Southerndown Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up on our little stretch of coast.

Honestly, if you’re looking to paddle out over the next two and a half weeks, you’re going to be fighting a losing battle most days. The prevailing wind just won’t give us a break. We’ve got a long stretch from now right through to the 22nd of September where the conditions are just blown out or messy. There are a few flickers of hope right at the very end, but for the core of the forecast, it’s a write-off.

Let’s start with the first few days. Up until the 22nd, the wind is mostly cross-onshore or onshore, and it’s often fresh to strong. The swell is hanging around, but it’s ugly. Friday the 11th through to Monday the 21st is a real grind. The wave energy is weak to moderate, sitting at 113 (moderate energy) on the Friday, but it gets worse, dropping as low as 25 (weak energy) on the 20th. Every session has that "poor surf conditions" tag. It’s just not worth it.

Now, there is a little moment on Tuesday the 22nd. The morning brings a clean look with a light east-northeasterly cross-offshore wind. The swell is a tiny 2 ft from the west with a 9-second period. The wave energy is weak at 68. It’s "surfable but very ordinary." If you’ve got a longboard and you’re desperate, you could get a couple of small, clean lines, but it’s nothing to write home about. The afternoon goes glassy but the swell drops to 2 ft, so it’s flat, really.

Thursday the 24th morning is another one to keep an eye on. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the east-southeast, giving us clean conditions again. The swell is a bit better, 4 ft from the west with a 7-second period. The combined energy is moderate at 182. It’s still only rated as "surfable but very ordinary," but that clean surface will make it look better than it is. The afternoon cranks up the wave energy to 281 (moderate energy) and the swell hits 4 ft at 9 seconds, but the wind switches onshore from the west-southwest again, so it’ll blow out.

The best bet on offer? That Thursday morning, the 24th of September. Southerndown will have a clean surface and a 4 ft west swell. The wave energy is moderate (182). It’s not a classic, but it’s the closest thing to a decent paddle we’ll see in this entire run. For a beginner, 4 ft is fine, but the 7-second period will make it a bit bumpy and quick. It’s fair to say crowds could be possible here as it’s a fairly consistent spot, but the conditions aren’t so good that the car park will be packed.

Keep the 26th in the back of your mind too. Saturday afternoon shows a glassy window with a 4 ft swell but a very short 6-second period. The wave energy is 154 (moderate), and it’s tagged "surfable." It’s a last-ditch option.

Forget the rest of that mid-period. There’s a lot of chop and strong wind. If you’re a kiter, this setup might look more interesting than it does for a surfer, especially on days with the strong cross-shore winds and moderate swell.

Rusty.

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