North Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. I’ll be straight with you – the next 16 days at North Bar are a real mixed bag, and honestly, not much to write home about for most of it. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak, and often messy conditions, so patience is the name of the game. The water temp is sitting pretty average for this time of year, so no need to dig out the thick steamer just yet.

The whole period kicks off with a bit of a dud. Thursday the 23rd through to Sunday the 27th of July is mostly a write-off – we’re looking at combined swell energy all below 100 (mostly between 40 and 223), with heights under 4ft and short periods of 6 to 8 seconds. The wind is rarely in any kind of shape; it’s onshore, cross-on, or just plain messy, so the surf is poor. There’s a little spike on Saturday morning with 4ft from the east at 7 seconds and energy hitting 204 (moderate), but it’s got onshore wind from the ENE at 12 mph, so it’s going to be choppy and uninviting. Not worth paddling out for.

Then we hit a bit of a gap. From Sunday the 28th of July afternoon through to Wednesday the 31st of July, things start to show a tiny pulse of life. The best window is Tuesday the 30th of July afternoon: a 5ft south swell at 9 seconds, with solid offshore wind from the SSW at 16 mph. The combined energy is a notable 334 (moderate), and the wind is clean. That’s the standout from this whole run – a proper clean, offshore session with waves that’ll have some shape. It’s still a bit small for experts, but intermediates will get a few fun ones. Crowds are possible here, so keep an eye out.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. From Thursday the 31st of July right through to Wednesday the 6th of August, we’re looking at waves under 3ft, periods barely hitting 8 seconds, and combined energy dropping into the low double digits. There’s one glimmer on Monday the 3rd of August morning: a 3ft south swell at 8 seconds with glassy conditions – calm, light from the west at 3 mph. That’s a rarity, and it’ll be clean, but the energy is only 120 (moderate), so it’s a small, fun session, not a barnstormer. The rest of that stretch is poor, with onshore or cross-shore winds and tiny surf.

The final few days, from Thursday the 6th of August to Friday the 7th, are just as flat – 2ft to 3ft, weak energy, and borderline unrideable.

So, the only real standout is Tuesday the 30th of July afternoon. If you can get out, that’s the pick. The rest is a long dry spell, but it’s not abnormal for this area – it’ll come good again eventually. Stay patient, and keep an eye on the horizon.

Rusty.

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