The Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's in store for The Heads over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of swell on the way but it’s not all smooth sailing. The surf kicks off this Sunday, the 30th of August, with a 7 ft SW swell and a period of 9 seconds. The wind is cross-onshore, and the water is churning with moderate wave energy (1077), but conditions are a bit messy. Not the best start.

Monday the 31st is where things start to get interesting. The morning is looking clean with a glassy 5 ft SW swell, period bumping up to 11 seconds, and a light offshore breeze. The water temp is about average for this time of year. The energy is still moderate (694), but the conditions are set for a good session. The Heads are a sandbar, fairly consistent, and the optimum swell direction is SSE, so this SW swell isn't perfect, but in the glassy morning, it's the pick of the early days.

Tuesday the 1st of September shows a building swell, hitting 7 ft in the morning from the SW with a 12-second period and offshore wind. The energy is ramping up (1400). The afternoon sees it get a bit bigger at 8 ft, but the wind swings cross-onshore. That morning window is the one to aim for.

Wednesday the 2nd of September sees a solid 10 ft SW groundswell with a 14-second period. That’s a big one. The combined energy is strong (3208). The wind is cross-onshore in the morning and gets stronger and cross-shore in the afternoon. This is big, powerful stuff. At 10 ft, this is for experienced surfers only. The long period (14s) means it’s a groundswell, which can be a bit straight at a sandbar, but the power will be there.

Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th of September take a turn for the worse. Strong winds, rain, and messy, poor conditions. The swell drops, and the energy is still there but the wind is howling. This stretch is a write-off for paddle surfing. The strong cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions on a beach setup make this look more interesting for kite surfing than a proper surf.

Saturday the 5th is more of the same – strong cross-shore winds and a dropping swell. Not much to get excited about.

Sunday the 6th of September sees a pulse of new swell, 7 ft from the SSW with a long 14-second period. The energy is back up (1871). The wind is a light cross-onshore, so it’s not perfect, but it’s a definite improvement over the weekend. This is a solid, consistent option.

The middle of the week from the 7th to the 9th of September is quiet. The swell drops away to the 3 ft to 4 ft range, and the wind is all over the place. The conditions are marginal at best. There’s a gap of a few days here with no real recommendations.

Now, the real standout. Keep an eye on Saturday the 12th of September. This is our best bet. The morning brings a clean 5 ft SW swell, glassy conditions, and a 14-second period. The energy is moderate (1448). The afternoon is even bigger, with a 10 ft SW swell, still glassy conditions, and the energy is a very strong 3434. The description says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers," and that’s exactly what it is. The Heads can get crowded sometimes, so get there early for the morning session. The afternoon is for the big-wave crew only.

Sunday the 13th of September looks like it gets messy again with rain and strong winds, so that Saturday is the clear highlight. The following Monday the 14th is a drop-off back to small, marginal conditions.

So, to wrap it up: Monday morning the 31st is your early clean window, but the real standout is Saturday the 12th of September. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. The rest of the period is a mixed bag with some poor days and a few gaps in between.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty

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