Point Leo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Point Leo has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

The forecast has a slow start, and if you’re after quality, you’ll be waiting a few days. The real action kicks off properly around Friday the 21st of August, and that’s where I’d be circling the dates. There’s a solid run of south-west groundswell lining up, but the early week is messy with onshore winds or simply too small to get excited about. Expect a few quiet days before things turn on.

We’ve got a bit of a wait for the first real standout. Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th are letting us down with bumpy cross-shore winds and marginal wave heights – you’re looking at 5ft to 4ft from the SW, but the wind is all wrong for clean lines at this reef. Wednesday the 19th is a write-off with strong northerlies blowing 25 mph and the swell dropping right off to under 3ft. Not worth paddling out for.

Thursday the 20th picks up a whisper of a very long period 18 second SW groundswell, but it’s only knee-high at 2ft to 2ft. The wind turns offshore from the NW, keeping it clean, but you’ll be searching hard for a ride. The energy is weak, measuring only 345 (combined energy). It’s a tease, not a session.

Now, Friday the 21st of August – this is the one to get excited about. Point Leo wakes up proper. We’ve got a 5ft to 6ft SW groundswell, with a solid 12 second period, pushing through. The wind stays offshore from the WNW in the morning, dropping light in the arvo. This combination delivers clean, groomed lines with excellent energy – the combined energy jumps to 1448 and then 2260. The morning especially looks like a treat for experienced surfers, but even the afternoon holds clean, well-shaped waves. This is the highlight of the whole outlook. Don’t miss it.

Saturday the 22nd keeps the swell pumping at 7ft to 8ft from the SW, but the wind goes a bit funky – cross-off in the morning and a lumpy cross-shore in the afternoon. The energy is massive (2492 to 3023), but the quality will drop off with that wind. Sunday the 23rd offers another chance for the crew with the skills: a solid 8ft SW groundswell with a 15 second period, and offshore NW wind in the morning. This is big for Point Leo, pushing into expert-only territory. The combined energy hits 3400 – you’ll feel the Pacific in every wave. But be mindful, that afternoon wind picks up strong from the WNW at 19 mph. The morning window is your best shot for serious, powerful waves.

After that, the swell backs off through the next week. Monday the 24th still has decent 7ft to 6ft SW swell, but conditions are cleaner in the afternoon with a light breeze. Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th drop off quickly in size and get battered by strong winds, not worth chasing. There’s a small window on Friday the 28th of August with clean offshore winds and 3ft SW swell, but it’s really just a longboard or funboard day. The final weekend (29th-30th) sees a bit of a bump back up to 5ft to 6ft, but wind is all over the place. Keep an eye on Sunday the 30th afternoon – some WSW swell with a shorter period of 10 seconds, but clean enough to be a sneaky option.

Heading into Monday the 31st of August, there’s another pulse of solid 8ft SW groundswell rolling in, with offshore NW wind at 19 mph. The combined energy is 2513, and it will be big, clean, and powerful. This is another one for the experienced crew only. After that, Tuesday the 1st of September fades out with messy wind and dropping swell.

The water temperature’s hanging around average for this time of year, so nothing wild there at Point Leo.

For the standout, no question: Friday the 21st of August, early morning. That offshore wind and 5ft+ SW swell is where the magic happens. The Sunday the 23rd morning also deserves a shout for the big-wave hunters, but that 8ft is serious.

Stay safe out there, and don’t be a hero if it’s too big for you.

Rusty.

Read more