The Cutting Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and let's have a proper look at what's cookin' at The Cutting over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the start of this run is a total write-off. Tuesday the 14th is ugly. We're talkin' a massive 18ft south-west groundswell with a very long 16-second period, but it's gettin' smashed by a 35 km/h cross-shore wind. The combined energy is absolutely thumping, but with that wind, the surface is gonna be lumpy, chopped-up rubbish. Not a single wave worth paddlin' for. Wednesday the 15th through Friday the 17th sees the swell drop a touch, still sitting between 10ft and 12ft from the SW, with a solid period. The wind cleans up nicely to light breezes, even going offshore on Friday, making for clean conditions. But the problem is the size. At 10ft to 12ft, this is still well over the 8ft mark, putting it firmly in the "experts only" zone. The forecast even says it's too big for this break. So, unless you're a complete charger on a step-up, you're gonna have to wait.

Now, Saturday the 18th is where it starts to get interesting. The swell drops to 8ft in the morning, comin' from the SW (optimum direction here) with a 14-second period, and the wind goes light offshore from the N. It’s still big, right on the 8ft threshold, but it's clean and the energy is strong. The afternoon gets even better – swell drops to 7ft, wind shifts light cross-off from the NE, and it's described as clean. This is the first real window for experienced surfers to get amongst it.

Sunday the 19th is a proper step down. Swell backs right off to 4ft from the WSW with a 12-second period. Don't let the size fool you completely, the wind is offshore from the N all day, making for clean lines. The energy is moderate. It’s not gonna be pumping, but it'll be clean and rideable on a log or a groveler. Monday the 20th has a bit more push, with 4ft in the morning under a moderate N offshore, and the swell bumps up to 6ft in the afternoon, though the wind turns cross-off from the NNW. The 6ft afternoon session has decent energy, so that's a solid call for a surfer who knows what they're doing.

We've got a long stretch of good conditions through Tuesday the 21st, Wednesday the 22nd, and into Thursday the 23rd. Tuesday the 21st is a personal favorite on paper. You get 7ft from the WSW in the morning with a light N cross-off wind, and then in the afternoon... glass. The wind goes WNW at 5 km/h, it's described as glassy, and the swell is a consistent 7ft from the SW with a 13-second period. That’s your standout session for the whole run – proper conditions, good energy, and it's going to be clean as a whistle. Wednesday the 22nd keeps the good vibes going with 6ft morning swell and an offshore N wind, easing to 6ft in the afternoon. Thursday the 23rd morning has a moderate N offshore with 5ft swell – another very solid, clean option.

But the party gets gatecrashed. From Thursday afternoon the 23rd right through to Sunday the 27th, it swings back to being too big and/or too windy. Thursday afternoon jumps to 10ft, and Friday the 24th is 12ft again—way too much for the spot. Then from Saturday the 25th onwards, the wind swings onshore from the south and picks up, turning the ocean into a mess. The end of the run on Monday the 28th and Tuesday the 29th is marginal at best with onshore flow, before a final tease on Wednesday the 30th with a massive 10ft, 18-second groundswell under a light offshore N wind. That's a very long period, which will pour a ton of energy right in, but again, for the experienced crew only.

If I'm picking the one session to circle on the calendar, it's the glassy Tuesday afternoon on the 21st. That's the one where conditions, swell size, and wind all line up for a beautiful session at The Cutting.

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