North Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's cooking at North Beach.

Right off the bat, I gotta say, the next few days are looking pretty grim. The water's sitting at a mild 72°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year. But the swell is messy and the wind is all wrong for a clean session. You'll be battling a cross-onshore breeze with that 4ft SE swell coming in at a 12-second period, but the energy is moderate (653) and the report is calling it poor surf. That's a hard pass. Wednesday afternoon and Thursday aren't any better, with choppy, cross-shore wind and dropping swell. Thursday afternoon shows a minor improvement with a 2ft SSW swell and a 14-second period, giving it a bit more grunt (410), but it's still a marginal call.

Friday the 24th is where things get interesting, but for the wrong reasons. We've got a big 10ft S swell showing up, with a short 9-second period, and the wind is a strong cross-offshore breeze. The energy is ramping up to moderate-to-strong (1447), and the setup is clean, but the wave comment says it's too big for this break. This is expert-only territory, maybe even more of a kite-surfing show than a paddle session. The swell stays too big for the weekend too, with 5ft to 5ft on Saturday and Sunday, but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, so it's a messy, lumpy mess.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Monday the 27th all the way through Thursday the 31st, it's a stretch of poor to marginal conditions. The swell is small and the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore, making for choppy, lumpy, and just unpleasant surf. There's a moment on Tuesday the 28th afternoon where the wind goes glassy, but the swell is a tiny 3ft from the E with a 9-second period, so the energy is weak (249). It's a tease, but not worth paddling out for.

Now, here's where it gets a little more promising. On Saturday the 1st of August, the morning session looks like a proper standout. We get a 3ft S swell with a very long 18-second period, filling in with strong energy (877). The wind is glassy, making for a clean surface. The wave comment says "expect very good surf conditions" – that's the kind of talk I like to hear. The long period can make it a bit tricky at a beach break, but with that glassy wind, it's a solid bet for a fun paddle.

Sunday the 2nd of August morning is also a good call. The swell picks up to 7ft from the ESE, with a 9-second period, and again, glassy wind. The energy is moderate (704), and the report says "expect very good surf conditions." This one is a bit bigger, so it's a step up in power, but still manageable for intermediates.

After that, the swell gets too big again for the beginning of the week, with 10ft to 12ft on Monday and Tuesday the 4th and 5th, and the wind is cross-offshore, keeping it clean but only for the brave. The real highlight for the second week, though, is Thursday the 6th of August. The morning session has a 6ft E swell with a 10-second period, light cross-offshore wind, and clean conditions. The energy is moderate (898), and the word is "expect very good surf conditions." After the big stuff, this is the sweet spot for a quality session without the intimidation factor.

Overall, the best on offer is the Saturday 1st of August morning for the glassy, long-period swell, and the Thursday 6th of August morning for a more manageable, clean, and fun-sized wave.

Rusty out.

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