Dunedin - St Clair Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty, and here’s your local Dunedin surf outlook.

The next 16 days have a real mix of conditions, and the standout sessions are definitely going to be for the experienced crew. The water temp at St Clair is sitting at 52°, which is a good 4° warmer than average for this time of year – that’s already notable, so you can leave the thickest steamer at home.

We kick off Wednesday afternoon the 26th with light rain and a cross-on breeze. Swell is 6 ft from the south with a long 16-second period, and it’s packing moderate-to-strong energy (1584). But it’s a marginal call, so not the best start.

Thursday the 27th picks up a bit more size – 6 ft south swell, 14-second period, moderate energy (1384) – but the morning has a fresh 22 mph NE breeze, which is clean but strong. The afternoon gets even windier at 31 mph, and the waves drop to 6 ft with energy down to 871. Not great.

Friday the 28th morning is the first real bright spot. A light 6 mph westerly keeps things clean, and the swell is 4 ft south with a 11-second period and moderate energy (348). It’s solid enough for a fun session, but still not a standout.

Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are small and ordinary. Saturday sees 2 ft south swell with weak energy (95), and Sunday morning picks up a bit – 4 ft SSW swell, 14-second period, moderate energy (510) – but the afternoon turns ugly with a strong 28 mph WSW cross-breeze and a 10 ft SSW swell that’s just too big and messy for this spot.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Monday the 31st through Tuesday the 1st of September, the swell is big: 8 ft to 8 ft south to southwest, with 12-to-14-second periods and strong energy (2018 to 3212). The winds are offshore or cross-off, but the waves are predicted to be too big for this break, so this is experts-only territory.

The real standout comes on Tuesday afternoon the 1st of September. The swell drops to 6 ft from the south, 11-second period, moderate energy (782), and the wind swings to a light offshore from the northwest at 12 mph. That’s clean, lined-up surf for experienced surfers.

Then we hit a lull Wednesday the 2nd – strong winds, messy, and the swell is either tiny or huge with poor conditions.

The next major highlight is Thursday the 3rd of September. Morning: 8 ft SSW swell with a very long 18-second period, strong energy (3565), and a light offshore from the NNW at 6 mph. That’s a big, powerful groundswell – best for a point or reef, and it’s excellent for experienced surfers. The afternoon is even better: 6 ft SSW swell, 17-second period, strong energy (2117), and a gentle offshore breeze from the north. That’s the pick of the entire period.

Friday the 4th of September continues the run. Morning: 6 ft SW swell, 13-second period, moderate energy (1157), light offshore. Afternoon: glassy conditions with a 6 ft SSW swell, 13-second period, and moderate energy (1025). Clean, good shape, and excellent for experienced surfers.

Saturday the 5th morning is small but clean, with a 2 ft south swell and a very long 18-second period, but the energy is weak (574). The afternoon gets messy with a fresh cross-shore.

Sunday the 6th: morning has a 5 ft SSW swell, 16-second period, moderate energy (1012), and a moderate cross-off breeze. The afternoon is cleaner with a light westerly and 4 ft SSW swell, 15-second period, and moderate energy (581). Not a standout but a decent session.

Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th are mostly poor or small, with a brief window Tuesday morning: 5 ft SSW swell, 12-second period, moderate energy (531), and a gentle offshore from the north. That’s worth a look.

Wednesday the 9th of September kicks up a massive 13 ft SW swell with an 18-second period and very strong energy (13375) – that’s way too big for this spot, and only for the most experienced. The afternoon is smaller and messy.

The final days, Thursday the 10th, have 3 to 4 ft SSE swell, 12-second period, moderate energy (616 to 843), and clean cross-off winds. It’s marginal but surfable.

So, the best on offer is Thursday the 3rd of September afternoon and Friday the 4th of September – both offer excellent, clean conditions for experienced surfers. If you’re a beginner, look for the smaller windows on Friday the 28th morning or Tuesday the 8th morning.

Rusty.

Read more