Padang Padang Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and we’ve got a solid run of surf coming up at Padang Padang. This is a reef break that’s for advanced surfers only, and it’s inconsistent, so you’ve gotta be patient and know what you’re doing. The good news is, the whole 16-day window is filled with waves, no gaps to worry about. Water temp is sitting at 79°, which is pretty normal for this time of year.

The pattern is a steady stream of SSW groundswell, with periods mostly between 15 and 19 seconds. That’s long-period energy, and on a reef like Padang, those long gaps between sets make paddling out a bit easier, and the waves will have proper shape. The combined swell energy is strong to very strong, with values ranging from 980 up to 5492, so there’s plenty of power behind it.

Let’s kick off Sunday morning, 9th August. Swell is 7 ft from the SSW, period 16 seconds, and the wind is offshore from the ESE at 16 mph. That’s clean and lined up, with the combined energy at 2228. It’s a solid start, but this is big – over 8 ft by Monday afternoon, so we’re talking expert territory. The standout of the whole run is Monday afternoon, 10th August. Swell jumps to 10 ft from the SSW, period 18 seconds, and the combined energy hits 5492. The wind is offshore from the SE at 12 mph. That’s as good as it gets for experienced surfers, a proper heavy reef slab.

Tuesday the 11th stays similar, with 10 ft in the morning dropping to 8 ft in the afternoon, both with offshore winds. The energy is still massive, over 5000 in the morning. By Wednesday the 12th, it backs off a touch to 7 ft, but still clean and offshore. Thursday the 13th picks back up to 8 ft, and Friday the 14th brings a gentler breeze at 9 mph, making for silky conditions. Saturday the 15th is another good one, 7 ft with a 17-second period and offshore winds.

Sunday the 16th gets a bit messy with cross-offshore winds in the morning, but the afternoon cleans up. Monday the 17th is the weakest point, with swell dropping to 5 ft and the energy down to 980, but the wind is offshore. Tuesday the 18th bounces back to 7 ft, and then Wednesday the 19th looks like a second standout – 10 ft from the SSW, 18-second period, and the combined energy at 4810 in the morning, 4873 in the afternoon. Winds are offshore both sessions. That’s another day for the pros only.

From Thursday the 20th through to Saturday the 23rd, the swell holds steady between 7 ft and 8 ft, with consistent offshore winds. The best of that stretch is probably Friday the 21st, with 8 ft and a gentle 9 mph offshore breeze. The last few days, 24th August, wrap up with a 5 ft morning and a 8 ft afternoon, both with clean offshore winds.

The optimum swell direction is SW, and it’s coming in from the SSW, which is close enough for this reef. Crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so expect a few out there, but on these bigger days, only the crew who really know the place will be scratching out. If you’re not an expert, give this one a miss – it’s too dangerous when it’s over 8 ft. For the rest of us, it’s a treat.

Rusty.

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