Raffs Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

The outlook kicks off with a real beast of a swell, but it’s going to be a tough one to handle at Raffs Beach. The water temp is sitting at 56°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for the time of year.

For the first few days, from Sunday the 12th into Tuesday the 14th, we’ve got a solid Southern Ocean groundswell building. We’re talking 10ft to 13ft of swell from the SW and WSW, with periods getting up to 16 seconds. That’s some serious energy – the combined energy is hitting 11,609 (strong to very strong) on Tuesday morning. The winds are a bit messy, mostly cross-off or cross with a fresh breeze up to 22 mph. The problem is, this is way too much size for a spot like this. It’s a beginner break, so anything over 5ft is getting tricky, and over 8ft it’s expert-only. The forecast actually says it’s too big for this break, so unless you’re a seasoned charger on a big board, give it a miss. The long period (15-16 seconds) will make it wall up, but at beach breaks it can get a bit straight and tricky.

The middle of the week settles down nicely. Wednesday the 15th and Thursday the 16th look much more manageable. Swell drops to 6ft to 8ft from the SW, still with a nice 14-second period. The real standout here is Wednesday afternoon with glassy conditions and an SSW wind of just 3 mph. That’s a clean, lined-up wave for the experienced crew. We also have some glassy windows on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning the 17th, with a light offshore from the NNW. The combined energy is still moderate (1,760 to 2,298), so it’s got plenty of push without being a handful.

The standout period for most surfers is going to be the weekend of the 18th and 19th. Saturday morning the 18th offers 4ft SW swell with a 13-second period and a light offshore from the NNW. The combined energy is a more mellow 569 (moderate), making it clean and fun. Sunday the 19th is even better for a longboard or a groveler: 3ft to 2ft of SW swell, but the period jumps to a very long 20 seconds, and we have a clean offshore wind from the North at 16 mph. The combined energy is weak (261-361), but that long period will make those little waves fat and fun. It’s going to be a great morning for a cruisy session.

The following week sees a few more pulses. Monday the 20th has a brief spike with 8ft from the WSW and a 12-second period, but the wind is cross-off. The combined energy jumps to 2,838 (moderate-strong), but the marginal conditions make it a pass for most. Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th look poor – onshore winds and chop, best left alone.

Looking further out, the second week has a couple of promising windows. Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th look solid. Saturday morning has 6ft SW swell with a 16-second period, glassy conditions, and a combined energy of 1,595 (moderate). That’s a quality wave for the experienced. Sunday the 26th continues the trend with 6ft from the SW, a 14-second period, and a light offshore from the North, keeping it clean. The energy is still moderate (1,163). Monday the 27th also looks good: 6ft from the SW with a 14-second period, and a clean offshore NW wind. The combined energy of 1,524 suggests some solid, well-shaped sets.

Overall, this is a solid run for Raffs Beach. The first few days are a write-off for the average surfer, but from Wednesday the 15th onwards, there are plenty of windows with clean, manageable swells. The absolute best of the bunch are Wednesday the 15th afternoon and Saturday the 25th morning for the glassy, quality conditions.

Rusty.

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