Raffs Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break it down.

Raffs Beach is in for a good run of swell, but conditions are going to be all over the place over the next couple of weeks. Water temp is 55°, right on average for this time of year, nothing weird going on there.

The first real standout is Friday, August 14th, first thing. Clean waves with a solid 8ft SW groundswell, a long 16-second period, and the combined energy is pumping at 3522. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the WNW, keeping the faces clean. This is excellent surf, but at 8ft with that kind of period, it’s for experienced surfers only. Beginners, stay on the sand.

Friday afternoon and all through Saturday, the wind turns onshore and the quality drops right off. The swell stays big but it gets messy. Not worth paddling out.

Sunday the 16th the swell backs down to 5ft, but the wind is side-shore or cross-on, so it’s not clean. The energy is moderate at 1046. You might snag a wave, but nothing to race for.

Monday the 17th morning is much cleaner with a cross-offshore ENE breeze and 4ft SW swell. Smaller but workable. The period is a decent 13 seconds, so there’s still shape.

Tuesday the 18th keeps the clean theme going. The morning has a fresh NE cross-offshore wind at 16 mph, with 4ft SW swell. A little bumpy from the breeze but rideable. The afternoon goes glassy with a light NNE offshore breeze, making for some tidy little waves at 4ft. Good for the beginners.

From Wednesday the 19th through most of the following week, the swell drops to nothing. Knee-high dribble – 2ft to 2ft – with very weak energy, sometimes under 300. The wind is clean offshore on some days, but there’s just no wave to work with. This is a gap of several days with no real surf.

Now, here’s where it gets heavy again. Saturday, August 22nd, a new pulse hits hard – 12ft from the SW with a short 9-second period and a very strong combined energy of 2986. But the wind is a fresh side-shore WSW at 19 mph, creating lumpy cross-chop. This one is too big for beginners, and the wind is going to make it a battle. Honestly, with that much wind and swell, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Sunday the 23rd is a better prospect. Swell eases to 8ft from the SW, still a long 15-second groundswell. Wind goes light side-shore from the west. Clean conditions and plenty of power (2396). The long period means it could be a bit straight at a beach break, but for a surfer who knows their takeoff, this is solid.

Monday the 24th keeps it clean with a cross-offshore NW breeze and 7ft SW swell. Consistent, powerful, and clean. A good option if you can make it.

Tuesday the 25th morning has another big pulse – 12ft SW swell with a 10-second period, combined energy of 2500, and a clean cross-offshore WNW wind at 22 mph. That’s a lot of wind, but it’s blowing off the land, so the surface is clean. This is expert territory.

Wednesday the 26th sees the biggest numbers of the whole outlook: 13ft SSW swell, 10-second period, and a combined energy of 5048. The wind is a gentle cross-onshore from the SW. The data says wind and tide are favorable, but the size is too big for this break. Massive, powerful swell, only for very experienced surfers.

The last few days into the end of August see the swell settling back to the 5ft to 7ft range, with cleaner windows on Saturday morning August 29th – light offshore NNW wind, 6ft SW swell with a long 16-second period. The afternoon goes glassy. That Saturday session looks like a real treat to close out the run.

Overall, the best on offer is that Friday morning August 14th for the big, clean groundswell, and if you’re after a slightly smaller but still punchy session, the Sunday August 23rd through Monday August 24th stretch is your call. The late August Saturday might be the most user-friendly of the lot.

Rusty.

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