Manly Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s break down what’s happening at Manly.

Water temp is about standard for the season, nothing wild. The first week and a half is mostly flat and mediocre, with a few so-so moments but nothing worth grabbing your board for. Then, right at the end of the 16-day window, we get a proper spike of energy that’s worth marking on the calendar.

We start with a long stretch of nothing exciting. From Thursday the 13th through the following week, the surf is small and mostly messy. There’s a little pulse on the 16th and 17th, but with cross-shore winds and short-period swell, it’s choppy and unsurfable. The first real chance to get wet is Wednesday morning the 19th – glassy conditions with a light NE breeze and a tiny 4 ft swell from the east. The combined energy is weak (143), so it’s more of a longboard or beginner session. The 20th is glassy again but even smaller.

The standout window is Wednesday the 26th. That morning, look out – a solid 8 ft S swell hits with a 10-second period, clean offshore winds from the SSW, and the combined energy is a thumping 1041. That’s proper groundswell energy, and the point at Manly should be handling it well. This is the best on offer: size, direction, and clean conditions. The afternoon gets bigger – 10 ft from the south – but the wind swings cross-off and the tide might make it tricky, so keep an eye out for closeouts or fat sections. The following days drop in size but stay clean, so there’s still a chance for a few clean lines.

If you’re a beginner, be careful on the 26th morning – 8 ft is pushing it, and the afternoon at 10 ft is expert territory. The crowds at Manly are often there, so expect company on the good days.

Bottom line: it’s a slow start, then a proper winter pulse arrives on the 26th. That’s the one to aim for.

- Rusty

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