The Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s break down what The Heads has in store for the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed plate, but there’s some real meaty windows to chase.

The big picture is a solid run of swell from the south and southwest, with periods that really get into groundswell territory. The first few days build up, but it’s from Wednesday, July 22nd morning that things start to fire. That morning is glassy and clean, with a 7ft SW swell at a long 13 seconds. The combined wave energy is strong at 1469, and it’s set for experienced surfers. The water temp is about normal for the time of year.

Now, the one to circle – and I mean the one – is Wednesday, July 22nd afternoon. We’ve got an 12ft SW swell with a 12-second period, and the energy reading is a massive 4927. That’s serious power. But the call says it’s predicted to be too big for this break. That’s a warning – this one is strictly for the experts. If you’re not solid, watch from the sand. The wind is light, so it’ll be clean, but the size is intimidating.

Before that, Saturday, July 18th afternoon is a sneaky good one. It’s only 5ft from the SW with a 10-second period, but the wind goes glassy. The energy is moderate at 733, and it’ll be clean. A good warm-up.

Monday, July 20th morning also looks tidy: 7ft SW at 11 seconds, glassy wind, and strong energy at 1315. That’s a solid, clean session for intermediate and above.

After that big Wednesday, things drop off a bit in quality. Thursday, July 23rd morning is glassy with a 8ft SW swell (1251 energy), but the period drops to 11 seconds. Still good, but not the standout.

Then Friday, July 24th morning is another huge pulse – 12ft SSW at a very long 16 seconds, with energy at 6098. Again, too big for the break. Experts only, and even then, it’s a big, clean ocean. The afternoon holds similar size and a 15-second period. Not for the faint-hearted.

The following week gets messier. Saturday, July 25th through Monday, July 27th sees solid swell (7ft to 10ft) from the SSW with long periods, but the winds are mostly cross or cross-on, creating chop. Energy readings stay high (2000-3400 range), but the quality is marginal. The swell is there, but the wind isn’t cooperating.

Tuesday, July 28th morning brings a brief return to clean conditions with a 6ft SSW swell (14 seconds, 2411 energy) and offshore wind. That’s a good one for the experienced crew, but the long period might make it wall up a bit at a beach break.

From Wednesday, July 29th onward, it fades. The swell drops to 2ft to 4ft, with short periods and weak energy (200-730). The wind is messy, and the forecast is ordinary. Thursday, July 30th has a tiny 2ft SW swell with a very long 16-second period, but the energy is low (366). That’s a log or a longboard day if anything.

There’s a gap of poor to flat surf from the end of July into early August, with nothing to get excited about. Saturday, August 1st morning shows a little 4ft SSW bump with glassy conditions, but the period is short (10 seconds) and energy is only 644. It’ll be surfable, but forgettable. By Sunday, August 2nd, it’s back to tiny and weak.

So, the real gold is Saturday, July 18th afternoon, Monday, July 20th morning, and especially Wednesday, July 22nd morning. The 22nd afternoon and Friday, July 24th are huge but dangerous. After that, it’s a grind. Get out there when it’s clean.

Rusty.

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