Tuncurry-North Wall Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll level with you – this isn’t one of those weeks where you’ve got to be choosy. The next 16 days are a bit of a flat spell for the Tuncurry-North Wall (beach/breakwater) zone. The first proper surf worth talking about doesn’t show up until Tuesday morning, the 21st of July, and even then it’s not a ripper. We’ve got a few windows of clean surf, but the swell is small and inconsistent for the most part. There’s a long gap from late Thursday the 24th through to the end of July where it’s mostly flat or tiny, with just a few weak pulses. It’s the kind of run that’s more normal for the area this time of year, so don’t stress – forecasts can change.

Let’s kick off with the best of what’s on offer. The standout is Wednesday morning, the 22nd of July. We’ve got a 4ft swell from the ENE, with a 10-second period – that’s a nice, clean groundswell. The wind is glassy, and the water temp is sitting at 67°, which is about average for the time of year (only 0.9° warmer than normal). The combined energy is moderate at 305, so there’s some push there. It’s a beach/breakwater setup, so that longer period (10 seconds) should give it decent shape, though it’s not super long. The break is exposed to the ENE swell, which matches the optimum direction from the guidance. It’s fairly consistent and rated for beginners, but with the swell at 4ft, it’s still manageable if you’re learning. Crowds are often around, so expect some company. This is the pick of the week.

Tuesday morning, the 21st of July, is a bit of a warm-up. Swell is 5ft from the E, period 10 seconds, but the wind is cross from the NNW at 3 mph, so it’s a little bumpy. Combined energy is moderate at 459, so there’s decent power, but the conditions are marginal. By Tuesday afternoon, the wind swings onshore and the surf goes to crap. Wednesday afternoon, the 22nd, has 4ft swell from the ENE, but the wind is cross, making it ordinary. Thursday the 23rd morning has 3ft from the ENE with a cross-offshore wind from the WSW, so it’s clean but small. That afternoon, the wind turns offshore from the SW, giving you clean 3ft waves, but again, it’s not a standout.

From Friday the 24th onwards, the numbers drop hard. The 24th has 2ft in the morning and 1ft in the afternoon, both with offshore or cross-offshore winds, but the combined energy is weak (44 and 30). Saturday the 25th through to Tuesday the 29th is mostly flat, with swell heights under 2ft and energy below 33. The 27th has a glassy morning with a tiny 0.3ft swell from the E, but it’s not surfable.

There’s a tiny flicker on the 31st of July – a 0.3ft swell from the E with a very long 20-second period, but combined energy is only 8. That’s a ghost wave. The 1st of August has a similar story: 0.7ft swell from the E with a 19-second period, but still puny. The 5th of August afternoon shows a possible lift: 5ft from the SE with a 9-second period, combined energy 319, and a moderate cross-offshore wind from the S at 16 mph. That’s clean and has some size, but it’s late in the window and the wind is strong – it’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one, given the beach/breakwater setup and the chop.

So, bottom line: Wednesday morning the 22nd is your best bet. Glassy, clean, head-high-ish waves. The rest is a long wait for small stuff. Stay tuned – forecasts can flip.

Rusty.

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