Middleton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right off the bat, the outlook for Middleton Beach (Albany) is a bit of a mixed bag. We've got a solid run of southern-hemisphere groundswell lining up, but the wind is going to be the main player in this game for the next week or so. The water is sitting at 65°F and running about 4°F warmer than usual for this time of year, which is a nice little bonus for the region.

The first real chance to get wet kicks off Thursday the 13th in the afternoon. It's a bit of a soaker with some clouds and a light cross-breeze, pushing in a 13ft SSW groundswell at 17 seconds. The energy is strong, clocking in at 9477 on the dial, but there are some questionable tide conditions, so it’s not going to be a classic. Still, for the experienced crew, there are waves to be had.

Friday the 14th sees the swell ease slightly, with an 12ft SSW groundswell early, but the morning cross-breeze is a bit messy for this sheltered spot. The afternoon turns more cross-onshore and choppy, so it's not looking great. Saturday the 15th is cleaner as a north-northwest breeze swings in cross-off, but the swell has dropped to around 8ft. The energy is weak to moderate at 2293, and it's inconsistent, so you'll be waiting around for the sets. Sunday the 16th is much the same story, with a clean but weaker 8ft SW swell and a moderate north breeze.

Now, Monday the 17th is where the wind starts to get serious. A strong offshore west wind hits 25 mph in the afternoon, cleaning it right up, but with 8ft of SW swell at 17 seconds, it's going to be a battle to get out the back. The energy is strong at 3724, but it's less about surfing and more about survival. Tuesday the 18th isn't much better; we've got 10ft of SW swell, but the wind is still fresh and cross-off, making it a big, lumpy, hard-to-paddle affair.

The real standout of this whole run looks like Thursday the 20th. The swell pushes back up to 12ft from the SW with a 17-second period, and we're seeing excellent conditions for experienced surfers. The morning has a moderate offshore WNW breeze, followed by a gentler offshore in the afternoon. The energy readings are strong at 9417 and 7102 respectively. This is the day for the big-wave crew at Middleton. Friday the 21st is also worth a mention, with an 12ft SSW swell going glassy in the afternoon on the tail end of the pulse. That’s the perfect window for the point to really show its stuff.

The following week starts to get a bit more unsettled. Saturday the 22nd is clean but smaller, and then Sunday the 23rd brings a new 13ft SW swell, though the period drops to 12 seconds, which makes it a bit more walled-up. The afternoon looks the pick with a light cross-off breeze and an increasing period back to 16 seconds.

The big blow-up looks to be around Monday the 24th, when the swell is solid at 13ft with a strong 28 mph offshore wind. It'll be huge, clean, but very, very challenging just to get into position. That one is for the experts only. Tuesday the 25th stays big and windy, not ideal.

Further out, and into the last few days of the month, things start to look really promising. Wednesday the 26th has a clean 10ft SW swell with a gentle offshore wind – nice and rippable. But the true last standouts are Thursday the 27th and beyond. We're looking at a 13ft SW swell with an 18-second period on Thursday morning, kicking the energy right up to a massive 10889. That’s a proper, long-period groundswell. The afternoon should see a moderate offshore breeze, making it an incredible, powerful session for the experienced crew.

After that, the swell holds around the 10-13ft mark into the end of the window, but the winds get a bit more unpredictable. Keep an eye on the forecasts as we get closer, as this long-range stuff is always a bit temperamental. But make no mistake, there are some serious days on the cards for Middleton Beach over the next fortnight. This is a spot that handles size and direction well, with plenty on offer if you're willing to work for it.

Rusty

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