Merewether - Ladies Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty, and I'm gonna level with you – this Merewether-Ladies stretch is lookin' at a proper mixed bag of a forecast. The next couple of weeks are gonna test your patience. The water's sitting at 63°, which is a bit colder than usual for this time of year, so you'll be wanting a good steamer.

We kick off on Wednesday the 19th and it's a write-off. An 19 mph cross-breeze from the ENE is tearing up the 4 ft E swell, just making for lumpy, choppy junk. Not worth a look.

Thursday morning the 20th is the first real chance for a paddle. The wind swings light from the N, almost offshore, and the clean conditions make the 3 ft ESE swell (102 energy) feel a bit more special than it is. It's surfable, but only just.

The rest of that week is a flat spell. Friday the 21st drops to 2 ft, and by Saturday the 22nd we're scraping the bottom with a tiny 0.7 ft swell. That's a few days of dead water, so put the sticks away.

Sunday the 23rd morning brings a glimmer of hope. It's glassy, with a light N air and a little 2 ft SE swell (64 energy). You'll get a few soft, clean little waves if you're desperate, but it's nothing to write home about.

Monday the 24th afternoon sees a slight bump in period to 9 seconds on a 2 ft ENE swell, with clean offshore winds from the NW. Energy is 130, so it's got a bit more push, but it's still pretty ordinary.

Now, here's where it gets interesting, but you gotta wait for it. The real action is over a week away, starting around Friday the 28th of August. Thursday the 27th afternoon is messy with a 4 ft S swell (353 energy) and a cross-onshore breeze, but Friday morning the 28th cleans right up. A light NNW wind, offshore, and a 3 ft S swell (229 energy) with a 10-second period. That's a genuine surfable window, and the best of the early run.

But the main event is the big groundswell showing up on Monday the 31st of August. It's a beast. The swell kicks up to 8 ft from the SSE with a 12-second period, pumping 2004 energy. The wind is a messy cross-shore from the ENE, but for experienced surfers, that's a big, powerful ocean. Tuesday the 1st of September holds at 12 ft with a 13-second period, energy at 4345. This is serious, expert-only territory. The combined energy is massive (4822 on Monday arvo). The trade-off is that the wind is cross-shore, so it won't be perfect, but the power is undeniable. For a reef break, this long-period SSE groundswell will line up nicely, but it's going to be heavy. Crowds are a possibility here, so be ready for a few people in the water.

The swell hangs around into Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3rd of September, dropping to a still-chunky 7 ft from the SE on Thursday morning. The wind is lighter then, making it a bit cleaner, but the energy is still over 1000. This is your standout window right here: the 31st of August through to the 3rd of September. For a reef break, the long period will make for some proper shaped waves, but the cross-shore wind will put a little bump on them. It's the best on offer, plain and simple.

So, there's a long, flat stretch to start, but if you can wait, the last week of the forecast brings a powerful, long-period groundswell that will get the heart pumping. Be patient, and get ready for the 31st.

Rusty

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