Surfers Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what’s on the cards for Surfers Beach over this sixteen-day stretch. I’m not gonna lie, it’s a bit of a slow start. The first real sniff of decent surf doesn’t show up until Wednesday the 19th of August, and up until then it’s mostly small, messy, and not worth paddling out for.

We kick off on Monday the 17th with a small 4ft swell from the ENE at a mediocre 9 seconds, but those cross-off winds will at least keep the surface clean. Still, the energy is weak (258), and the call is marginal at best. Tuesday the 18th is even smaller, dropping to 3ft, and it’s just not doing anything for me—don’t bother.

Wednesday the 19th morning is the first little highlight. The swell is only 3ft from the east with an 8-second period, nothing special, but the wind goes glassy. That right there is a major positive. When it’s that calm, you can get some clean, fun little waves even if they’re not big. The combined energy is moderate at 148. It’s not going to blow your mind, but for a quiet session, it’s worth a look. Water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

From Thursday the 20th right through until Monday the 24th of August, it’s pretty grim. Swell heights drop below 2ft most days, and the energy is tiny (single or low double digits). There’s a blip on Monday afternoon the 24th with a 4ft swell coming in, but the period is a short 7 seconds and the wind is up at 30 km/h, so it’ll be lumpy and poor. Forget it.

Now here’s where it gets interesting. Tuesday the 25th of August brings a real change. Morning sees a 4ft swell from the east, but the period jumps to 13 seconds—that’s a nice groundswell. The combined energy rockets to 707 (moderate-strong). The wind is a fresh 35 km/h cross-off, which will groom it up nicely. This is a standout window for the intermediate surfer. The swell direction (E) matches up well with the optimum (N) for this reef setup, so expect some long, lined-up waves. By the afternoon, the swell pushes to 8ft from the ENE with a 12-second period, and even though the wind goes cross-shore and the chop will be there, the energy is off the charts at 1586. This is big, powerful swell—over 8ft means it’s only for experts. If you’re not confident, sit this one out. The surf break is consistent, but expect crowds here as it’s often busy.

Wednesday the 26th still has some size from the swell, 4ft in the morning with a 10-second period and clean conditions, but the energy is dropping (370). It’s still surfable, but that Tuesday is the real prize.

After that, it backs right off. Thursday the 27th morning has a small 3ft swell going glassy, so you might snag a couple of knee-high rollers if you’re desperate. But from the 28th through the start of September, it’s essentially flat, with swell heights under 2ft and energy in the single digits or low hundreds. Not even worth checking.

Overall, your best bet is Tuesday the 25th of August. Get on it early while the wind is clean and the swell is pushing in with decent period. The afternoon is for the brave and the experienced only. After that, we’re looking at a long, dry spell until this forecast changes.

Stay frothy,
Rusty.

Read more