North wall Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, it’s a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks for Northwall. We’ve got some size, but the wind and conditions are going to be the main talking point, not always in a good way. The water temp is sitting at 68°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no need for a thicker wetsuit just yet.

We kick off this Friday morning, 14th August, with a solid 6ft swell from the south, period of 10 seconds, and a cross-off wind from the southwest at 12 mph. The combined energy is pumping at 1133 (strong), but the forecast is calling it marginal – likely a tide issue or just a bit lumpy. It’s a big, powerful wave, but it’s not going to be the cleanest. It’s a beach/groyne setup, so for a beginner, this is already pushing it with that size.

Saturday and Sunday are a bit of a write-off. Saturday sees the swell drop to 5ft from the south, but we’ve got rain showers and a lumpy cross-shore wind that’s making a mess of things. Sunday morning is a little cleaner with a 6ft south-southeast swell and a lighter 9 mph cross-off breeze, but it’s still not great. The energy is moderate at 409, but the quality just isn’t there.

Tuesday, 18th August, we get a bit of a pulse with a 6ft southeast swell, but again, it’s onshore and choppy. Not worth paddling out.

Now, things start to look up on Wednesday morning, 19th August. The swell drops to 4ft from the southeast, but the period jumps to 11 seconds – classic groundswell. The wind goes light and cross-off from the south at just 6 mph. The energy is 507 (moderate), but the conditions are clean. This is the best call of the week for a longboard or a fish. The water will feel clean and the waves will have some shape.

Thursday morning, 20th August, is worth a look too. We get a 4ft south-southeast swell with a glassy offshore wind from the southwest at 9 mph. The energy is lower at 281, but it’s clean and tidy.

Then we hit the real standout. Friday morning, 21st August. It's small, only 4ft from the southeast, but the wind is glassy – literally 3 mph from the southwest, dead calm. The energy is low at 207, but for a clean, small-wave session on the low tide, this is the pick of the first week. Zero crowds in the water, just you and the ocean.

The second week gets tricky. Saturday and Sunday, 22nd and 23rd August, are small and cross-off, but the weekend of the 23rd afternoon, the swell jumps to a massive 12ft from the south with an 11-second period. That’s very big for Northwall – too big for all but the most experienced. The combined energy is a ridiculous 3117 (very strong). It’s clean off the water, but this is expert-only territory. If you’re a strong paddler, it’ll be a show.

Monday, 24th August, sees a 7ft south-southeast swell linger, but the wind is light and cross-onshore, so not perfect.

The end of the forecast period, around the 28th and 29th of August, sees another big southerly pulse. Friday the 28th is 10ft to 12ft from the south, 11-second period, with a strong 22 mph cross-off wind. It’s clean but huge. The energy is 1979 (very strong). Saturday the 29th is similar, 10ft swell from the south-southeast. These days are for the experts only, and honestly, for the average surfer, it’s going to be a washout.

So, to sum it up: the best session on offer is Friday morning, 21st August – glassy, clean, small waves at Northwall. If you’re looking for more size, Wednesday the 19th morning is your next best bet with that long-period southeast groundswell. For the rest, it’s either too messy, too small, or too big. A bit of a waiting game.

Rusty.

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