Merewether - Ladies Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got the local skinny on the surf outlook for Merewether – Ladies. Let’s be straight up: this is a reef break that’s very consistent, exposed to the swell, and it likes an ESE direction best. The water is sitting at 64°, which is about 1° cooler than average for this time of year – nothing to write home about, just a touch on the cool side.

The first few days are a bit of a write-off, I’m not gonna lie. Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th are all poor surf conditions with onshore wind and chop. The swell is tiny or weak, with a combined energy of 77 to 458, and the wind is just messing it up. It’s not worth paddling out.

Friday morning the 28th is where things finally start to get interesting. We’ve got a clean 5 ft swell from the SSE, with a period of 11 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell with some energy, sitting at 664 combined energy. The wind is a light WNW cross-offshore at 5 km/h (3 mph), so the surface will be clean. This is a standout session for the near term. The waves will be solid, and for intermediates, it’s a good time. Just keep in mind, with that SSW direction, it’s not the optimum angle, but the quality is still there. Afternoon on Friday the wind swings onshore, so grab the morning.

Saturday the 29th is a mixed bag. The morning has onshore wind and light rain, so it’s no good. The afternoon is marginal with a light cross-on breeze and a 4 ft SSE swell. If you’re desperate, you could scratch out a wave, but it’s not the best.

Sunday the 30th morning is a beauty. The swell drops to 3 ft from the S at 9 seconds, but with a light WNW cross-offshore wind at 5 km/h (3 mph), it’s clean. The combined energy is 232 – moderate energy, but the conditions are good. Not a standout because of the size, but a fun little session for a longboard.

Monday the 31st morning is glassy. A 2 ft SSE swell with a 16-second period – that’s a very long period groundswell. The combined energy is 345. For a reef break, long period swells can be great, but they can also be a bit straight. With glassy conditions, it’s a clean, calm paddle. The waves will be small, but the energy is surprising. Not a standout for size, but a unique one.

Tuesday the 1st of September morning has a solid offshore wind from the NW at 15 km/h (9 mph), with a 3 ft S swell at 12 seconds. The combined energy is 202. It’s clean and offshore, but the swell is small. A good morning for a patient surfer.

From Wednesday the 2nd of September onwards, the swell drops away and the combined energy is weak, mostly under 104. The wind is often offshore or cross-off, but the waves are just too small – 1 ft to 2 ft. There’s a few glassy moments on the 8th and 9th, but the swell is too tiny to get excited about. It’s a long stretch of flat to tiny waves, really from the 2nd right through to the 10th, so you’re looking at a solid week of slim pickings.

The best on offer? Friday morning the 28th of August is the clear standout – that 5 ft SSE swell, clean cross-off wind, and decent energy. Get in early for that one. The glassy Monday morning the 31st is a quirky, clean option if you like small waves with a long period.

Rusty, signing off.

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