Palm Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here.

Alright, listen up, Palm Beach crew. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag, but there is some magic hiding in there if you’re patient. For the first week or so, it’s pretty slim pickings – small, messy, and not worth getting out of bed for. But hold tight, because the end of the run has some proper grunt heading our way.

Let’s start with what’s on offer now. On Friday the 14th of August, we’ve got a brief window. Early morning sees a clean 4ft S swell, period around 9 seconds, and a light offshore W breeze at 3 mph. The water’s sitting at about 63°, which is pretty much where it should be for this time of year – no drama there. Combined energy is moderate at 275 – it’s small but tidy, and the offshore wind will have the lines looking squeaky clean. Crowds are possible here on a good day, so don’t sleep in.

Then things go quiet again. From Friday afternoon all the way through to Sunday the 23rd, it’s mostly onshore junk, small chop, and weak energy readings often under 200. A few mornings show a glassy surface or a light offshore, but the swell is tiny – 2ft to 3ft – and the period is short. Honestly, there are multiple days with nothing really worth paddling out for. The beach setup here won’t offer much shape either, so it’s a pretty flat stretch.

Now, Monday the 24th of August has a standout morning. A solid 6ft S swell, period 10 seconds, rolling in with a light WNW offshore breeze at 6 mph. The combined energy jumps to 589, which is moderate to strong. That’s a proper pulse, and with the wind off the land, Palm Beach should have clean, lined-up sets. The swell direction is from the S, which is bang in the optimum direction for this break. This is the first real highlight of the outlook.

Then things get serious on Thursday the 27th of August. Morning sees a 6ft S swell, period 10 seconds, with a steady offshore W breeze at 9 mph. The energy reading is massive at 1136 – that’s strong stuff. This is excellent for experienced surfers; beginners will find it too big. The wind will have the waves looking glassy and clean, and the long-period groundswell will produce well-shaped lines, especially on the points and reefs. Thursday afternoon follows up with a 6ft S swell, still clean with a light WSW cross-off. If you’re an experienced surfer, this is the session to circle.

Friday the 28th of August holds size – 7ft in the morning and 8ft in the afternoon – but the wind turns onshore from the SE, bringing chop and making things tricky. The energy spikes to 1620 in the afternoon, which is very strong, but it’s a bit of a washing machine. It’ll be one for the crew with big boards and even bigger lungs, and honestly, it might be more fun for the kite surfers than for paddle surfing with that cross-on wind.

So the standout here is that Thursday the 27th of August, morning especially. Clean offshore wind, solid groundswell from the right direction, and plenty of energy. The Monday morning before is also a good call if you want something a touch smaller.

For the rest of the run, it’s mostly small or blown out – the long-range stuff on the 28th is big but messy. Palm Beach can get crowded when it’s good, and on those clean days you’ll want to be early.

Remember, this kind of near-term call is reliable, but the later highlights – like the 27th – are looking promising, just a bit less certain this far out.

Stay stoked,

Rusty

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