North Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

To be honest, it's a slow start. The first week is pretty much a write-off for any decent waves. We’ve got tiny swell, cross-onshore winds, and the forecast is basically calling it "poor" right through. There's a glimmer of something on Sunday morning the 9th with a bit of size, but that strong cross-shore wind will chop it up. You could paddle out, but you’d be battling for nothing.

The real story here is a massive pulse of swell that's due to hit North Beach. From Monday the 10th through to Wednesday the 12th, we’re looking at a serious, serious amount of energy. The combined energy of all swells directed here is pumping at 2974 on Monday morning, then ramping up to a whopping 6106 by Monday afternoon, and peaking at 12880 on Tuesday. That is a beast. We're talking swell heights of 15 ft to 18 ft, with a long period groundswell from the South. The water temp is about average for the time of year at 71°.

Here’s the catch, and it’s a big one: this break is a beach/pier setup. That kind of power and size on a beach break is going to be a washing machine. The wave comment even says it's predicted to be too big for this break. The winds are clean, offshore or cross-off, which is a major positive, but for a paddle surfer, this is a "look but don't even think about it" scenario. If you're a tow-in crew or a very experienced big-wave charger, sure, but for the rest of us, this is far beyond expert territory. Honestly, with that much swell, strong wind, and a beach setup, this is looking way more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

After that big pulse passes, the swell drops off quickly, but the winds stay messy. Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th see 12 ft to 7 ft swell, but it's all cross-on and choppy. Not great.

Now, hold on to your board shorts. Look at Wednesday morning, the 19th of August. That’s a long way off, so keep your expectations in check, but the chart is showing a beautiful little window. The wind is forecast to be dead calm, glassy conditions. The swell is a clean 6 ft from the NE with a period of 8 seconds. That’s a fun, manageable size for a confident intermediate, and the combined energy of all swells is a moderate 601. The forecast says "expect very good surf conditions," and that’s the only standout in the whole run. If that glassy wind holds, Wednesday the 19th morning will be the day to be out there.

The rest of the 16-day window after that fades back into small, wind-affected slop. So, there's your story: a week of nothing, a massive, dangerous swell you can only watch, and then a single, promising morning at the very end.

Rusty

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