Ohara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s on offer at Ohara. The water temperature is sitting at 82°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so you might not need that wetsuit.

First things first, the next few days are a write-off. We’ve got light rain and persistent cross-onshore winds, with the swell barely pushing 2ft and a combined energy around 142 (moderate). The quality is just poor, nothing to get excited about at all. This rough patch stretches through until the end of the month.

Then, on Tuesday, September 1st, the swell nudges up to 3ft from the ESE, but the wind is still cross-on and the energy is moderate (324). Still not worth paddling out for.

The first real glimmer comes on Wednesday, September 2nd. The morning session is glassy, with clear skies and a light ESE breeze. The swell is 3ft from the ESE, period 10 seconds, and the combined energy is 203 (moderate). Conditions are good, and the waves are clean. This is the first proper chance to get wet, but it’s not a standout. The afternoon stays clean with a gentle offshore breeze from the south.

Thursday, September 3rd, looks clean in the morning with a cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is still only 2ft from the E. The afternoon shows a bit more size at 4ft from the SSE, but the period drops to a short 6 seconds, and the wind is strong. The quality is marginal.

From Friday, September 4th, right through to Sunday, September 6th, the conditions are back to being poor. Cross-onshore winds and lumpy, choppy surf. The swell is there, but the wind is a nightmare. The energy climbs to very strong levels on the 6th (1127 to 1278), but the wind is cross-shore and messy.

Now, here’s the big one. On Monday, September 7th, the swell jumps to 10ft in the morning and 12ft in the afternoon from the E, with a period of 9-10 seconds. The combined energy is massive – 2688 to 4250. The wind is a clean cross-offshore. But here’s the catch: the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it’s risky. The waves are going to be powerful and heavy. For a seasoned charger, this is the best on offer, but it’s not for everyone.

Tuesday, September 8th, still has a big swell at 8ft from the E, but the wind is onshore in the morning and cross-shore in the afternoon. The conditions are marginal.

The rest of the forecast period gets hammered by strong winds. From Wednesday, September 9th, through to Sunday, September 14th, the wind is relentless – fresh to strong breezes, mostly cross-onshore, with heavy rain and thunderstorms. The swell is often there, but the quality is poor. A few days, like the 13th and 14th, have clean conditions with cross-offshore winds, but the swell is small and the period is short (6-7 seconds), so the energy is only moderate.

So, the standout is Monday, September 7th. If you’re an expert and you can handle some serious size, that’s the day. For everyone else, the best bet is the glassy morning on Wednesday, September 2nd.

Rusty.

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