Newport-South Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for the next stretch. I’ll be honest, it’s a bit of a quiet start, but there’s a glimmer of something towards the end if you’re patient.

Newport-South Beach is the only spot in the frame, and it’s a beginner-friendly, fairly consistent beach break. The water temp is about what you’d expect for this time of year, so no surprises there. We’re looking at a long stretch of pretty ordinary conditions. The first few days, from Tuesday the 18th right through the end of the week, are a write-off. You’ve got a persistent cross-onshore wind, mostly light to moderate, and the wave heights are tiny, around 2 ft to 3 ft. The swell energy is all over the place, from a weak 276 up to a moderate 520, but it doesn’t matter because the wind is just messing it up. It’s choppy and bumpy. Not worth a paddle.

The weekend of the 22nd and 23rd is more of the same. The swell drops off and the wind stays cross or cross-on. You might see a pulse of very long period swell on the 23rd, up to 20 seconds, but it’s only 1 ft. That’s a whole lot of nothing. The energy is weak (257). It’s a no-go.

We roll into the next week, Monday the 24th through Wednesday the 26th. Still mostly poor. The wind is still a problem, staying cross-onshore. The swell ticks up a little, with heights around 4 ft to 4 ft, and the energy gets a bit more interesting, hitting 569 on the 25th. But the period is short, around 8 to 9 seconds, and it’s still choppy. It’s frustrating to watch.

Now, here’s a tiny spark. Thursday morning, the 27th of August. For a brief moment, we get a clean 5 km/h offshore wind from the west. The swell is 4 ft from the northwest with a short period of 8 seconds. The energy is moderate (342). It’s only a marginal call, but that offshore wind is a major positive. It’s the only window in the whole 16 days where the wind is truly onshore-off. If you’re a beginner, the size is manageable. Expect crowds, as this spot is sometimes busy, and it’s a small window.

After that, it’s back to the same old story. Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th are poor again, with cross-onshore winds and messy surf. The swell dies back down to 2 ft to 2 ft.

The final few days, from Sunday the 30th of August through to Wednesday the 2nd of September, are a bit of a mixed bag. We get some light winds and even a few moments of offshore wind on the 30th, but the swell is small, around 2 ft to 3 ft, with very long periods (15-16 seconds). That kind of long period at a beach break can be a bit tricky, often breaking too straight. The energy is moderate (367). It’s marginal.

The best bet in the whole outlook is that Thursday morning, the 27th. That offshore wind is the real standout. For the rest, it’s a waiting game. The forecast can always change, but right now, it’s a long, quiet run.

Rusty.

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