New Brighton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at New Brighton Beach are a write-off for surfers. We’re staring down a 16-day window with barely a ripple worth paddling for. There’s a big ol’ gap from now until late in the first week of September where you’ll be lucky to get a knee-high bump, and even then, conditions are mostly ordinary. It’s one of those blank runs that happens here, so don’t get too down – forecasts can turn around, but for now, leave the board in the shed.

Let’s run through it. Tuesday the 25th of August: we’re looking at tiny 0.7ft easterly slop with a 14-second period, but cross-off wind at 25 km/h keeps it clean – still, it’s poor surf. Wednesday the 26th starts glassy and calm with the same 0.7ft, but that’s a lake, not surf. Thursday the 27th brings light rain and onshore wind hitting 35 km/h, with a 1ft SSE swell, but the energy is only moderate at 146 (combined energy), and it’s messy. Friday the 28th sees a 6ft ENE swell with a short 8-second period – that’s a bump and a half for a beach break, but fresh cross-onshore wind at 35 km/h makes it lumpy and poor. The combined energy hits 366, which is strong, but with that wind, the surface is chopped to bits. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Saturday the 29th drops back to 2ft, onshore wind again, and Sunday the 30th has a 1ft swell with offshore wind from the SW – clean, but seriously tiny at 1ft. Monday the 31st of August is the first day we get a “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” call: 1.0ft SSE groundswell with a long 16-second period, clean with light cross-off wind, but it’s barely a wave. The energy is weak at 87.

Now, the first week of September. Tuesday the 1st offers a glassy 1.0ft SSE swell with a very long 19-second period – again, ordinary but surfable. That’s a long-period groundswell, which would usually be better at a reef or point, not a beach break like this. Wednesday the 2nd is a blowout with 40 km/h cross-wind. Thursday the 3rd has a 1ft SSE swell with a 19-second period and moderate energy at 158, but onshore wind spoils it.

The second week stays weak. Friday the 4th of September through to Wednesday the 9th: we’re seeing tiny 0.3ft to 2ft swells, mostly with poor wind. The standout – if you can call it that – is Wednesday the 9th morning: a 4ft NNE windswell with a short 5-second period, but cross-off wind keeps it clean-ish. Still, the energy is weak at 98, and the period is terrible – fat, weak, and inconsistent. No real standouts here, folks. Honestly, the water temp is 50°F with a 0.9°F anomaly – that’s about average for the time of year – but with no surf, you’re just cold for nothing.

Best on offer? There isn’t one. New Brighton Beach is inconsistent and rarely breaks properly in this window. If you’re desperate, the glassy early mornings on the 31st of August or the 1st of September might give you a few close-out knee-highs, but keep your expectations on the floor. The crowds are only “sometimes” an issue here, and with conditions this poor, you’ll have the beach to yourself. It’s a beginner break at the best of times, but with waves over 5ft on the 28th, it’s too big for beginners anyway.

Rusty.

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