North Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what North Beach has lined up for us over the next couple weeks.

Honestly, it’s a bit of a mixed bag to start. There’s some decent southern hemi groundswell wanting to push in, with a solid 3 ft to 7 ft range building, and the period is long, up around 16 to 18 seconds on Tuesday and Wednesday. That’s proper groundswell. But the wind is going to be a problem. Early on, it’s a cross-shore breeze, and the wave comment tells the story – it's poor, with a bumpy surface. The combined swell energy on Tuesday morning is 409, moderate, and by Wednesday afternoon it jumps to 2476, strong, but those cross and cross-onshore winds are going to mess up the face. The swell is coming from the SSW and S, but the optimum direction for North Beach is SE. It’s not a great match, and the water temp is about average at 70°.

Tuesday the 25th: Morning is a no-go really. 3 ft from the SSW and that cross wind gives poor surf. The afternoon cleans up a little with a cross-off wind, and the swell drops to 2 ft. It’s tempting because it’s clean, but the score is marginal. I’d say it’s a skunk unless you’re desperate for a tiny, clean wave.

Wednesday the 26th: Swell builds to 4 ft in the morning, then 7 ft in the afternoon. The period is still a dreamy 18 seconds. The morning has a cross breeze, so the surface is lumpy. The afternoon has a light cross-onshore from the SSE with small ripples. It’s a real shame because the energy is there, but the wind just isn’t doing us any favours.

Thursday the 27th through the whole weekend is a write-off. The wind cranks from the NE, getting up to 31 mph on Thursday, near gale force. The swell is all over the place, short period junky stuff, and the whole setup is blown out. Forget it. The combined energy figures are high (1177, 1292, etc.) but it’s all wind mess. Not surfable.

Finally, a little light appears. On Sunday the 30th, we get a momentary clean-up. The wind swings to the SSW, 22 mph, but it’s cross-off and the wave comment says “clean.” The morning has a 6 ft ENE swell with a period of 9 seconds, combined energy of 456. Then Sunday afternoon gives us 7 ft from the S, but the period drops to a weak 7 seconds. It’s marginal, and honestly, the size is getting up there for intermediate surfers, but at least there’s something with a clean face.

Monday the 31st is a tease. Light wind, 4 ft east swell, but the wind is onshore. It’s small and ripply.

The first week of September is mostly poor. It’s all cross and cross-onshore wind from the NE, with lumpy chop. On Tuesday the 1st, the swell is 4 ft in the morning, but it’s choppy. The real standout, if you can call it that, is the very end of the outlook. On Saturday the 5th of September, the afternoon shows some promise. The swell is a solid 8 ft from the east, period 8 seconds. The wind is light from the SSE, only 6 mph, with just small wind ripples. It’s a light cross-onshore, but for this exposed beach break, that’s about as good as it gets. Combined energy is a strong 1679.

And then the final kicker – Wednesday the 9th of September. The afternoon slot is flagged as “wind and tide favorable” but with a massive 12 ft swell from the ENE. The period is 10 seconds, and the wind is cross-off from the SSW at 16 mph. The combined energy is a beastly 3778, very strong. This is heavy-duty, expert-only territory. The swell is too big for this break otherwise. If you’re an experienced charger and you can handle a clean but powerful 3.5m wave, this is the moment. For everyone else, it’s a spectator sport. That is definitely the standout, but it’s a long way off and a lot can change.

So, the honest truth? The first week is a struggle. There’s energy but the wind is against us. The real highlight, the one true standout to keep an eye on, is that early September window, specifically that Saturday afternoon and that huge Wednesday session on the 9th. For now, it’s a waiting game. The forecast looks interesting for kite surfing on the bigger, windier days through late August.

This is Rusty, signing off.

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