The Peak Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's sift through the bones of this forecast for The Peak. It's a bit of a mixed bag over the next two weeks, and to be honest, you're going to have to work for your waves.

The first week is a tough slog. There's a lot of wind and not much in the way of decent swell. The water is currently sitting at 63°F, which is a good 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year. That's a pretty big anomaly, so you can leave the thickest wetsuit at home.

The only real standout comes in the second week. Let's get into it.

We start off with a glimmer of hope on Sunday the 30th of August. The early morning is a write-off with light rain and a weak 1ft W swell, but the afternoon turns glassy as the wind drops to zero. That 2ft W swell will be tiny, but with a 9-second period and glassy conditions, it's a window for a longboard or a funboard. The combined energy is a weak 64, so it's not powerful, but it's clean. The Peak is a reef, so it might just offer a few little peelers.

Then the wind comes in. Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1st of September are a write-off for decent surf. We get a jump in swell energy to 250 (moderate) on Monday morning, but with a 5ft WNW swell and a strong cross-on breeze, it's going to be a choppy mess. The period is a short 8 seconds, so the waves will lack punch. The wind stays messy right through Tuesday.

Wednesday the 2nd of September offers a brief reprieve in the morning. The swell drops to 2ft, but a gentle cross-off breeze from the S keeps it clean. The combined energy is a weak 61, but it's surfable. The wind picks up again in the afternoon.

Now, here's where it gets interesting for the crew who can handle it. Thursday the 3rd of September sees a pulse of longer-period swell arrive. The morning brings a 8ft W swell with a 12-second period, and the combined energy jumps to a strong 1473. The wind is a fresh cross-shore from the SW, creating a lumpy cross-chop. This is expert territory. The 8ft swell in the afternoon is even bigger, but still with that messy cross-shore wind. The long period will hold the waves up, but the wind is a real issue.

Friday the 4th of September is a washout. We're looking at a 10ft W swell, but with a strong 40 km/h cross-on wind from the WSW, the combined energy hits 2569, but it's going to be an onshore, stormy mess. This is more for the kite surfers than anyone on a paddleboard. The wind is too strong for any sort of quality.

From Saturday the 5th of September onward, the swell drops right back down. We get a few clean mornings with light winds, but the swell is tiny, often under 3ft with short periods. The combined energy levels are very weak, often under 100. There's a long stretch of poor surf from the 5th right through to the 14th of September. The best you can hope for in that period is a clean, small wave on the morning of Saturday the 12th of September, with a 4ft WNW swell and a light cross-off breeze. The combined energy is a moderate 167, but the period is a short 8 seconds, so it won't have much grunt.

So, the pick of the fortnight is a tough call. The best wave quality, despite the wind, is the bigger swell on Thursday the 3rd of September. The Peak is a reef, so the long-period swell from the W will wrap in nicely. If you can handle the bumpy conditions, the swell height and energy are there. The cleanest conditions, though, are the tiny glassy window on Sunday the 30th of August. For the average surfer, the Week 2 options are very limited.

Stay stoked, and keep an eye on the charts.

Rusty.

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