Tongo Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for this patch of reef.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next week or so is looking pretty average. The swell is small, the wind is a persistent cross-off, and we’re just not getting the juice. The combined wave energy is weak, sitting mostly in the low hundreds to mid hundreds (around 279 to 692). The water is a toasty 78°F – that’s 9°F warmer than usual, which is a real oddity for this time of year. You’ll be sweating in your wetsuit, that’s for sure.

Saturday the 22nd through Thursday the 27th is a real grind. Waist-high dribble from the SSE, with periods around 9 to 19 seconds. That long-period groundswell from the SW on the 23rd and 24th is enticing on paper, but at 2 ft to 3 ft, it’s just not wrapping in with enough height. The wind is a steady cross-off, so it’s not blown out, but it’s hardly a standout. This is a quiet spell for Tongo Reef.

Friday the 28th of August is where things start to wake up. The swell jumps to 6 ft to 6 ft from the SW, with a period of 16 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy jumps to 1546 and then 1711 – that’s a solid push. The morning looks clean with a gentle cross-off breeze, but the afternoon gets a slight cross-chop. That morning session is the one to aim for. This is still a spot for the experienced crew; 6 ft on a reef break is not for beginners.

We then have a bit of a lull through the weekend, with 5 ft and 5 ft swell dropping back down, before a real beauty of a window appears.

Thursday the 3rd of September is the standout in this whole outlook. The swell is 6 ft to 7 ft from the SW, with a period of 18 seconds – that’s very long-period groundswell. The combined energy is a massive 2588 and 2669. That’s powerful. The wind is light and cross-off, or a gentle breeze. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The long period will make the reef lines stack up and peel beautifully. This is your best bet.

Friday the 4th holds onto that energy, with 6 ft to 6 ft swell and still clean conditions. It’s a strong tail end to the swell.

After that, the size fades back to 5 ft and below through the first week of September, with the energy dropping below 1100. The wind stays cross-off, so it’s not a total washout, but the second week is definitely the weaker half.

Overall, the real standout is that Thursday the 3rd – mark it in your calendar. It’s a long way out, so the forecast could wobble, but right now it looks like the best push of the month.

- Rusty

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