Little Austi and Main Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the forecast for Little Austi and Main Beach.

We’re looking at a real mixed bag over the next 16 days. The first few days are pretty grim for a paddle, with no real quality surf on offer until the weekend. There’s a solid run of flat, choppy, or just weak conditions, so you’ll want to be patient. The real standout is a massive pulse of swell arriving in the second week, but it comes with a serious size warning.

Things start off slow. Thursday afternoon the 9th sees a 6ft SE swell rolling in with a period of 10 seconds, but with a cross-on S wind at 6 mph, it’s a bumpy, choppy mess. The combined energy is moderate (610), but the wind is just ruining any chance of clean waves. Friday the 10th is even worse, with poor surf conditions and a score of zero. Saturday morning the 11th is the first bright spot. We get a clean 3ft ESE swell, with a 12-second period and a light NW offshore wind. The energy is still moderate (407), but the conditions are clean and the swell direction is right in the optimum slot. Sunday morning the 12th sees a drop in size to 2ft, but a strong 19 mph W cross-off wind makes it a write-off. The energy drops to weak (94). From Monday the 13th through to Wednesday the 15th, the surf is basically flat with zero energy, so you can leave the board at home.

Now, the big one. Thursday the 16th of July, a massive SSE swell hits, pushing 15ft in the morning with a 10-second period. The combined energy is strong (3539), but the wind is a moderate cross-shore, making it a lumpy, challenging session. By Friday the 17th, the swell holds at 15ft to 16ft, but the winds are still messy. The true standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Saturday the 18th of July. The forecast is for a 20ft to 21ft SSE groundswell, with a very long 12-second period. The combined energy is off the charts, hitting 9852 in the morning and 11074 in the afternoon. The wind goes glassy in the morning and then light cross-off in the afternoon. This is exceptional surf, but it’s for experts only. This size is way too big for anyone but the most experienced. It’s a point break and reef setup, so that long-period groundswell will be holding up nicely, but the beach break will be a washing machine. Sunday the 19th is still huge at 20ft with a solid NNW offshore, but the afternoon sees the wind shift and the energy drop. Monday the 20th is still a solid 10ft SE swell with a clean offshore wind, excellent for experienced surfers but still a beast.

After that, the swell slowly fades through the following week. Tuesday the 21st sees a 6ft SE swell, but the winds are onshore and messy. From Wednesday the 22nd through to Friday the 24th, it’s back to small, weak, and choppy conditions, with the combined energy dropping below 300. The water temperature is sitting at 65°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

So, to sum it up: the next few days are a write-off. The real action is on Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th of July, but that’s big-boy territory. If you’re experienced and have the right equipment, the Saturday morning glass-off is your window. For everyone else, wait for a smaller day.

Rusty.

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