Norries Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Right off the bat, I gotta say, we’re looking at a pretty slow start for the next week and a half for Norries Head. For a point break that’s usually exposed, we’re starved for any real energy. The first real sniff of half-decent conditions doesn’t come until the 9th of August, so we’re looking at a gap of a few days with nothing worth paddling out for.

That Sunday morning, the 9th, things start to wake up. We’ve got a clean 2 ft swell from the east and a light north breeze that’s crossing-off, so the lines will be clean. The combined energy is moderate (323), and it’s the best we’ll see for a while. The afternoon holds up but the wind picks up, so make the most of the morning.

The 11th and 12th have some glassy mornings with 1 ft east swell, but the energy is way down, and the surf is ordinary. It’s a chance to get wet, but don’t expect much.

Now, hang onto your board. The 15th of August is where it gets interesting, but it’s for experienced surfers only. The swell jumps to 5 ft from the ESE, with a period of 11 seconds, and the combined energy is massive (2169). This is a serious groundswell. The problem is the wind is cross-shore, and the quality is only marginal. This is a big, raw, powerful swell that will be tearing across the break. It’s not for the faint-hearted, and the crowds at Norries Head are often thick, so be prepared for a battle.

The 16th and 17th are even bigger (6 ft and 5 ft from the SE) with even more energy (2936 and 1987), but the onshore and cross-onshore wind makes it a messy, choppy mess. Honestly, for a beach-and-reef setup like this, with that much wind and swell, it’s looking more like a kite surfer’s paradise than a paddler’s dream.

The best standouts in this whole 16-day window are the clean, glassy mornings of the 11th and 12th for the smaller, friendlier waves, and the big, powerful, expert-only swell on the 15th. The 20th of August sees a late-running swell of 3 ft from the ESE with a very long 12-second period, but the cross-on wind keeps it from being a true standout.

Rusty.

Read more