Weld Road Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'Day folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming our way.

The main action is at Weld Road (reef), a spot that's fairly consistent and exposed to the south-west. Surf kicks off properly on Thursday morning, the 20th of August. The water temperature is sitting at 57°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Now, Thursday morning is the standout – no question. We've got a clean 7ft swell from the SW, with a period of 14 seconds, giving us a solid groundswell. The wind is dead calm, making for glassy conditions. The combined wave energy is strong at 1883, so there's plenty of push. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers, but with that size, it's a bit much for beginners. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, but that's a trade-off you'll take for waves this good.

Thursday afternoon gets a bit more marginal, with a cross-shore wind and a slight drop in swell size and energy. Friday still has some size, but the cross-shore wind keeps things from being as clean as Thursday morning. The swell period stays solid through the first few days, which is good for shape.

Then things go a bit sideways. From Saturday the 22nd, the wind turns onshore and the swell gets messy. By Sunday the 23rd, we’re looking at a big, lumpy 13ft swell from the WNW with a short period of 10 seconds, and a fresh breeze. That's a lot of water moving around, but it's too big and blown out for this spot. The combined energy is massive at 3553, but it's not the kind of surf you want to paddle into.

The 24th and 25th of August see some massive swells – we're talking 16ft on Monday morning with a very long period of 16 seconds. The wind is cross-off, so it's clean, but this is a serious, expert-only situation. The combined energy is a whopping 10788. This is more in the realm of big-wave chargers, and for most of us, it's a look-from-the-beach kind of day. The following days are a mixed bag of onshore wind and leftover swell, with the energy dropping off.

There's a big gap in quality surf from the 26th of August right through to the 3rd of September. During that period, we get a lot of onshore wind, rain, choppy conditions, and small, weak swells. It's a pretty poor run, with almost nothing to recommend. The combined energy drops down to low two-digit and three-digit numbers, showing just how weak it is.

Things finally start to look up again on Thursday, the 3rd of September. The morning is a bit raw with a fresh cross-off wind and a short period 8ft swell, but by Thursday afternoon, it cleans right up. We get a 4ft swell from the WSW with a long period of 16 seconds, and the wind becomes a light offshore. The waves will be clean and well-shaped, and the combined energy of 1659 is moderate. It's a great option for experienced surfers, and a nice way to finish the outlook.

The 4th of September has some smaller, cross-shore waves, but nothing that jumps out as a standout.

So, to sum it up: your best bet is Thursday morning, the 20th of August, at Weld Road. Get it while it's glassy and clean. If you're an expert, the big swells on the 24th and 25th are worth a look, but be prepared for serious size. The rest of the outlook is a waiting game until the 3rd of September.

Rusty.

Read more