Newport - The Peak Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s in store for Newport – The Peak over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a slow start. The forecast doesn’t get going until Friday the 31st of July, and even then, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The first real standout opportunity lands on Sunday morning, the 2nd of August. That’s the one to circle.

The Overall Pattern:
We’re looking at a period that starts with a solid, albeit tricky, pulse of swell. The first couple of days are a bit rough, but things clean up nicely into the weekend. After that, we see a real drop in energy mid-week, before a late-week pulse and then a long, quiet spell that stretches into the second week. The second week is pretty much a write-off for decent surf.

Friday, 31st July:
Surf is on the way, but it’s a scrappy start. Friday morning we’ve got a 6 ft swell from the S, with a period of 10 seconds. The wind is cross-off from the SW. The wave energy is moderate (617). It’s clean, but the overall quality is marginal. By Friday afternoon, the swell jumps to 7 ft from the S, but the wind swings cross-on and it gets choppy. Not the best way to kick things off.

Saturday, 1st August:
Saturday morning is a step in the right direction. Swell drops to 5 ft from the S, period 9 seconds (388 energy), and it’s clean with a light breeze. It’s surfable, but still nothing to write home about. The afternoon gets messy with a cross-on wind.

The Standout – Sunday, 2nd August:
This is the best call of the whole forecast. Sunday morning is the pick. We’ve got a 5 ft swell from the SSE, but the period jumps to 12 seconds – that’s long-period groundswell, meaning more push and better shape. The wind is a light cross-off from the N, keeping it clean. The energy is moderate (887). This is a prime window for the advanced crew at this reef break. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there. Expect some crowds, as this spot can get busy.

Monday, 3rd August:
Monday morning sees the swell drop to 3 ft from the SE, period 11 seconds (274 energy). It’s clean with a light cross-off. A small, clean morning session, but nothing special. The afternoon is a write-off.

Tuesday, 4th August through Thursday, 7th August:
Tuesday is flat. A tiny 1.0 ft swell with almost no energy (22). Not worth paddling out. Wednesday morning is a bit better with a 5 ft S swell (438), but it’s marginal. Wednesday afternoon is the other highlight in this week. We get a 6 ft S swell, period 10 seconds, and a light cross-off wind. The wave energy is solid (809) and it’s clean. This is a good, solid afternoon session. Thursday morning is still clean with a 5 ft swell, but it fades off by the afternoon with onshore winds.

Friday, 7th August through Monday, 10th August:
A bit of a lull. Friday and Saturday offer small, clean waves in the 3 ft to 5 ft range, but nothing rallying. The best of this stretch might be Saturday morning with a 5 ft SSE swell, 10 seconds, and light wind (486 energy). It’s clean, but not a standout.

The Second Week (11th August onwards):
This is where it gets quiet. From Tuesday the 11th onward, we’re looking at poor conditions with very small, weak swell. The wind picks up significantly, with strong breezes and cross-shore chop dominating. The swell energy drops to two-digit figures (98-139) meaning it’s weak. There’s a blip on Wednesday the 12th morning with a 3 ft ESE swell and offshore wind, but it’s a tiny window. After that, it’s all cross-shore gales and messy seas. The whole second week is a write-off for decent surf.

In short:
The best bet is Sunday morning, 2nd August for the best mix of size, period, and clean conditions. The Wednesday afternoon, 5th August session is a solid backup. After that, we’re looking at a long gap of poor to flat conditions through the second week.

Stay frosty, and don’t sleep on that Sunday morning.

- Rusty

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