The Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down the next couple of weeks at The Heads. It’s a mixed bag, so you gotta be smart about when you paddle out. There’s a slow start, but a few solid windows are coming.

The Overall Picture

The first few days are pretty average. We’re waiting for a real pulse of swell to fill in and clean up. Once that arrives, we get a big weekend of surf, but it might be too much of a good thing. The second week calms down, with a few cleaner and more manageable days.

The Early Days (Tue 18th – Wed 19th)

Tuesday morning is pretty lackluster. A 7ft SW swell with a 13-second period, but a light cross-shore breeze is putting a bit of texture on it. The energy is moderate at 1394. The water is a cold 57°F, which is 6°F colder than normal for this time of year – that’s really unusual, so break out the thickest wetsuit and booties.

Tuesday afternoon shapes up far better. The swell bumps slightly to 8ft, but the wind drops to glassy and clean. This is a good window and the start of the better conditions.

Wednesday is a letdown. Morning has 8ft of SW swell, but the cross-breeze makes it lumpy. The afternoon sees the wind pick up, making it messy. I’d give that day a miss.

The Big Weekend Swell (Thu 20th – Sun 23rd)

Thursday morning is where it gets serious. We’ve got a solid 12ft SSW groundswell with a 13-second period, and the energy is cranking at 4315, which is strong. The wind is glassy, but this is simply too big for The Heads. It’s a sandbar, and it’s going to be a washing machine. This is experts-only, and even then, it’s a risk.

The rest of Thursday and Friday sees the swell dip, but winds are poor, with a cross-on breeze that will chop it all up. Not worth the drive.

Saturday morning still has plenty of size (8ft) but the wind is messy. Saturday afternoon is a definite no-go – the wind jumps to 22 mph cross-shore, and the swell jumps to 13ft. That’s a write-off. The energy is massive (4229), but it’s just a stormy, blown-out mess. You’d be better off on a kiteboard.

Sunday morning is still too big at 12ft, even with light wind. But Sunday afternoon is a different story. The swell drops to a more manageable 10ft, the wind goes glassy, and the energy is still strong at 2146. This is an excellent window for experienced surfers. Powerful, clean sets. This is the standout session of the first stretch. It’ll be a challenge, but the conditions will be perfect.

The Middle Stretch (Mon 24th – Wed 27th)

After the weekend, things calm down. Monday has leftover energy but light cross-on winds make it bumpy. Tuesday is not much better, with a moderate cross-shore making it hard work.

Wednesday is where we get a real gem. The swell drops to a friendly 6ft, and the wind is offshore and light. It’s going to be clean as a whistle. The period is a solid 13 seconds, so there’s some push. This is a great day for a more relaxed session. Watch out, because it will be crowded.

The Final Week (Thu 28th – Wed 2nd Sept)

Thursday morning looks promising. There’s a nice 5ft SW groundswell with a very long 18-second period, and it’s glassy. This creates powerful, clean waves, though the long period can make the sandbar a bit straight. Still, it’ll be fun and punchy. This is another standout.

After that, the waves get more consistent, but the winds turn onshore and quality drops. Friday and Saturday are marginal. Sunday the 30th sees a huge energy spike (9865) with an 12ft swell and fresh crosswinds, making it too big and blown out.

The first two days of September look average. Then Wednesday the 2nd has another massive pulse of 12ft+ swell, but it’s glassy. At that size, it’s again only for experts. It’s promising, but it’s a long way out, so let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.

The Bottom Line

Your best bets are Tuesday afternoon (Aug 18th) for a clean, fun session, and Sunday afternoon (Aug 20th) for a powerful, clean, expert-level session. Also, keep an eye on Wednesday morning (Aug 26th) and Thursday morning (Aug 28th) for some cleaner, smaller waves. Plenty to keep you busy if you pick your moments.

Rusty out.

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