The Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, listen up. We’ve got a mixed bag coming our way for The Heads, with the start of the period looking like the standout if you can handle a bit of size and a raw, powerful ocean. The combined swell energy is pumping at 1540 (moderate to strong), which tells you there’s plenty of push behind it. Water temp is sitting at 60°, which is about 3° colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be wanting a decent steamer. We’re looking at a solid 8ft groundswell out of the ESE with a period of 10 seconds. That’s a proper, long-period swell that’s gonna wrap in with some serious grunt. The wind is glassy from the NE – just a whisper, making for clean, lined-up surf. This is going to be excellent for experienced surfers, but at this size, it’s too big for beginners. The break is fairly exposed to the swell, and the direction is right on the money. Crowds are possible here on a day like this, so get out early.

Monday morning (14th September) really is the pick. After that, the conditions turn a bit tricky. Monday afternoon sees the wind swing onshore from the SSW, making things messy, and the score drops off.

Tuesday 15th September still has some nice 5ft to 4ft waves from the E, with glassy to clean conditions in the morning, but the energy is weaker (797). Wednesday 16th September brings a big shift. A new SW groundswell arrives at 8ft with a very long 14-second period. That’s a huge, powerful groundswell, and the combined energy shoots up to 2670. But the wind is cross-shore and messy, so it’s not going to be clean. The long period means it’ll be better at a point break, but here at a sandbar, it might be a bit too straight and hard to manage. This is for experts only.

Thursday 17th September is more of the same – big SW swell (7ft to 8ft) but with strong cross-shore winds. It’s looking lumpy and not worth the paddle for most of us.

Friday 18th September is a write-off. The wind is howling from the ESE at 19 mph, creating a lumpy cross-chop. The swell is all over the place. Forget it.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting again. Saturday 19th September and Sunday 20th September. A massive ESE swell hits, up to 13ft, with energy readings of 2904 (very strong). This is pure, raw power. The forecast literally says the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. This is heavy-duty, expert-only territory. Even if the wind was perfect, a beach break like this with that much juice is going to be a washing machine. Unless you’re on a gun and have nerves of steel, give it a wide berth. The east coast setup might actually be more interesting for kite surfing on those days.

We go through a long, blustery period after that. From Sunday afternoon right through to the end of the month, it’s a mix of big, cross-shore winds and messy, rain-lashed conditions. The swell is there, but the wind is killing it. There’s a lot of onshore and cross-onshore wind, making for chop and ripples. A few days, like the 22nd and 23rd, have smaller, more manageable swell (6ft to 6ft), but the wind is always just off, so it’s never clean.

Monday 21st and Tuesday 22nd September are the most rideable of that stretch, with 4ft to 6ft swell, but the breeze keeps it from being great.

We finally see a glimmer of hope right at the very end of the period. On Sunday 27th September, we get a clean morning with a 7ft groundswell from the SSW with a very long 14-second period. The wind is light, but it’s a cross-onshore, so it’s not perfect. That’s a long way out, though.

Monday 28th September throws another huge swell at us – 12ft from the WSW with a short 9-second period, and the wind is cross-shore. Another one that is just too big for this spot.

And finally, Tuesday 29th September, the very last day, shows a drop to a cleaner 4ft to 5ft with a better cross-offshore wind from the ENE. But it’s very low energy (777) and a short period. It’s a way-off hope.

So, to sum it up: the real standout is Monday the 14th. Get it while it’s glassy, powerful, and clean as a whistle. After that, we’re mostly waiting through big, windy, and often too-big conditions until the very end of the window, which offers only a small glimmer of hope. The first week is your best bet, hands down.

Rusty.

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