Noorderstrand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. The outlook for the next two and a half weeks is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor surf conditions with no real standout waves to get excited about. The first proper surfable day isn't even on the cards for a while, so patience is the name of the game.

The first recommendation pops up on Sunday, 23 August, but it's not a pretty sight. We’ve got a weak 3ft swell from the NNW, with a short, weak period of 7 seconds. The combined energy is a measly 94 (weak). To make matters worse, the wind is a moderate 12 mph from the NNW, putting it onshore and choppy. It’s a no-go for a paddle.

We’ll see a few cleaner days through Monday and Tuesday (24th & 25th) with morning offshore winds, but the swell drops right off to a tiny 2ft with a period of 5-7 seconds. The energy is pitiful, sitting between 19 and 36. These are flat days, not surf days.

From Wednesday 26th right through to the end of the first week, it’s a ghost town. Swell heights drop to 1ft or less, and the energy is basically zero. We’ve got a significant gap of about 5 days with absolutely nothing worthwhile.

Looking further out, we start to see a bit more water moving around the Saturday 30th of August and into the first week of September. Swell sizes bump up to 5ft to 6ft from the WSW and NW, with energy jumping into the moderate range (133 to 289). However, the wind is ugly. It’s a strong cross-onshore breeze, making for messy, lumpy conditions. The wave period is short (6-7 seconds), so it’s all windswell, not the good stuff. This setup is more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer.

The best chance for a half-decent, clean surf comes on Tuesday, 01 September. The morning session shows a 4.3ft swell from the NW with a 6-second period and an offshore wind from the W at 22 mph. The energy is 100 (moderate). It’s not perfect, but the offshore wind will at least put some shape on it. The problem is, the wind is strong, and the period is short, so it’ll be a bit of a battle. For a beginner, 4.3ft is about the limit, but the wind will make it tricky.

The real tease comes on Wednesday, 02 September. The morning sees a 4.6ft swell from the NW with a 6-second period, and the wind is light and offshore from the WNW. The energy is 133 (moderate). This is as close to a clean surf window as we get in the whole forecast. The wave period is still short, so it won't be world-class, but it’ll be the best on offer. The crowds are "often" here, so it might feel a bit busy.

Sadly, the rest of the first week of September falls back into a pattern of messy, onshore winds and fading swell. The last few days of the outlook (4th to 7th) drop back to tiny, poor conditions.

Look, we’ve got a long, poor run here. The only real standout, if you can call it that, is the Wednesday morning, 02 September, at Noorderstrand. The swell is 4.6ft from the NW, and the light offshore wind will keep it clean. It’s the only window with a decent combination of size and clean conditions. For everything else, you’re better off grabbing a coffee and watching the forecast change.

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