Raffs Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's coming up for us over the next few weeks.

We've got a mixed bag ahead at Raffs Beach. The water temp is sitting at 56°, pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

The first real window to get in the water isn't until this Friday afternoon, July 10th. It's not big, with a 4ft swell from the southwest, but the wind is glassy from the northeast. That's going to make for some clean, inviting waves. The combined energy is moderate, right on the edge. Perfect for beginners, and the consistency is fairly consistent, so you'll get your share.

Come Saturday morning, July 11th, the swell drops to 3ft but the wind cranks up from the NNE at 19 mph. It's offshore, so the faces will be clean, but it's a fresh breeze. Paddling back out will be a bit of a workout. That afternoon, the wind gets even stronger up to 25 mph, making it tough to paddle into anything, so Saturday is mostly a write-off.

Sunday morning the 12th, things get serious. A 7ft SW swell rolls in, combined energy moderate, but the wind is a strong cross-offshore at 25 mph. It's too big for beginners at over 5ft. By Sunday afternoon, it jumps to 10ft from the WSW with 19 mph cross-shore wind, making for lumpy conditions. This is getting into expert territory.

Next Monday and Tuesday, July 13th and 14th, the ocean goes off. We're looking at 10ft to 15ft swells from the southwest, with combined energy readings strong to very strong. The periods hit 15 and 16 seconds, which is a very long-period groundswell—those waves will have serious power and shape, but at these sizes, it's strictly for experienced surfers on the right equipment, and even then, it's a beast.

The standout window in the first week, if you're an experienced surfer, is actually Thursday, July 16th and Friday, July 17th. The swell has dropped to a much more manageable 6-7ft from the SW, with periods around 14-16 seconds. The wind on Thursday is light cross-offshore, and by Friday afternoon it goes glassy. Combined energy is plenty of push. Clean, glassy, and punchy. That's the pick of the week. The 7ft on Friday is a touch over the 5ft mark, so it's not for learners.

We then hit a quiet spell from Saturday the 18th through Tuesday the 22nd of July. Swell drops to 2ft to 5ft. The wind is often offshore, so it'll look good, but the energy is weak, with combined energy readings under 1000. There are periods where it's clean, but the power just isn't there. It's a gap of five days with no real standout sessions.

Then from Wednesday the 22nd afternoon, it starts building again. By Thursday the 23rd, we're back into big swell territory with an 12ft SW groundswell (16-second period), making it too big for this break. That energy is very strong.

The best bet in the second week? I'd put my money on Friday afternoon, July 24th. The swell is a solid 8ft from the southwest, with a 14-second period. The wind is a gentle cross-offshore from the west at 9 mph. The combined energy is a healthy one. Conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. That's a clean, powerful session for those who can handle it.

For the beginner crew, the earlier glassy Friday the 10th is your best shot. For the more advanced surfers, focus on July 16th and 17th, and that Friday the 24th. Keep an eye on things; those long-period swells can make the beach break a bit straight, but with the right wind, it should be alright.

Rusty.

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