Southerndown Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Southerndown.

Well, I’m not gonna lie to you – the next week and a half is a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a long, dry spell with barely a ripple. From now until about the 26th of July, the swell is tiny, mostly 0.3ft to 1ft and the wind is often messy. There’s a few glassy mornings on the 18th and 25th, but with next to no wave energy (combined energy of all swells directed here as low as 1 to 8), there’s just nothing to ride. It’s a real flat spell for Southerndown, and that’s tough. The water temperature is a standout though – it’s sitting at 68°F on the 17th, which is a whopping 8°F warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s very unusual, you’d be comfortable in a spring suit or less.

The first real sign of life comes on the 27th of July. Monday morning sees a bump in swell to 4ft from the WSW, with the combined energy of all swells directed here hitting 173. It’s still choppy though, with a moderate cross-onshore wind. The afternoon picks up to 4ft and 125 energy, but that wind is still a problem.

Things get interesting on the 29th of July, Wednesday. The morning is glassy with a 5ft WSW swell, and the combined energy of all swells directed here jumps to 348. That’s a solid pulse. The afternoon is the real standout though – glassy conditions, a 8ft swell from the WSW, and the combined energy of all swells directed here rockets up to 819. That’s a strong, powerful swell. The period is 8 seconds, so it’s a short-period wind swell, but with those clean, glassy conditions, it’s the best on offer. This one is for the experienced crew though, as over 8ft it’s only for experts.

The 30th of July, Thursday, still has some decent size. The morning offers an 8ft W swell with a combined energy of all swells directed here at 1112 – that’s very strong wave energy. The wind is clean and offshore from the ENE, so it’ll be steep. That’s a serious, expert-only day. The afternoon glassed off again with a 6ft W swell and 567 energy, which is still a solid, clean wave.

After that, it fades quickly. The 31st has a 5ft W swell but it’s unremarkable, and by the 1st of August we’re back to small, onshore junk.

So, for the best waves, you’re looking at Wednesday the 29th of July in the afternoon and Thursday the 30th in the morning. The 29th afternoon is the pick for sheer quality with glassy conditions and a powerful 8ft swell. The 30th morning is for the experts only, with a massive 8ft clean swell. Southerndown is a fairly consistent spot, so it tends not to stay poor for long, but this run has been a long one.

Rusty, signing off.

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