Raffs Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the outlook for Raffs Beach. Let’s break it down.

We’ve got a solid run of surf on the way, but it’s a mixed bag of conditions. The first decent action kicks off on Friday, August 7th, with a clean, 4.6ft SW swell rolling in at 16 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, bringing real energy (1018). The morning is the pick with a light cross-offshore breeze from the WNW. That’s a smooth, glassy setup for a beginner-friendly spot. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no nasty surprises.

That afternoon, the wind swings to a cross-on, and the quality drops off. Then Saturday the 8th brings a 4.3ft SW swell with a 16-second period, but the wind is stiff from the NNE. The morning is clean and offshore, but the wind is gusty, so it’s punchy. The afternoon is a write-off with a 18.6 mph cross-off. By Sunday the 9th, the wind is howling over 24.9 mph. The swell drops to 3.3ft, and the wave energy is weak (394). It’s all strong offshore wind – clean-looking but impossible to paddle into. A total waste of a day.

Monday the 10th sees the swell jump to 5.9ft, but it’s a messy, lumpy cross-shore wind with rain. The combined energy is moderate (1967), but the quality is poor. Tuesday the 11th is a bit better: a fresh offshore wind from the NNW, with a 5.6ft SW swell. That’s a solid size, but it’s still a bit blown out in the afternoon. Recommending the morning session.

Wednesday the 12th is a tough call. A 5.2ft SW swell (16 seconds) with a cross-offshore breeze in the morning is clean, but the afternoon turns ugly with rain and 21.7 mph cross-shore winds. The swell jumps to 6.9ft, and the energy is strong (2510), but it’s messy.

Now, the standout – and I mean a real standout – is Thursday, August 13th. The swell is pumping: 11.5ft to 14.8ft SW, with a 16-second period. The combined energy is massive (5359 to 12980). That is a lot of power. But here’s the catch: the wind is manageable, but the surf is predicted to be too big for this break. This is a beginner-friendly spot, and these waves are for experts only. The swell direction is SSW, which is right in the optimum window, but the size is the issue. If you’re not an expert, stay on the beach.

After that, the swell stays up through the 14th and 15th, but it’s all cross-shore and onshore wind, with light rain. The energy is still strong, but the conditions are poor. The 16th of August (Sunday) is a morning glass-off. The wind is dead calm, and the swell is 5.2ft SW. That’s a rare, clean, glassy morning. The energy is moderate (1050), and it’s a great beginner session if you can handle the size.

The rest of the run into the second week is patchy. The 17th and 18th have glassy mornings with 4.3ft to 3.0ft SW swells. The 19th has a clean, offshore morning, but the afternoon gets messy. The 20th sees a fresh offshore wind and a 4.6ft SW swell, which is a decent session. The 21st is a write-off with onshore winds and rain. The final day on the 22nd of August has a glassy morning with a 3.6ft SW swell, which is a nice, clean way to end the run.

Overall, the best bet is the Thursday, August 13th swell, but only for experts. For the average surfer, the Sunday, August 16th morning glass-off is the pick of the bunch. The gaps are short – only a day or two of poor conditions between good sessions.

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