The Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for The Heads over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, the water temp is sittin’ at about 61°, which is just a touch under where we’d normally be for this time of year. Nothin’ to write home about, but it’s that little extra chill that’ll remind ya it’s August.

The first week is a bit of a mixed bag, honestly. Through Monday the 10th and most of Tuesday the 11th, we’re gettin’ a decent amount of swell in the water – around 7 ft to 8 ft with a SSE to ESE direction – but the wind's being a real pain. A lot of cross and cross-on breeze, and that’s keepin’ things messy. The wave energy is ramped up though, with readings sittin’ around 1500 to 2000 in the combined energy department. But without clean wind, it’s not really callin’ my name for a paddle.

The real spark in this outlook starts to show on Thursday the 13th. The morning has a solid 5 ft of SSW groundswell pushin’ in with a long period of 19 seconds – that’s proper energy with a combined energy figure of 4408. Wind will be a clean cross-off from the NNE at 16 mph, so the lines should be smooth. The afternoon steps it up a notch: 6 ft of SW swell, 18-second period, and lighter ENE breezes at only 9 mph. That’s the best session of the week and a standout for sure. The Heads will be runnin' like a dream for an intermediate surfer, maybe a little big for a beginner. Crowds are possible here sometimes, so get out there early if you can.

Friday the 14th is another beauty. Mornin’ glass-off vibes? Yep. Offshore wind from the NNE at 6 mph, and you’ve got 5 ft of SW groundswell with a long 16-second period. It’s clean and lined up. The afternoon is where it gets golden: glassy conditions with 4 ft of SW groundswell, 15-second period, and the wind goes near zilch from the ENE at 3 mph. This is the top pick of the whole run, in my opinion. Light crowds are possible, but the quality will speak for itself.

After Friday, we drift into smaller, choppier conditions for the weekend and into the start of the next week. Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th are small – under 4 ft – with wind shiftin’ around and the sea gettin’ messy. Not a write-off, but it’s more of a grovel session.

Now, the big one. Around Thursday the 20th of August, the charts go nuts. We’re lookin’ at 15 ft on Thursday morning, blastin’ to 23 ft by the afternoon. That’s a serious amount of water, and the combined energy reads like a freight train – upwards of 11614 in the arvo. That’s a huge, powerful swell. But here’s the rub: it’s way too big for The Heads. The wind’s onshore too, and the wave comment says it plainly – it’s predicted to be too big for this break. Unless you’re a gun charger with a jetski, I’d give this a miss. Even the next day, Friday the 21st, keeps swell at 20 ft. Big, but not clean for The Heads.

Things start gettin’ back into the zone by Sunday the 23rd, with a cleaner SW groundswell at 7 ft and 17-second period. The real comeback though is Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th. Monday morning delivers 8 ft of SW swell with a 14-second period and clean, cross-off ENE airflow at 9 mph. That’s excellent for experienced surfers. Tuesday the 25th is the last gem – a perfect 8 ft of SW groundswell, 14-second period, and light offshore breezes from the north at 6 mph. Clean, lined up, and powerful. That’s your second standout in the long-range, though it’s further out so treat it as promising but not locked in.

If the swell gets bigger and winds stay average on the real big days, this setup might look more like a kite surfer’s playground than a paddle session, especially with the beach-sandbar setup.

So, to bottom-line it: for the first week, your best bet is Thursday the 13th afternoon and Friday the 14th. For the second week, keep an eye on Monday the 24th morning and Tuesday the 25th morning.

Rusty.

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