Middleton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at what we’ve got coming down the line. There’s a serious run of swell on the way, but the timing and wind are going to keep things interesting. We’ve got a big, powerful south-southwest groundswell filling in that will have the banks pumping, but not every session is going to be a gimme. Let’s get into it.

The first decent action kicks off on Sunday, the 12th of July. There’s a sizeable 11.5 ft swell from the SSW, with a long 15-second period already rolling through, and the combined energy is pumping hard at 5765 – that’s strong, no doubt. The morning has some clouds, but it’s a cross-off breeze at 12 mph from the WSW, which should keep the lines reasonably clean. However, the conditions are marginal; the sheer size and that long-period groundswell can make things a bit unruly. It’s big enough that it’s more for the experienced crew.

Heading into Sunday afternoon and through Monday (the 13th), the swell bumps up. Sunday afternoon hits 13.1 ft from the SSW with a 16-second period and a combined energy of 7750 – that’s serious grunt. Monday morning is similar at 13.1 ft, and Monday afternoon drops slightly. The wind stays cross-off all through, but it’s a solid 12 mph. This is expert-only territory for sure; 13.1 ft is not for the faint-hearted. The conditions are still marked as marginal, so be ready for a challenging paddle and some heavy wave faces.

Tuesday the 14th is where the light changes. We’ve got a 9.8 ft SSW swell; period is still long. But the wind goes light – a light breeze from the NNW in the morning and from the north in the afternoon. It’s still cross-off, but that low wind strength will make the surface glassy and clean. The forecast even says "expect very good surf conditions". The combined energy is still strong (3919 in the morning, 3273 in the afternoon). This is a standout window for Middleton Beach: solid swell with a clean, manageable surface.

Then Wednesday the 15th through the rest of the first week, the wind picks up hard again. Wednesday morning has a fresh 19 mph north wind, which is cross-off, but that’s strong. The swell drops to 6.6 ft. Thursday sees a fresh 19 mph NNW wind, with an 8.2 ft SW swell, but conditions turn poor into the afternoon with light rain and a strong 22 mph NNW wind. By Friday the 17th, the swell has backed right off to 3.3 ft to 4.3 ft, with moderate winds and poor conditions. Not worth paddling out for.

Now, here’s the next juicy stretch. Saturday the 18th of July: the swell jumps back up to 11.5 ft in the morning from the SW, with a very long 18-second period and a combined energy of 7316 – that’s a heavy, powerful groundswell. The wind is offshore from the west at 22 mph in the morning, which is a strong blow, but the surface will be clean. Saturday afternoon gets even bigger: 14.8 ft from the SW with a 17-second period and a massive combined energy of 10941. But the wind swings to cross-off and howls at 28 mph, making it a wild, expert-only day. If you’re in the water, you’ll want a jet ski.

Sunday the 19th of July is a real standout. We’ve got an 8.2 ft SW swell in the morning with a moderate offshore wind from the west at 12 mph; combined energy is 3719. Conditions are clean. But the afternoon gets the nod for the best of the run: a 9.8 ft SSW swell with a 13-second period, a gentle offshore breeze from the northwest at only 9 mph, and a combined energy of 4877. The forecast says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers". That light offshore will groom the lines beautifully. This is the session to circle.

Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st offer smaller, cleaner surf for the less intense crew. Monday morning has a 6.6 ft SSW swell with a light offshore wind, and Tuesday morning has a 4.3 ft swell but again with light offshore. Both are clean.

Then we hit a gap. Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd morning have poor to marginal conditions with onshore winds and lower swell. But hold on—Thursday the 23rd afternoon is a bombshell: a 14.8 ft SW swell at a 17-second period, combined energy of 11317 (that’s a monster), and a light offshore breeze from the north. "Excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers" – that’s the call. This is a big, clean, powerful groundswell for experts

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