Raffs Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's have a look at what's in store for us at Raffs Beach.

Alright, the first few days are a bit of a tease. We've got some clean, small waves to kick off the week but nothing to get too worked up about. The real story here is a massive pulse of southwest groundswell that's going to make things interesting, but only for the brave. The water at Raffs is sitting at 56°F, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st are your gentle warm-up. Monday morning sees a clean 3 ft SW swell with a very long 16-second period and a light offshore breeze from the NNW. The combined energy is modest (330), so it's a bit weak but perfect for a beginner. The wave shape should be good with that long period, but it's a beach break, so it might be a bit straight. Tuesday morning is a step up, with 4 ft of WSW swell at 14 seconds and a light offshore wind. The energy jumps to a moderate 617 and the forecast is very good. Tuesday afternoon holds similar with 4 ft at 13 seconds. Good, clean fun for the learner crew.

Then Wednesday the 22nd turns sour. The wind picks up to 16 mph from the WNW, making it messy. The swell is 4 ft but the energy is moderate (319) and the conditions are poor. Avoid it.

Thursday the 23rd through to Saturday the 10th of August is where it gets big and gnarly. Thursday morning, the swell jumps to 12 ft from the SW at 14 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 7058, which is strong. The wind is cross-off, but the waves are too big for this break. This is for experts only. Friday the 24th is even bigger, with 13 ft at 15 seconds and a fresh, strong breeze. The energy is a staggering 10889. This is a full-on, serious ocean. Saturday the 25th keeps the 10 ft to 12 ft range going. The pattern continues through to the 2nd of August, with waves over 8 ft every day. While the wind is often offshore, the size is just too much for Raffs. This is a solid 8 ft to 16 ft groundswell event with periods over 15 seconds, so it's very long period. That means the sets will be powerful and widely spaced, but at a beach break like Raffs, it might be a bit of a washing machine for paddle surfing. Honestly, with these strong winds and big swell, the setup could be more interesting for kite surfing than a standard paddle session.

The best window for experienced surfers, and the true standout, is Wednesday the 29th of July. Wednesday morning we have 7 ft of SW groundswell with a 16-second period, a massive 2467 energy, and glassy conditions. The wind is a slight 3 mph from the NNW, making it a glass-off. The afternoon is just as good, with 7 ft at 15 seconds and light westerly winds. This is the pick of the whole outlook. It's big enough to be pumping but clean enough to be special. Keep in mind, it's a Wednesday so crowds might be manageable, but it can be a busy spot sometimes.

The following week from the 30th of July onward has a few more promising windows. Thursday the 30th has a nice 5 ft SW swell in the morning with a gentle breeze, and the afternoon turns glassy with 5 ft. Friday the 31st brings 6 ft at 16 seconds with a light offshore from the north. That's a classic, clean, long-period groundswell. Good energy (1704) and moderate offshore winds. The 1st of August pushes back into the too-big territory, but it's offshore all day. The 4th of August has some cleaner 8 ft SW swell with a cross-off breeze, but it's described as marginal.

So, if you're an experienced surfer, mark your calendar for Wednesday the 29th of July. That's the one. For the beginners, the early part of the week (Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st) is your best bet before the ocean turns into a beast.

Rusty.

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