Rye Ocean Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Rye Ocean Beach.

Overall, the pattern for the next two and a bit weeks is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a decent run of conditions to start August, but the first couple of days are going to be a write-off. The good news is that after that, there’s a solid stretch of cleaner, more manageable surf, and even a potential standout session way out in the second week.

Thursday, 30th July is a no-go. The swell is around 6.6ft to 7.5ft from the SW with a period of 13s, which sounds decent, but a strong WSW wind at 16 mph is blowing across the face all day, creating choppy, messy conditions. The combined energy is massive, reading 2071, but it’s all wind-driven junk. Keep the board in the car.

Friday, 31st July starts to improve. The morning is still a bit cross-onshore at 6 mph, with a slow 4.9ft SW swell (12s). It’s marginal. But look at Friday afternoon – the wind drops to absolutely nothing. Glassy conditions. That 4.9ft SW swell will be clean and fun. Combined energy is moderate (759). This is a good window for a beginner-friendly wave.

Saturday, 1st August gets interesting. A light N wind (13 mph) is blowing offshore in the morning with a smaller 3.9ft SW swell. It’s clean, but small. The afternoon is where it gets a bit more serious. That same N wind holds, but the swell jumps to 6.6ft from the SW with a very long period of 17s. That’s a serious groundswell, with combined energy hitting 2402. That’s a powerful, long-period pulse. This is for experienced surfers at Rye Ocean Beach – the long period will make it suck hard and wall up, especially on the reef sections. The offshore wind will hold it together, so if you’re comfortable in that range, this is one of the better offerings of the first week.

Sunday, 2nd August sees a fresher N wind (22 mph) keeping things clean offshore, but it’s a bit windy. Swell holds around 5.2ft to 5.9ft from the SW with a 15-16s period. Lots of energy (1829). It’s still rideable and clean, just a bit more work.

Monday, 3rd August and Tuesday, 4th August are a proper storm window. Strong cross/onshore winds (22-28 mph) and a big, disorganised swell (up to 9.8ft on Monday afternoon). The combined energy peaks at 4478, but it’s pure windslop and dangerous. Leave the paddle board at home, this might be more of a kite session.

Wednesday, 5th August to Thursday, 7th August stays poor. Onshore winds and messy conditions. There’s a pulse of short-period windswell around 4.3ft to 5.2ft, but it’s not worth it with the wind.

Now, Friday, 7th August is a true standout for the forecast period. The wind swings around to a light SE (3 mph), going almost offshore. The swell is a solid 7.5ft from the SW at 14s, with a combined energy of 2242. The data says this might be too big for the break, but for the experienced surfer, this is the one to circle. It’s a clean, powerful SW groundswell with light wind. This is big, powerful, and will be clean. Not for beginners.

Saturday, 8th August is the next best day. The morning has a gentle NE offshore wind (9 mph) with a 5.6ft SW swell (14s). That’s a classic, fun day at Rye Ocean Beach – clean, punchy, and manageable. The energy is strong at 1184. The afternoon stays clean with a lighter cross-offshore breeze. This is the most consistent, all-day option for the intermediate surfer.

From Sunday, 9th August onward, the wind picks up again. A strong N wind (22 mph) will keep things clean but windy, with a dropping swell around 4.6ft to 5.2ft. The energy is moderate to strong (1014 to 1265). It’s rideable but will be bumpy in the afternoon. Not a standout.

The rest of the second week (10th to 14th August) is a write-off with strong cross-shore winds and messy, lumpy surf. There’s a big pulse of 5.9ft to 6.9ft swell, but it’s blown out again. The very end of the outlook, Friday 14th August afternoon, has a ridiculously long 20s period swell hitting 4.9ft from the SW, but it’s accompanied by a strong cross-onshore wind, making it unsurfable. Keep an eye on it, but don’t plan a trip.

So, to sum it up: Friday afternoon, 30th July (glassy, small waves) and Saturday morning

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