The Cutting Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what we’ve got for The Cutting.

Right now, we’re in a bit of a rough patch. The surf is on offer, but it’s not the kind you paddle out for unless you’re chasing a beating. Monday the 3rd kicks off with a SW groundswell at 8ft but the wind is howling cross at 19 mph making it lumpy. The combined swell energy is high at (4088), but the quality is just not there. Monday afternoon actually gets worse as the swell jumps to 12ft and the wind picks up even more. This size is already getting too big for beginners, and with that messy cross-chop, it’s a write-off. Tuesday the 4th is more of the same – big, windy, and ugly.

Wednesday the 5th is a little more manageable with the swell dropping to 6ft, but the cross-wind at 9 mph keeps it from being clean. Still marginal.

Now, here’s where things start to turn. Thursday afternoon on the 6th is the first real standout. The swell drops to a clean 6ft from the SW with a very long 16-second period. The wind goes light and cross-off at 9 mph, giving us clean conditions. The combined swell energy is moderate at (1597), but that long period will make for some proper lines – especially suited to a setup like The Cutting. This is the sweet spot for intermediates. Crowds are sometimes here, so you might have a few out but nothing nuts.

Friday the 7th is an absolute cracker. Morning and afternoon both with 8ft SW groundswell, that same long 15-16 second period, and light cross-off winds. Clean, powerful, and punchy. This is for experienced surfers though – it’s solid overhead. The best on offer in the near term. Water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

Saturday the 8th looks decent with clean 8ft swell and offshore wind at 19 mph, but that fresh breeze will keep the surface a little textured. Still, a good option.

Sunday the 9th starts okay but the afternoon gets trashed by a 13ft onshore mess.

Then we hit a major lull in quality from Monday the 10th through to the end of the period. The swell is huge – we’re talking 13ft to 20ft with combined energy readings well into four and five digits (over 10000). While the wind is often favorable, the size is just too big for The Cutting. This is expert-only territory, and even then, only for those with big-wave experience. From the 13th, the wind turns onshore and it’s all chop and closeouts. The 15th of August sees the biggest pulse at 20ft SW with a 19-second period, but it’s a washing machine. Honestly, from the 10th to the 18th, unless you’re a charger, I’d be looking at other activities.

The gap of really good, paddleable surf is short – just Thursday afternoon through Friday. After that, it’s a long stretch of too big and too rough until maybe the very last day, Tuesday the 18th, where the swell finally drops back to a more manageable 8ft and it’s clean, but that’s still over a week away and far out.

Stay safe out there.

- Rusty

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