Noorderstrand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: this outlook for the next 16 days is a tough pill to swallow. We’re looking at a long, drawn-out stretch of poor surf conditions here at Noorderstrand, with no real standout sessions worth getting excited about. The first few days are a write-off, and the pattern doesn’t improve much.

Right from the start, on Tuesday the 18th, it’s a mess. The water is sitting at 71°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s over 5° above average, so very unusual. But that’s the only interesting thing. The swell is a weak, short-period 3ft from the west, with a rubbish 5-second period, and a cross-onshore wind of 12 mph from the west. The combined wave energy is a measly 55, so don’t expect any power. It’s choppy and poor.

We drift through Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th with similar garbage: tiny swells around 3ft to 4ft, periods of 5 to 6 seconds, and onshore or cross-shore winds. The combined energy stays below 70 – it’s just weak. Friday the 21st offers a small bump with a 3ft swell from the NNW and an 8-second period, giving a combined energy of 108, but the winds are still cross-onshore. It’s still poor.

The whole of the following week, from the 22nd to the 28th, is basically a surf desert. Swells drop below 2ft most days, with periods all over the place and combined energy values in the single digits or low teens. The only relief is a few clean windows on the 24th morning and the 30th with cross-offshore winds, but the surf is so tiny – 3ft and 3ft – it’s barely a ripple. The winds on the 30th are a fresh 22 mph from the SSW, which is clean but strong.

Now, the end of the window gets interesting, but not for paddle surfing. On Saturday the 29th, we get a 7ft swell from the west with a 7-second period and combined energy of 470 – that’s moderate to strong. But the wind is a strong 28 mph cross-shore, making it a lumpy, messy, dangerous mess. That’s kite-surfing territory, not a day to be on a shortboard. The 2nd of September shows the biggest swell of the period – 8ft from the WNW, with a 7-second period and a combined energy of 527 – strong energy, but with a fresh 19 mph cross-onshore wind and onshore conditions. At 8ft, it’s only for experts, and with that wind, it’s a washing machine.

Honestly, there’s not a single day in this 16-day run that offers a good, clean surf. The consistent poor conditions mean a blank run like this is normal for the area when the wind and swell don’t line up. No standout options. Sometimes it stays poor for a while, but forecasts can change.

- Rusty

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