Long Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here, lookin' over the next couple of weeks for Long Reef. We've got a bit of a slow start, but hold onto your board, because the second week is shaping up to be absolutely massive. The water temp is sittin' right around 65°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first few days are a bit of a write-off, to be honest. Thursday the 9th is a mess with rain and a cross-onshore breeze, and the swell is a weak, short-period 6ft from the SE. The energy is only moderate (691), and the surf is just poor. It's going to be a bit of a wait.

Friday the 10th shows a glimmer of hope. The morning brings a light SW cross-off breeze and the swell from the SE drops to 6ft. It's still a short period, but the energy is moderate (573). The afternoon is the real highlight of this early stretch, with glassy conditions and a 5ft SE swell. It's gonna be clean, but the swell is small and weak. Saturday the 11th is a one-hit wonder in the morning with a clean 3ft swell from the ESE, but it's a long 12-second period, which will give it some shape. The energy is light (411). After that, from Saturday afternoon all the way through to Tuesday the 14th, the swell just drops off a cliff. We're talkin' tiny, weak waves and clean conditions, but nothing worth paddling out for. A real lull.

Then a bit of a rogue event hits on Wednesday the 15th. A strong southerly swell kicks up, but it's accompanied by a strong, messy cross-shore wind. The swell is 5ft in the morning, building to 8ft by the afternoon, with a short 6-8 second period. The energy gets up to 604 by the afternoon, but the wind is just ruining it. It's a messy, lumpy cross-chop. This is more of a kite surfing setup than a paddle surfing one.

Now, get ready, because things get _serious_ from Thursday the 16th. We've got a massive SSE swell building. Thursday morning sees 15ft of swell, and by the afternoon it's 16ft. The energy is skyrocketing (4255 and 4925). The wind is cross-shore, so it's not perfect, but the raw power is there. This is for experts only, as it's well over 8ft.

The real standout? Saturday the 18th. The morning is the pick of the entire forecast. You've got a 20ft SSE groundswell, with a very long 12-second period, and the wind is dead calm, glassy. The energy is a massive 10293. This is a true groundswell, so at a reef break like Long Reef, it's going to be absolutely world-class. It's an exceptional day for expert surfers, and the crowd will be there, but it's worth it. This is the one to circle on your calendar.

Sunday the 19th is also huge in the morning, with another 20ft SSE swell and a clean cross-off offshore. The energy is 10088. Another absolute belter for the experts. The afternoon turns choppy, so get it early.

The following week settles down but still offers good waves. Monday the 20th has a 10ft SE swell with clean conditions in the morning, excellent for experienced surfers. Tuesday the 21st is a bit windier but still has a clean 6ft swell. The tail end of the forecast on Friday the 24th looks nice with a clean 6ft ESE swell and light winds.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a struggle, but the second week is a monster. Lock in Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th as the true standouts. Massive swell, clean conditions, and all the energy you could ask for.

Rusty.

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