Norries Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this 16-day stretch for Norries Head is a flat, frustrating affair. It’s a classic late-winter slump where the swell just can’t get its act together. We’ve got a long, quiet run ahead with only a few fleeting moments that might get your heart racing, but nothing that’s going to set the world on fire. Let’s break it down.

The pattern is characterised by weak, short-period windswell from the ENE, almost entirely under 3 ft, with combined swell energy mostly in the double digits (often below 150). The wind is the real killer – for long stretches it’s cross or cross-onshore, chopping up what little wave there is. The first real sniff of anything rideable comes Wednesday morning, the 26th of August. We get a tiny 3 ft ENE swell with a clean 8-second period and light offshore wind from the WNW at just 3 mph. Combined energy is weak at 93, but the conditions are clean. That same afternoon goes glassy with a light NE breeze – 3 ft, 8 seconds, 128 energy. It’s small and ordinary, but it’s surfable. You’ll be scratching for ankle-biters, but at least the surface will be smooth.

Then we hit a brick wall. From Thursday the 27th through to Monday the 1st of September, it’s a full-on junk show. South winds pick up, bringing cross-chop and rain, with swell heights dropping to 2 ft. Combined energy plummets. If you paddle out during that period, you’ll be fighting onshore wind for nothing. Don’t bother.

Now, Tuesday the 1st of September morning is a clear standout. It’s the best session in the whole outlook. The wind goes glassy again, with a slight breeze from the east at 3 mph. Swell bumps up to a knee-high 3 ft from the east, and the period extends to 10 seconds, giving the wave a bit more push. Combined energy hits 198 – moderate but still modest. It’s a small, clean, surfable window. For a point break that’s inconsistent and often crowded, that early glass-off might be your only chance to grab a handful of fun ones before it gets messy.

After that, the second week is more of the same. Wednesday the 2nd of September morning offers a brief clean window with cross-offshore wind from the NNW and 3 ft ENE swell, but it’s fleeting. The rest of the run from the 3rd to the 9th is dominated by fresh northerly winds and poor quality. Swell stays puny – 2 to 3 ft – and the combined energy is nearly always below 100. There are a few glassy moments on Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th of September mornings, but the swell is tiny (2 to 3 ft) and weak. Not worth getting your hopes up.

So what’s the call? The best on offer is the morning of Tuesday the 1st of September. It’s small and clean with a hint of period, making Norries Head (the only break on the menu) your best bet. Wednesday the 26th of August is a runner-up for a glassy, fun-sized session. The rest of the 16 days is a write-off. This is a typical inconsistency period for the area – don’t force it. Forecasts can change, but right now, this is a waiting game.

Rusty.

Read more