Merewether - Ladies Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and we’re looking at Merewether – Ladies reef over the next couple of weeks.

The first bit of surf worth paddling out for is on Thursday morning, July 30. We’ve got a solid 8ft swell rolling in from the south, with a period of 10 seconds. That’s a decent groundswell, but at 8ft, it’s a big one – definitely for experienced surfers only. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the WSW, so the lineup should be clean. The combined swell energy is pumping at 2023 (strong to very strong), so there’s plenty of push. Water temp is sitting at 64°, which is about average for this time of year. Get in early before the wind shifts.

That afternoon, the swell drops to 5ft and the wind swings onshore from the south, turning it choppy and messy. Not worth it.

Friday, July 31 is a write-off. The morning is cross-shore with a light breeze, but the swell is average at 5ft, and the energy is only moderate. The afternoon gets worse with a 12 mph cross-onshore wind and 7ft swell that’s choppy and hard to ride.

Saturday morning, August 1 offers a glimmer of hope. The swell is 5ft from the SSE, with a clean cross-offshore breeze from the WSW. The period is 9 seconds, and the combined energy is 413 (moderate). It’s a good morning for a session, but it’s not the standout.

Sunday morning, August 2 is where things get interesting. The swell is 6ft from the SSE, with a very long period of 12 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the NNW, so the waves will be clean and well-shaped. Combined energy is 810 (moderate to strong). This is a solid morning for intermediate surfers, just be aware that a long period swell like this can break a bit straight on a reef, but the conditions should make up for it.

From Monday, August 3 through to Wednesday, August 5, the swell drops off significantly. Morning sessions are small (3ft to 4ft) with clean offshore winds, but the energy is low. It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about.

Thursday, August 6 and Friday, August 7 are poor. The swell is small, and the wind is onshore or cross-shore, making for choppy, crumbly waves. The afternoons are especially bad.

Saturday, August 8 has a tiny 3ft swell with a glassy morning wind from the WNW. It’s clean, but the energy is only 160 (weak). More of a longboard or cruise session.

Sunday, August 9 is a flat day with a 2ft swell and glassy conditions. The period is 13 seconds, but there’s just not enough size.

Now, the next real standout comes on Monday morning, August 10. Swell is 5ft from the ESE, period 11 seconds, and a moderate offshore wind from the NNW. Combined energy is 478 (moderate). The waves should be clean and well-shaped. This is a good session for intermediates.

Tuesday, August 11 and Wednesday, August 12 are mostly blown out by strong offshore winds (19 mph+) that will make the surface clean but the wave face small and hard to ride. The swell is tiny.

Thursday, August 13 is a better morning with a 2ft easterly swell, 13-second period, and light cross-offshore wind. Energy is 275 (moderate). Clean, but small.

The last big call is on Friday morning, August 14. Swell jumps to 6ft from the south, period 9 seconds, with a light cross-offshore breeze from the WNW. Combined energy is 1039 (strong to very strong). This is a big, powerful swell – definitely for experienced surfers only. The wind is light and clean, so it’ll be a good session if you’ve got the skills.

Overall, the best windows are Sunday morning, August 2 and Friday morning, August 14. Both have solid swell, good wind, and clean conditions. The rest of the period is hit or miss, with a lot of small, choppy or blown-out days.

Keep your eyes on the long-range – the 14th is looking promising but things can change.

Rusty.

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