National Park Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for National Park over the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a few windows that will get the heart pumping.

We’re starting off with some clean, rideable surf straight away. The first few days are looking pretty inviting. For Saturday the 12th, we’ve got some solid, clean lines rolling in with an ESE swell around 5 ft to 5 ft. The wind is a moderate offshore breeze, keeping the surface glassy. The combined energy is sitting at 229, so there’s a nice amount of push behind it. This is a good, fun size for an intermediate crew, and with the offshore wind, the waves will be holding up nicely. This is your best bet for the immediate future.

Sunday the 13th is a bit smaller, dropping to 3 ft to 4 ft with the same offshore flow, but it’s still surfable. The energy drops a touch, but you’ll still find fun ones.

Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th see the swell fade further, down to around 3 ft to 3 ft. Tuesday morning is an absolute gem with glassy conditions, but the wave height is on the small side. Afternoon on Tuesday gets a bit messy with a cross-shore breeze.

We hit a bit of a dry spell from Wednesday the 16th afternoon through to the end of the week. Wednesday morning is clean but small. The real story on Wednesday afternoon is the wind cranking up to 25 mph offshore, but the swell jumps to 7 ft. The energy is moderate at 386, but the text says poor surf conditions, so it’s likely just too blown out or hard to manage.

Thursday the 17th sees the swell hold at 7 ft to 8 ft with a longer period of 8 to 9 seconds. The energy jumps right up to 744-862, which is strong. This is getting into expert territory at 8 ft, and while the wind is offshore and strong, the conditions are called “marginal.” This isn’t a standout for paddle surfing; it’s more of a big-wave day for the experienced crew, or maybe even a kite session if the wind holds.

Friday the 18th is still big at 6 ft to 7 ft, but the wind eases, and by the afternoon it’s clean with a moderate offshore breeze and energy at 438. This is a much better bet for strong intermediate to expert surfers.

Now, here’s the real standout of the entire outlook. Saturday the 19th. We’ve got a clean 5 ft to 5 ft ESE swell, period stretching out to 9 seconds (a proper groundswell), and light to gentle offshore winds. The energy is moderate at 398 and 333. The wind is light, the swell is lined up from the optimum ENE direction, and the consistency is fairly consistent. This is the day to circle on your calendar. The crowd factor is “often” at National Park, so expect company for these clean, good-quality waves. This is your best chance for a proper session.

After that, the surf drops off significantly. Sunday the 20th is small and onshore, and from Monday the 21st all the way through to Sunday the 27th, we are looking at a long stretch of poor conditions. The swell plummets to under 3 ft, and often below 2 ft, with very weak combined energy (down to single digits and low double digits). The wind is mostly offshore or cross-offshore, but there’s just no swell to work with. You’re looking at a full week of flat, small, or weak surf. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual to report there.

So, to wrap it up: get out there this weekend for some clean fun, but the real crown jewel is next Saturday the 19th. After that, the ocean takes a long nap. Forecasts can change, but right now, that second week is a write-off.

Rusty.

Read more