Merewether - Ladies Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s on the cards for Merewether - Ladies over the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it’s a tough stretch, with hardly any windows for a decent wave. Most days are a waste of gas.

We kick off Wednesday the 12th with a bit of swell, 3 feet from the south, period around 9 seconds. Water temp is about 64°, which is a tad cooler than usual for this time of year. There’s a light offshore breeze from the northwest, keeping things clean, but the wave quality is just average – only a weak amount of energy wrapping in (167). You could paddle out if you’re keen, but it’s nothing special.

Thursday the 13th is a bust with onshore and cross-shore winds. The swell picks up but it’s all messy. Friday the 14th morning is the one real highlight. We’ve got a glassy start, with the wind swinging to the west-southwest at just 5 km/h, and clean 4 feet south swell with a 10-second period. The combined energy is moderate (273), so there’s some decent push. The south swell matches the exposed setup, and with that glass, you’ll get some smooth, lined-up waves for intermediates. This is your best shot, and really the only standout window. This reef can get a crowd sometimes, so get in early.

From Friday afternoon, it’s downhill. Onshore winds from the southeast and south just shred the place. Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th bring rain showers and choppy, lumpy conditions, with swell building to 5 feet but blown out. The next week from Monday the 17th through Saturday the 22nd is a steady diet of moderate to fresh onshore breezes and poor surf. The swell hangs around 3 to 5 feet, but with short, weak periods (7-9 seconds) and cross-onshore winds, it’s a mess. For a beach-and-reef setup, this wind is better for kite surfing than paddling. There’s a short break Friday the 21st morning with a light offshore from the north-northwest and a 3 foot east swell, but the energy is weak (126) and the surf is just mediocre.

The last few days, into Sunday the 23rd and next week, the swell fades to tiny 1 to 2 feet. The wind gets strong from the west on Sunday the 23rd, gusting 30-35 km/h, but with almost no swell, it’s not worth the effort. A couple of glassy patches show up Wednesday the 26th morning, but the swell is just 2 feet and barely breaking.

So to wrap it up: the only day that’s worth a paddle is Friday morning the 14th of August. Score that glassy window, and you might get some fun ones. The rest is a write-off.

Rusty.

Read more