Narrabeen-South Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Narrabeen South.

Overall, it's a mixed bag to start, but there's a real solid window of quality surf coming in the middle of the run, and a little pulse right at the end of the forecast that could be worth watching. Right now, the water's sitting around 64°, which is pretty much where you'd expect it to be for this time of year.

The first recommendation isn't until Friday afternoon, the 17th of July. It's not much to write home about – we've got a tiny 2ft easterly swell with a short 6-second period, and the energy is pretty weak (86). The wind is glassy though, so if you're desperate for a paddle, you could get wet, but the conditions are described as very ordinary.

Saturday the 18th sees the swell tick up a touch to 3-4ft, but the wind swings around to a cross-off or cross-shore breeze at 12-18 mph, and the surf quality is considered poor. It's a day to skip.

Sunday the 19th is where you start to see some proper energy building. Swell jumps to 7-7ft from the ENE, with a period of 10-11 seconds. The combined energy is a strong 1289, so there's plenty of grunt in the water. But the wind is a cross-shore, making the surf marginal with questionable tide conditions. This one's more for the experienced crew who know the bank.

Now, Monday the 20th is the standout. The morning session is where it's at. Swell is a solid 6ft from the ENE, 10-second period, and the combined swell energy is a healthy 778. The kicker is the wind – glassy, coming from the west at just 5 mph. This is going to be clean and lined up. Expect very good surf conditions. It's an exposed beach setup, so with that longer period swell, it might be a little straight, but with glassy conditions, you'll find some runners. The crowds in Sydney can be a problem, and Narrabeen is often busy, so get in early.

Tuesday the 21st morning is also promising. The swell drops a little to 5ft, still from the ENE at 10 seconds, energy at 455, and again the wind is glassy from the NW at 5 mph. Expect good surf. It won't be as punchy as Monday, but still clean and fun.

From Wednesday the 22nd through to Saturday the 25th, the surf drops off. The swell goes from 3ft down to 2ft, and the energy dips into the low triple digits. The winds are mostly cross-off or offshore, so conditions will be clean, but there's just no size or power to get excited about. It's surfable but very ordinary.

Sunday the 26th looks similar – small, clean, but uninspiring. The energy is right down at 100, with a 2ft swell.

Then we hit a real lull. From Monday the 27th of July right through to Thursday the 30th, the swell bottom's out. We're talking 0.7ft to 2ft swells, with very weak energy (19 to 54). The wind is howling from the west at 18-25 mph. It's clean, but there is zero surf to ride. You'd be better off with a kiteboard if you're into that, but for a paddle surfer, it's a flat spell.

But then, out of the blue, Friday the 31st of July rolls around. This is another one to circle on the calendar. Swell jumps up to 7-8ft from the south, with a short 7-8 second period. The combined energy is a strong 660. The wind is offshore from the SW at 12-18 mph, creating clean, offshore conditions. Expect very good surf. This swell will be a bit wind-affected and short-period, so it'll be peaky and a bit jumbled, but for the exposed banks, it will be plenty of fun for the experienced crew. That 8ft is getting up there, so it's not one for beginners.

After that, Saturday the 1st of August falls away again, with a tiny 2ft south swell and onshore northeasterly wind. It's poor.

So, to sum it up: the absolute best on offer is Monday the 20th of July morning – that glassy 6ft east swell is the one to wake up early for. The second standout is Friday the 31st of July afternoon, with that clean, 8ft south swell, but it's further out and less certain. The middle of the run has a few decent mornings, but nothing that competes with those two windows.

Rusty.

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