Norries Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight about it—this 16-day window up at Norries Head is a real mixed bag, and honestly, there’s a lot of ordinary in there. This is an exposed point break that usually likes swell from around NE, but it’s inconsistent by nature, so you’ve gotta pick your moments. Right now, the water temp’s sitting around 69°F, which is pretty much average for this time of year, nothing weird going on there.

We kick off on Thursday the 6th of August with nothing doing—just weak 2ft ENE swell with a short 7-second period. The combined energy is a paltry 73 (weak), and with a cross-onshore breeze, it’s poor. Not worth a paddle. Friday the 7th is slightly better in the morning with 3ft and glassy conditions, but the energy is even weaker at 54, and it’s still surfable but very ordinary. That tiny window of calm wind is nice, but the waves are just too weak. Saturday the 8th is more of the same poor stuff.

Sunday the 9th of August finally shows a glimmer. Morning sees 4ft from the east at 9 seconds, with a clean cross-offshore breeze from the north. The combined energy jumps to 246 (moderate), and the conditions are clean. It’s still not big, but it’s the most surfable we’ve seen. Afternoon gets a bit gusty with 12 mph north winds, but the waves hold. Monday the 10th is ordinary again, though there’s a brief window Monday afternoon with a light offshore from the west and 3ft clean waves—energy at 120 (moderate), but again, nothing exciting.

Tuesday the 11th has a glassy morning with 2ft, but at 97 energy it’s barely moving. The rest of that week just trails off into smaller and smaller surf, with energy dropping into the 50s and 70s. By Thursday the 13th, we’re down to 2ft and 53 energy. A real flat spell.

Now, here’s the standout. Mark your calendar for Friday the 14th of August. The morning is glassy with 4ft of pure SE groundswell, and a very long 15-second period. The combined energy hits 693 (strong). This is proper—long period groundswell wrapping into a point break like Norries Head is where it shines. The wind is almost nothing from the SSE, so it’ll be clean. This is the best on offer by a long shot. The afternoon gets a bit onshore, so get in early. That kind of long period will mean longer lulls between sets, but the waves will have proper shape and push.

Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th drop right back to tiny, messy junk with strong cross-shore winds. Not worth it.

Monday the 17th of August throws up a curveball: 8ft of short-period SE swell (8 seconds), with rain showers and a cross-offshore breeze. Energy is 636 (strong), but that’s a lot of bumpy, fat, short-period energy. At 8ft, it’s getting too big for beginners and is really for more experienced crew only, but the period is too short to hold shape well at a point. Could be a bit of a mess. Afternoon gets cross-shore and chopped out, so it’s a marginal call at best.

From Tuesday the 18th onward, it’s mostly small and onshore junk, with energy often under 200 and cross-on winds. By the 21st of August, we’re down to 1ft and 35 energy—total flatness.

So the long and short of it: if you want the one day to aim for, it’s Friday the 14th of August, first light. That long-period SE groundswell with glassy conditions is the real standout. The rest of the 16 days is mostly small, weak, or windy, with a few clean but tiny windows. For a break that’s already inconsistent, this stretch feels about normal—you’ve just gotta wait for that one good day. See you out there.

Rusty

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