The Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright crew, Rusty here. Let’s break down what The Heads has in store for the next couple of weeks. This is a sandbar spot, fairly consistent and fairly exposed, so it catches a lot of what’s coming. There’s some real beauty in the forecast, but also some proper serious swell that’s not for the faint-hearted.

First up, the water temp is about 64°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so nothing wild there.

We’re starting a bit rough. Wednesday the 29th has a 6ft SW swell at 13 seconds, but an easterly cross-wind at 12 mph is making it messy. The combined energy is a solid 1386, so there’s power, but it’s choppy. Not a great day to paddle out.

Thursday the 30th morning kicks things off better. The swell drops to 6ft from the SSW, and the wind swings to a light ENE at 6 mph, giving us cross-offshore conditions. The energy is still a strong 1202, and the report says clean surf. This is a good, manageable session.

Friday the 31st morning is also decent with a 4ft SW swell and that same light cross-off wind, though it’s smaller.

Now, here’s the first real standout. Saturday the 1st of August. We’ve got a 7ft ESE swell with a 9-second period, but the wind is dead glassy all day. Energy is at 1007. This is the kind of morning that makes it all worthwhile. Clean, head-high plus sandbar peaks. Expect crowds though, as The Heads can get busy on days like this.

Sunday the 2nd morning keeps the glassy theme going with a 6ft ESE swell. Still lovely. The afternoon gets a light cross-on, so morning is the move.

Monday the 3rd morning is another glassy gem with 5ft ESE swell, but the period bumps up to 11 seconds, giving it more grunt. The energy is 1260. Clean and punchy.

Alright, now for the next big standout. Wednesday the 5th of August afternoon. This is special. The swell jumps to 8ft from the SW, a 14-second groundswell, and glassy wind. The energy rockets to 2363. This is excellent, but with that long period at a sandbar, the sets will be a bit straight, so you need to pick your spot. This is for experienced surfers. The morning is a smaller 4ft version of the same, clean and glassy.

Then we hit a huge, dangerous stretch. From Thursday the 6th of August through to Tuesday the 11th, the swell gets big. We’re talking 10ft, 13ft, even 15ft on Monday the 10th, with energy readings like 5177, 5589, and a massive 10860. The wind is good on a few days (Friday the 7th is glassy), and Saturday the 8th morning is glassy with a 7ft SW 14-second swell (excellent for pros), but mostly this is too big and powerful for a standard sandbar. This is expert-only. If you’re not comfortable, stay on the beach. On the 10th and 11th, with that size and onshore wind, it’s looking more like a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session.

After that big swell, things settle down. Saturday the 8th of August morning is still a standout for the brave – 7ft, SW, 14 seconds, glassy. Sunday the 9th morning is also a 8ft SW with cross-offshore wind, clean and powerful for those who can handle it.

The second week gets mixed. Monday the 10th is a write-off with strong onshore wind and huge 15ft swell. Tuesday the 11th morning is still big at 12ft but with a clean cross-off wind, still only for the experienced. The afternoon of the 11th glassies up with a 10ft SSW 12-second swell, which is excellent for experts again. After that, the swell backs off into the 5ft-7ft range, but the wind turns more onshore and cross-shore, making it less inviting. There’s a shot on the 13th of August with a 10ft SW 15-second swell, but it’ll be chopped up by 15 mph winds.

To sum it up: your absolute best bets for clean, surfable waves that aren’t too heavy are Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd of August mornings. For the experienced crew looking for power, Wednesday the 5th of August afternoon, and Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th of August mornings are the ones to circle.

Rusty.

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