Number Fours Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what the next couple of weeks have in store for us at Number Fours. It's a bit of a mixed bag, so let's break it down.

Right off the bat, we've got a couple of small, clean days. Wednesday the 19th has some tiny, weak SW groundswell at 1ft to 2ft with a long 16-second period. The ENE cross-off breeze will keep the surface tidy, but there's just not enough energy in the water to get excited about. The combined energy is weak at 306, so honestly, you might be better off doing something else.

Thursday the 20th is a step up, though still small. The swell pushes to a clean 2ft from the SSW with a longer 18-second period, and that morning the wind drops right out to a light NE breeze. This is clean surf, no doubt, but it's still small. The combined energy is still on the weak side (262). It's a good day for a longboard or a funboard, just to get wet. The tide might be a bit of a factor, so pick your moment.

Friday the 21st stays small at 2ft from the SW, but the wind swings more easterly and becomes a cross-shore, which will put a few ripples on the surface. It's not terrible, but it's not as clean as Thursday. The energy bumps up a little to around 318-347. Still, nothing to write home about.

Now, here's where things go sideways. From Saturday the 22nd, the wind really starts to howl out of the ENE. It's a cross-off breeze, which keeps the surf looking clean, but the wind strength builds through the weekend. By Sunday the 23rd, we've got a strong breeze at 25 mph on top of a junky 6ft to 7ft windswell with a short, crumbly 7-second period. The combined energy is ramping up to 614, but the quality is just poor. This isn't surf for a board; it's a washing machine.

Monday the 24th gets worse. A near gale force ENE wind at 31 mph and a 7ft easterly windswell with a 7-second period. The energy is moderate at 751, but the conditions are poor and there's a risk of thunderstorms. This looks more like a day for the kite surfers than us paddle surfers, to be honest. This messy, windy stretch runs through Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th. The swell stays in the 6ft to 6ft range with a short period, and the breeze doesn't let up. There are glimmers, like a bump of S swell at 2ft with an 18-second period on Wednesday afternoon, but the wind is still fresh and it's a blip in a pretty poor stretch. The whole run from the 23rd to the 26th is a write-off for decent waves.

Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th see a drop in size and a shift in direction. The swell swings back around to the south at 3ft, with a period of 14-16 seconds. The wind is still a fresh cross-off from the ENE, but the conditions are clean. It's still small, but there are a few more pulses of energy in the water now. The combined energy is moderate, in the 528-593 range, but it's not quite enough to make it a standout.

Right, so after a week of small, windy slop, things get interesting. As we roll into the first part of September, the models are hinting at something much bigger. On Monday the 1st of September, the swell starts to build from the east, jumping to 7ft in the morning and then up to a solid 8ft in the afternoon. The period stretches out to 11-13 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 2564 – that's strong energy. The wind is still a fresh cross-off from the ENE, but the wave quality is looking promising. This is for experienced surfers, though, as 8ft is pushing it for beginners.

But the real standout is Tuesday the 2nd of September. We're looking at a solid 10ft of east swell with a long 12-13 second period. The combined energy is a massive 3014. That's very strong, and it's a big call this far out, so don't book the day off work just yet. This is expert territory – 10ft is not for the faint of heart. It's about as promising as it gets in the long-range forecast, but these big swells a week and a half out can change. If it comes together, this is the one.

The window then closes back down on Wednesday the 3rd as the wind picks up to a near gale and the swell drops back to 7ft with a shorter 10-second period, and the energy drops back to 1090. It looks like it might blow out again, so that Tuesday is your ticket.

Overall, the first week is mostly small and windy, with the 20th being your best bet for a clean, small wave. The second week holds a lot more promise, with that big east swell due around the 1st and 2nd of September being the clear highlight. There are a few days of onshore slop in between, so keep your eye on the forecast.

This is Rusty, signing off. Stay stoked.

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