Manly Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a bit of a mixed bag coming our way for the Manly area. The first few days are pretty ordinary, but there’s a couple of standout sessions that’ll make it worth keeping an eye on the charts.

The week starts off sluggish. Tuesday the 15th has tiny, weak waves around 3ft from the NE with a short period, and the combined swell energy is a paltry 98, so barely a ripple. Wednesday the 16th sees a big jump in size, with 12ft southerly swell, but it’s howling with a 22 mph cross-off wind, making it messy and marginal. The energy is huge though, hitting 2239 in the morning, so there’s power in the water, just not great conditions.

Now, Thursday morning the 17th is where it gets interesting. That’s the standout. We’ve got a solid 10ft southerly groundswell pumping in with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is a whopping 2905. The wind swings offshore from the SSW at a gentle 9 mph, keeping the surface clean. This is proper, powerful surf, but with that size, it’s strictly for experienced surfers only. Manly itself is a sheltered point, so it should hold the swell well, and the offshore wind will be a major plus, offering some clean, lined-up waves.

Friday morning the 18th is a nice one for the intermediate crew. The swell drops to a manageable 5ft from the south, still with a 9-second period, and the wind goes glassy – a perfect NNW at 3 mph. The energy is a moderate 485. It won’t have the grunt of Thursday, but for clean, fun waves with no wind, it’s a top call. Crowds are likely at Manly, but with conditions this good, it’ll be worth jostling for a few.

After that, we slide back into a long, quiet patch. From Friday afternoon right through to the end of the forecast on the 30th, it’s mostly poor surf with onshore winds and small, weak swell. There’s a brief flicker on Tuesday morning the 22nd, with a glassy 6ft south swell and a solid 1127 energy, which could offer some very good conditions, but it’s a long way out and the afternoon turns to rubbish with rain showers and a cross-onshore wind. The gap of poor surf from the 19th to the 21st, and then again from the 23rd onward, is a long stretch of nothing special. A few mornings in the last week show some offshore wind, like the 29th, but the swell is too weak to get excited about.

So, to wrap it up: Thursday morning the 17th is the big dog for the experts – huge, clean south swell. Friday morning the 18th is the best bet for everyone else, with glassy conditions and a fun size. Don’t hold your breath for the second week; it looks like a write-off.

Rusty.

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