Southport Main Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Southport Main Beach is serving up over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first week is a bit of a grind. We’re looking at a long stretch of nothing special from Monday the 24th of August right through to the end of the month. The swell is small, mostly around 2ft to 3ft, with a short period of 8 seconds, so it’s weak and gutless. The combined energy is low, sitting between 70 and 135 (weak energy), and the wind is all wrong. It’s a constant cross-onshore or cross-shore breeze, making for choppy, bumpy conditions. Honestly, for the first six days, the surf is poor, and the setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The water temperature is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

We do get a tiny glimmer of hope on the morning of Tuesday the 25th. That early session sees a glassy window with a light NNE breeze, and the swell is a touch over knee-high at 3ft from the ENE. The energy bumps up to 112 (moderate wave energy), so it’s surfable, but very ordinary. The crowds are sometimes an issue here, so if you’re keen, get out early.

The end of the first week and into the start of September gets a bit more energetic, but the quality still isn’t there. By the 30th of August, the swell pushes up to 5ft from the east, with a period of just 6-7 seconds. The combined energy climbs to 265 (moderate wave energy), but it’s a messy, cross-onshore chop. This is beginner territory that’s getting too big, and it’s not clean.

Now, the one true standout in this whole 16-day window. Mark your calendar for the morning of Wednesday the 2nd of September. The wind swings to the east at only 5 km/h, turning it glassy. The swell is a clean 4ft from the ENE, with an 8-second period. The combined energy is a solid 253 (moderate wave energy). The guidance says "expect good surf conditions," and I agree. It’s the best on offer, but for a beach break, that short period swell will be a bit fat and crumbly. Get on it early.

After that, we slide back into a mixed bag. The 3rd and 4th of September see cleaner conditions with cross-offshore winds, but the swell drops back to a mediocre 3ft to 3ft. The energy is moderate (113-170), but the waves are just too weak to get excited about. The 5th of September morning has a clean cross-offshore breeze from the WNW, but the swell is tiny at 3ft.

The second week is a slow fade. From the 6th of September onward, the swell drops to 2ft to 3ft, with energy values falling below 100 (weak energy). The 7th and 8th of September have some clean windows, but the waves are barely there. It’s a long, quiet spell.

So, in summary: the first week is a write-off, with Tuesday the 25th being the only half-decent option. The one morning to aim for is Wednesday the 2nd of September – that’s the pick of the two weeks. After that, it’s flat. Don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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