Norries Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll level with you – it’s been a rough stretch for surf around Norries Head. We’ve got a 16-day window ahead, but for the first week and a half, it’s pretty much a write-off. The good news is that things finally turn around, and when they do, there’s a real standout session to get excited about.

Right now, from Thursday the 13th of August, the swell is tiny and weak, with mostly cross or cross-onshore winds messing up the surface. We’re looking at 1ft to 2ft of easterly windswell, periods around 9 seconds, and the combined energy is barely registering (69 or less). The water temp is 69°, which is about normal for this time of year, just half a degree cooler than average – nothing to write home about.

This flat, choppy pattern drags on through Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Saturday afternoon sees a brief spike to 4ft from the SSE, but with a short period of 6 seconds and rain showers, it’s just messy. The combined energy jumps to 142, but it’s still poor. Monday the 17th brings a bigger pulse: 8ft from the SE at 8 seconds, with 614 energy, but the wind is a stiff cross-onshore at 15 mph, making it ugly. That size is also too much for beginners, and with the poor conditions, it’s only really for the die-hards. Tuesday the 18th stays big, around 7ft, with 570-727 energy, but the wind is still cross-onshore, and the surf is called “marginal” at best. It stays poor right through to the end of the first week and into the second.

Then, finally, a shift. On Saturday the 22nd of August, we get a proper window. The morning is glassy – no wind, just a slight air – and the swell is a solid 6ft from the east at 9 seconds. The combined energy is 563, which is strong. That’s a standout. Norries Head is a point break, so it can handle that east swell nicely, especially with the optimum direction being NE. It’s inconsistent here, and crowds are often, so be prepared to share the lineup, but with glassy conditions and a decent east groundswell, it’s the best on offer. The wave comment says “expect very good surf conditions,” and I’m optimistic. Sunday morning the 23rd is still okay – 5ft east swell with a clean cross-offshore breeze, but the energy drops to 397, and the wind is a bit stronger.

After that, it fades again. Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th see the swell drop back to 3-4ft, with cross-onshore winds returning, and the energy falls below 250. The last week is mostly tiny and weak, but there’s a late chance on Friday the 28th of August: a glassy morning with 3ft from the SE, but a very long period of 13 seconds. That’s groundswell, and the energy is 239. It’s small, but with clean conditions and that long period, it could offer some nice, lined-up waves at the point. Still, nothing beats that Saturday morning session.

So, in short: suffer through the first week, and then make absolutely sure you’re in the water at Norries Head on the morning of Saturday the 22nd of August. That’s the one.

Rusty.

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