Long Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Long Reef. There’s a bit of a rough patch to start, but hold on because there are a couple of real gems waiting for us in the back half of the forecast.

Right out of the gate, the surf is pumping with a solid 10ft swell from the SSE (1807 combined energy), but it’s getting hammered by a strong 16 mph cross-breeze. The water’s sitting at 65°, which is about average for this time of year, but that wind is making a mess of it. Monday the 6th is a write-off – the combo of rain, cross-shore wind, and that cross-chop means you’re better off staying dry. Tuesday the 7th shows a bit more promise with the wind turning cross-offshore in the morning and the swell still holding at 10ft from the SSE, but the energy is huge at 2471, which means the wave quality is marginal and it’s really only for the experienced crew. Wednesday the 8th is a similar story – 8ft from the SSE, clean in the morning with the cross-off breeze, but still a heavy, powerful wave. Honestly, none of this early week stuff is what I’d call a standout.

We hit a bit of a lull from Thursday the 9th through Sunday the 12th. The swell drops off from 7ft down to under 3ft, and the wind stays messy or onshore. The energy drops from 855 to 163, so it’s just not worth the paddle.

Then, hold onto your board shorts. The standout of this whole outlook lands on Tuesday the 14th. The morning session is serious business. We’ve got a 7ft S swell pumping in with a solid 1244 combined energy, and the wind is a clean 16 mph offshore from the WSW. This is a proper groundswell for the reef. That offshore breeze will groom it into some fast, hollow lines. This one is strictly for the experts – at that size and with that energy over the reef, it’s going to be a freight train. The crowd situation is listed as “sometimes,” but trust me, on a day like this at a quality reef break like Long Reef, you’ll have company.

Wednesday the 15th is another strong option. The morning brings a similar 7ft S swell with 1125 energy, and while the wind is a lighter 9 mph offshore from the W, it’s glassy and clean. A touch smaller and more manageable than Tuesday, but still a powerful wave that will have the more experienced surfers frothing.

After that, the party winds down quickly. The swell drops off, and by Thursday the 16th and into the next week, the wind ramps up into strong and near-gale conditions, with messy cross-shore winds and storm chop. From the 17th to the 21st, it’s all poor conditions with tiny, weak swell and howling winds. There’s a brief, tiny window of clean, small surf on Monday the 21st, but it’s nothing to write home about.

So, in short: forget the first week. The real action is on Tuesday the 14th and Wednesday the 15th. Tuesday is the big, heavy, expert-only standout. Wednesday is a slightly softer but still excellent option for the advanced crew. The rest is a waiting game.

Stay safe out there.
Rusty.

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