Norries Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mate, I’m not gonna lie to you – it’s a pretty grim start. We’ve got a solid run of nothing much happening for the first few days. The only spot on the radar is Norries Head, a point break that’s inconsistent at the best of times, and it’s not exactly firing. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The opening act on Monday the 20th of July is a write-off. We’re looking at a 12 ft swell from the ESE, but with a strong 16 mph cross-on wind from the SSE, it’s just a messy, choppy mess. The combined energy is through the roof at 2250, but it’s all for nothing with that wind. That’s strictly for the experts only, if anyone’s silly enough to paddle out.

Tuesday the 21st is a bit smaller, dropping to 8 ft, but still cross-on and messy. Wednesday the 22nd sees the swell drop further to 5 ft, and by Thursday the 23rd morning we finally get a bit of a breather. The swell is down to 4 ft from the E, with a period of 8 seconds, and the wind goes glassy. That’s the first real window of clean surf, but it’s small. For a beginner, it’s probably fine, but it’s not going to get the heart racing.

Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th are both small and messy again, with the swell dropping to under 3 ft. Saturday morning actually has a glassy moment with 3 ft, but it’s weak as dishwater with a combined energy of just 104. Sunday the 26th is a bit of a weird one – a 2 ft swell from the SE with a very long period of 14 seconds in the afternoon. That’s a long period groundswell, which at a point break like Norries Head could actually wrap in okay, but it’s so small it’s barely surfable.

After that, it’s a long, flat stretch. From Monday the 27th of July right through to the end of the month, we’re looking at tiny 0.7 ft slop. The wind is clean at times, with some cross-off and glassy conditions, but there’s just no energy. The combined energy figures are in the single digits or low teens. It’s a total blank run.

Then, on Sunday the 2nd of August, there’s a little flicker of hope. The morning shows a 2 ft swell from the SE with a very long period of 16 seconds, and clean cross-off wind from the N. The combined energy jumps to 189 – still weak, but it’s the best we’ve seen in a week. That long period could wrap nicely into the point, but it’s tiny. Monday the 3rd of August morning has a glassy 1 ft, but again, it’s just a dribble.

The standout of the whole forecast? Honestly, there isn’t a true standout. The best on offer is Thursday morning, the 23rd of July. The swell is 4 ft from the E, the wind is glassy, and while it’s only got a combined energy of 208, it’s the cleanest, most surfable window in the whole 16 days. For a beginner or someone just wanting to get wet on a longboard, that’s your moment. Just be aware that Norries Head is inconsistent, so don’t bank on perfection.

The rest of the second week into early August is a gamble. The 2nd of August morning has that long period swell, but it’s a promise of a wave, not a guarantee. The forecast confidence for that far out is low, so take it with a grain of salt.

Bottom line: It’s a tough run. The first week is mostly blown out or flat, and the second week is tiny. Thursday the 23rd morning is your best bet for a clean, small wave.

Rusty.

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