The Cutting Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. The next stretch is all about The Cutting, and honestly, it’s a wild ride. The long-range forecast is firing with a ton of swell, but we’re dealing with some serious size. This isn't a beginner's game for most of it. The water temp is sitting at 57°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so don't expect any surprises there.

We start off on Friday morning, August 28th. The swell is already a solid 10ft from the southwest with a long 17-second period, and there’s a heap of energy behind it (5786). The wind is light and cross-offshore, so it’s going to look clean, but this is already too big for The Cutting. It's a wave for the experienced crew only. By the afternoon, the period drops slightly, but it’s still too much for this spot.

The weekend is a bit of a letdown. Saturday, August 29th, sees the swell dropping to 8ft, but the wind turns cross and cross-on, making it a bit messy. Sunday the 30th is much the same – a few waves but not great. Monday the 31st is where it gets interesting. The morning still has that 10ft southwest groundswell, but the wind is cross-offshore and clean. The real standout is Monday afternoon: the wind goes glassy, the swell is a still-chunky 8ft, and the energy is strong (4882). It’s not huge, but it's clean and powerful. This is the best on offer for the first few days, especially for the more experienced surfer.

Then things go a bit sideways. Tuesday, September 1st, brings a strong NNW wind at 35 km/h, which cleans it up but makes it challenging. The size stays around 10ft. From Wednesday, September 2nd, through to Friday, September 4th, the swell just keeps building, from 12ft up to a massive 20ft. The wind is mostly cross-off and clean, but these are serious, heavy waves. The energy readings are off the charts, hitting 30990 by Friday afternoon. This is not a time for the faint of heart. It’s a real big-wave session for the experts only.

The first week closes with Saturday, September 5th, still holding 15-18ft of southwest swell with a fresh offshore wind. Sunday the 6th turns nasty with a 23ft swell and strong cross-shore winds making it a complete mess. That’s a hard pass.

The second week gets a bit more interesting. Monday, September 7th, has 15ft swell but the wind is strong and cross-onshore, making it lumpy and messy. Not worth it. Tuesday the 8th is smaller but still junky. Then we get a window on Wednesday morning, September 9th. The wind goes glassy, the swell drops to a more manageable 8ft, and it’s clean. It’s still got some power, but it’s a much better prospect after the chaos. That’s a solid pick for the second week.

The following Thursday, September 10th, looks promising again with a 10ft southwest swell and a long 17-second period, and light cross-offshore winds. It’s big but clean. The real standout for the entire forecast might just be Saturday, September 12th. We’ve got a solid 18ft southwest swell with a long 17-second period, and the wind is cross-offshore and moderate. It’s a big, powerful groundswell with clean conditions. This is the one to circle on the calendar, but it’s two weeks out, so treat it as promising but not set in stone. It's also another one that's strictly for the experts. A long-period swell like this is best handled at a point or reef, but at a beach break, it could be a bit walled.

The Cutting is consistent, but for the majority of this forecast, the swell is just too big for it. When the swell drops and the wind goes right, it’s on, but you have to pick your moments. If the wind is howling and the swell is over 8ft, this looks more like a day for the kite surfers than the paddle crew.

Rusty, signing off.

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