny swell—like 1ft to 2ft—with periods under 8 seconds and combined swell energy mostly under 100 (that’s weak, boys). Winds are generally cross or onshore, so it’s choppy, bumpy, and just not doing anything for ya. There’s a little blip on Sunday 30 August afternoon where the swell jumps to 5ft, but it’s coming straight onshore from the SSW with a short 5-second period and energy at 164 (moderate), and it looks more like a washing machine than surf. That’s likely better suited for kite surfing than anything with a paddle.

Now, things get a tiny bit more interesting around 2 September. On Wednesday morning, we get a 3ft SSE swell from 9-second period, with clean conditions thanks to a cross-offshore breeze from the NE, and energy hitting 216 (moderate). It’s still only rated as marginal surf, but it’s the first sign of life. Then Wednesday afternoon picks up a bit more—4ft SE swell with a 12-second period, clean again, and energy jumping to 597 (strong). That’s the best window in the whole outlook, but it’s still nothing to write home about. Thursday 3 September through to Saturday 5 September sees clean conditions but swell drops back to 3ft–5ft, with period dropping and energy staying under 350. It’s clean but undersized. The wind stays cross-off from the NE, so it’s not blown out, but the wave size is just too small for most.

The real standout, if you can call it that, comes on Monday 7 September. Monday morning gives us 3ft ESE swell with a 9-second period, clean and light offshore wind from the NE, and combined energy at 218 (moderate). It’s the first time in the whole run that the forecast actually says “expect good surf conditions.” This is the pick of the bunch, but even then it’s not overhead. Lido Beach is a beach and jetty setup, and with the swell from the ESE, it’ll be breaking along the sandbars. Keep in mind the optimum swell direction is SSE, so this ESE direction is a little off, but it’s still the best on offer. The water temp is 73°, which is 1° warmer than usual—so about average for the time of year, nothin’ weird.

Crowds at Lido can be a bit of a thing sometimes, so mid-week might be quieter. But overall, this is a lean run, boys. If you’re desperate for a paddle, that Monday 7 September morning is your jam, but don’t expect much. Forecasts can change, and often they do, so don’t write the whole month off just yet.

Rusty.

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