Nai Harn Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what we’ve got. I’ll be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are a tough watch for Nai Harn Beach. The wind is almost constantly cross-onshore and often howling at 15 to 22 mph, which is going to turn any waves into a lumpy, choppy mess. The swell is mainly coming from the west, which is the optimum direction for this break, but with that wind, the quality just isn’t there. The combined swell energy is mostly weak (around 258) early on, which is disappointing.

Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th of August are pretty much write-offs. We’ve got some 5ft to 5ft swell, but it’s short-period windswell at 7 seconds and that fresh cross-onshore breeze means poor, lumpy conditions. The combined energy is between 252 and 260, which is weak, and the scores are a flat zero. Not worth paddling out.

Wednesday the 12th through to Friday morning the 14th sees the swell drop right off to just 0.3ft, so you’re looking at flat, clean water but no waves to ride. A complete gap there.

Now, Friday afternoon the 14th things start to pick up again with the swell building to 6ft (combined energy 398), and it keeps climbing through the weekend. Saturday the 15th brings 7ft swell from the west, and Sunday the 16th hits 8ft in the morning, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy on Sunday morning is a solid 692 – that’s moderate energy, which means there’s some power behind it. For a brief moment on Sunday, the wind shifts to a direct onshore from the southwest at 12 mph, which is still not clean but at least it’s not cross-onshore. The problem is that at 7ft to 8ft, this is really only for experienced surfers. Beginners should steer clear.

The next week sees a bit of a rollercoaster. From Monday the 17th through to Thursday the 20th, we’ve got persistent 5ft to 6ft west swell, but the period stays short at 7-8 seconds and the wind remains a fresh cross-onshore. The combined energy sits between 267 and 335, which is still weak. The surf will be there, but it’ll be messy and a bit of a battle. Then, from Friday the 21st to Saturday the 22nd, the swell fades again to almost nothing (0.7ft to 1ft) – another gap.

The one standout in this whole outlook is Sunday the 23rd of August. The morning shows a 6ft west swell with 8-second period, combined energy at 398, and – this is the key – clear skies. That’s a big positive. The wind is still fresh cross-onshore, so it won’t be glassy, but the clearer conditions make it a more pleasant session than the stormy days. Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th see the swell push up to 7ft and then 8ft (combined energy 541 and 744), but again, that’s expert-only territory and the wind stays cross-onshore. No real standout for clean, good waves.

In short, Nai Harn Beach has consistent swell at times, but the wind is the enemy here. If you’re an experienced surfer and you can handle a bit of chop, the weekend of the 15th-16th and the following weekend of the 23rd-24th have the most size, but don’t expect perfection. For the rest of us, it’s a waiting game. The water temperature anomaly isn’t mentioned, so it’s about average for this time of year.

Keep the chin up – this kind of run doesn’t last forever.

Rusty.

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