Merewether - Ladies Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve got to be straight with you – this 16-day window for Merewether - Ladies is a real mixed bag, and honestly, there’s not a whole lot to get excited about. The water temp is sitting at 64°F, which is about 2°F cooler than usual for this time of year, so pretty average for the season.

We start off Tuesday the 11th with weak conditions. Tuesday morning sees a tiny 2ft S swell with a short 8-second period and a cross-off breeze. The combined energy is a meagre 77, so there’s almost no power. Tuesday afternoon picks up a bit to 4ft S swell, but the period jumps to 12 seconds – that’s a groundswell, which can be a bit tricky at a beach break like this, potentially breaking too straight. The energy is moderate at 418, but the wind is still cross-off, and the report calls it marginal. Not a great start.

Wednesday the 12th is where we see a glimmer. Wednesday morning has a 4ft swell from the SSW, with a 10-second period and clean offshore wind from the WNW. The energy is moderate at 273. The call is for “good surf conditions.” This is the standout of the first week. The offshore breeze will keep the faces clean, and the 4ft height is solid for intermediates. Wednesday afternoon drops off a bit to 3ft with a cross-off wind, so morning is definitely the play.

Thursday the 13th is a write-off. The morning has a 4ft SSW swell, but it’s a short 8-second period and cross-shore wind. The energy is 333, but the wind is messy and the report says “poor surf conditions.” Friday the 14th morning offers a glimmer again – 3ft from the SSE, 7-second period, but the wind goes glassy. That’s a major positive. The energy is 144, and it’s “surfable but very ordinary,” but that glassy surface will make it look better than it sounds. Friday afternoon turns onshore and messy.

From Saturday the 15th right through to Tuesday the 18th, it’s a run of poor conditions. We’ve got onshore winds, cross-onshore winds, and rain showers. Swells hover between 4ft and 6ft, with short periods of 7 seconds, and the energy ranges from 164 to 426. The report doesn’t mince words – “poor surf conditions” for every session. This is a five-day stretch of no good surf.

Wednesday the 19th morning offers a bit of hope. A 3ft swell from the ESE with a very long 12-second period. The energy is moderate at 331, and the wind is light cross-onshore. The call is “marginal.” The long period means it’s a groundswell, and at a reef break, it could actually shape up nicely, but the small size and light onshore breeze keep it from being a standout.

Then we hit another dry spell. From Wednesday afternoon through to Sunday the 23rd, the surf is small and mostly onshore, with poor conditions across the board. There’s a nod to “surfable but very ordinary” on Saturday the 22nd morning with 3ft ESE swell and a cross-off wind, but it’s nothing to write home about.

The real highlight, and the only true standout in the whole 16 days, is Monday the 24th morning. The swell is 3ft from the E with an 8-second period, but the wind is light cross-off from the N. The energy is moderate at 240, and the report says “expect good surf conditions.” The clean, cross-off breeze will make the most of that small but workable swell. It’s a long way out, so it’s promising but less certain, but for this stretch, it’s the best bet.

Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th mornings offer clean, surfable waves but nothing special. The swell is small and the winds are off or cross-off, but the energy is weak to moderate.

Overall, this is a tough outlook. The first week has one decent morning (Wednesday 12th), and the second week has one promising one (Monday 24th). The rest is a mix of poor, marginal, or ordinary conditions. For a spot that’s very consistent, it’s a disappointing run. But it tends not to stay poor for long. Keep an eye on the forecasts.

Rusty.

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