Southport Main Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get straight into it.

Southport Main Beach is the only spot on the radar, and honestly, it’s a tough stretch. The next 16 days are looking pretty flat and messy for the most part, with only a few brief windows where you might find something rideable.

Starting off, Sunday the 23rd through to Monday the 24th, the swell is tiny – around 3 feet from the ENE, with a short period of 7-8 seconds, so it’s weak and gutless. The wind is cross-onshore, so it’s just choppy, bumpy, and poor. The combined swell energy is in the 80s to low 100s (86-112), which is barely ticking over. Not worth wetting the suit.

Then we get a little glimmer on Tuesday the 25th morning. The swell is still only 3 feet, ENE, 8-second period, but the wind swings to a glassy NW 3 mph. That’s the cleanest the beach will look for a while. The energy is still weak (90), but if you’re a beginner and want to paddle around on a longboard, it’s the best you’ll get. The afternoon gets a cross-shore breeze, so it’s choppy again.

Wednesday the 26th morning is another short window – light offshore WNW wind at 6 mph, so the 3-foot ENE swell (7-second period) will be clean. The combined energy just nudges into moderate (96). Again, small, but possibly surfable for a learner. The afternoon turns cross-onshore and messy.

From Thursday the 27th, things get bigger but uglier. The swell picks up to 4 feet from the E on Thursday morning, with the energy jumping to 323 (moderate), but the period is only 8 seconds and the wind is a strong cross-shore SSE at 16 mph. That’s a bumpy, washing machine situation. The afternoon stays similar, with energy at 229. Not good for a paddle surf.

Friday the 28th morning is a real tease: glassy calm, but the swell is back down to 3 feet, 8 seconds, and the energy has dropped to 99. It’ll be clean, but tiny. You might get a few knee-high rollers if you sit in the right spot. The afternoon turns onshore again.

Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are dominated by strong cross-onshore winds (up to 19 mph), with the swell staying around 2-3 feet, and periods of 8-9 seconds. The energy sits between 89 and 154, but it’s lumpy and choppy. Not fun.

The rest of the forecast into the first week of September is more of the same: small swell (1 feet to 3 feet), periods mostly 8-10 seconds, and occasional clean windows (like Tuesday 1st September morning with a light NNW cross-off, or Wednesday 2nd September morning glassy). The energy rarely climbs above 127, and even then, the waves are ordinary. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual.

The standout session? Honestly, it’s Tuesday 25th August morning. Glassy, small, but clean. If you’re a beginner, that’s your window. The other possible clean session is Friday 28th August morning, but that’s even smaller. For the rest, it’s a long, flat, and windy fortnight. Not much to get excited about.

Rusty.

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