North Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break down what’s happening at North Beach over the next sixteen days.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a flat spell. Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th are offering little to nothing worth paddling out for – small, choppy, messy. You’ll be fighting the wind for scraps. It’s not until Wednesday the 26th that things start to look interesting. The morning has some clean cross-offshore conditions with a 4ft south swell, but it’s the afternoon that really gets the blood pumping. That south groundswell pushes up to 5ft, with a long 18-second period, and the wind is clean off the land. The wave energy is strong (1398), and for experienced surfers, this is where it’s at. The swell direction from the south is a good match for this exposed spot, so expect some long, lined-up waves at North Beach. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no wetsuit surprises.

Then the wind turns on us. Thursday the 27th through to the end of August sees strong onshore winds from the northeast, blowing straight across the waves. The swell gets bigger – 8ft, even 12ft on the 30th – but it’s lumpy, choppy, and ragged. The period drops to 8-9 seconds, so it’s short-period wind swell. This is not a paddle-surfing situation. With that much wind and size, it’s looking more like a kite-surfing show than a clean surf session.

We get a brief reprieve on Monday the 31st of August. The morning shows an 8ft south-southwest swell with clean cross-offshore winds. The wave energy is very strong (1623), but the period is short (9 seconds), and the conditions are described as marginal. It’s a gamble, but the clean wind is a big plus. The afternoon fades.

After that, it’s a mixed bag of small, wind-affected waves and stronger onshore blows through the first week of September. The 8th of September, Tuesday morning, is a real standout in the long-range forecast. The swell drops to 4ft, but it’s a long-period 12-second south swell, with a light cross-offshore breeze. The wave energy is moderate (569), and the conditions are clean. It’s not huge, but it’s the kind of day where the waves will have shape and the water will be glassy. For a mid-week dawn patrol, this is a promising one – though it’s over a week away, so keep an eye on the forecasts.

The best on offer is undeniably Wednesday afternoon, the 26th of August. The 5ft south swell, 18-second period, clean wind, and strong energy (1398) make it the pick of the run. The next best is Tuesday morning, the 8th of September, for clean, long-period waves, even if it’s smaller.

Rusty.

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