Rolling Stones Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright crew, Rusty here. Let’s break it down.

We’ve got a solid run of swell on the way for Rolling Stones, but you gotta be sharp on the timing. The first proper surf kicks off Friday morning, August 7th, with a clean, glassy start. That’s the pick of the early window. We’re looking at a 4ft S swell with a very long period of 17 seconds, packing a punch with a combined energy of 1784 – that’s a lot of power. The wind is glassy, which is a major positive, so the reef will be clean. This is excellent for experienced surfers, as the long period and 4ft will produce solid, well-shaped waves. Keep in mind the optimum direction is S, so this is perfect. Crowds are possible, so get in early.

Friday afternoon sees the swell jump to 7ft from the S, but the wind swings cross-on from the E, messing it up a bit. The energy is high at 2408, but the quality drops.

Saturday morning, August 8th, is another good call. The swell is 7ft from the S, period drops to 12 seconds, but the wind is offshore from the NW, giving us clean conditions. The energy is still strong at 1289. This is a solid option for the weekend. By Saturday afternoon, it’s dropping to 6ft with a cross-shore wind, so morning is your window.

Sunday morning, August 9th, offers a cleaner 4ft S swell (11 sec period) with a cross-off wind, but the energy is down to 608. It’s surfable, but not the standout.

The week from Monday, August 10th, through to Saturday, August 15th, drops off significantly. Most days have tiny, weak swell under 3ft and low energy (under 500). There are a few glassy moments, like Monday afternoon and Thursday morning, but the waves are just too small to get excited about. It’s a long, flat stretch.

Things change dramatically from Sunday, August 16th. The swell picks up, but so does the wind. Sunday afternoon brings a 8ft S swell, but it’s onshore and messy – a no-go for surfing. Monday, August 17th, cranks up to 12ft from the SSW with strong onshore winds. That’s big, unruly, and dangerous. The combined energy on Monday afternoon is 2254, but it’s a washout. The same goes for Tuesday, August 18th, with 12ft to 13ft SSW swell and cross-onshore wind. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-in session.

The real standout for the second week is Wednesday morning, August 19th. The swell drops to a solid 12ft from the S, period is 11 seconds, and the wind is light and cross-offshore from the W. The energy is massive at 3248, and the conditions are clean. This is a big, powerful day for experienced surfers only. After that, Thursday, August 20th, and Friday, August 21st, offer cleaner, more manageable 8ft and 6ft SSE swells with glassy or offshore winds, but the energy is moderate. It’s a promising end to the period, but the long-range stuff is always a bit less certain.

The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no need to worry about any weird cold snaps.

So, the true standout is Friday morning, August 7th, for the classic, clean, long-period S swell. If you’re an experienced surfer, hold out for Wednesday morning, August 19th, for the big, clean power.

Rusty.

Read more