Wollongong North Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s chew the fat about what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks down at Wollongong North Beach. Honestly, it’s a pretty bleak outlook. We’re looking at a long, dry stretch with barely a wave worth paddling for, and the few moments that show a pulse are riddled with problems. The water temp is 66°, which is running a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – about 2° above the long-term average, so you might feel that little extra warmth.

Right now, and through the first week, it’s almost a full-blown flat spell. Saturday 4th July kicks off with a tiny 1ft NE windswell, short 8-second period, and a weak combined energy of just 18. The morning has a light WSW cross-off breeze, so it’s clean but there’s absolutely no push. The afternoon drops even smaller. Sunday 5th and Monday 6th are worse – swell heights bottom out at 0.7ft and 0.3ft, energy in the single digits. There’s nothing to ride.

The first real flicker of hope shows up on Tuesday 7th July morning. A 2ft SE swell rolls in with a decent 13-second period, giving a combined energy of 144 – moderate, but still on the weak side. The wind is blowing SSW offshore at 12 mph, which will keep it clean. This is a groundswell, and with that period, the waves will have some shape, but it’s tiny. It’s really only a glimmer for the most dedicated logs. By Tuesday afternoon the swell bumps to 3ft SE, energy climbs to 347, but the wind swings cross-offshore and stronger, and it’s still very ordinary. Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th mornings see more offshores and small clean waves, but the heights stay under 3ft – 1ft and 3ft respectively – and the energy never really fires. The crowds are sometimes around here, so you might see a few bodies, but with surf this small, it’ll be scattered.

After that, from Friday 10th through the middle of the following week, we hit another flat zone. The guidance shows zeros for swell height and energy for days. It’s dead. Then on Saturday 11th July, we get the biggest swell of the entire forecast: a 5ft SE swell with a 10-second period, combined energy hitting 416. That’s moderate wave energy, but the wind is a light NW cross-shore in the morning, which will leave a bit of texture. The afternoon sees a NE onshore, so it’ll be messy. This swell is still not big enough to be dangerous for beginners (under 8ft), but 5ft with a short period and cross-shore wind? It’s marginal. The break is exposed, and with an ENE optimum direction, this SE swell is off-angle. On top of that, this spot is a beach break, and a moderate period swell like this can get a bit walled and hard to read. Honestly, outside of a couple of peaks it looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The next few days – Sunday 12th through Wednesday 15th – drop back to tiny junk: 2ft to 3ft with weak energy, mostly poor conditions.

The standout (and really the only moment worth marking) is the Tuesday 7th July morning session. It’s not a classic, but it’s the best on offer. The 2ft SE swell with a 13-second period, clean offshore wind from the SSW at 12 mph, and moderate energy of 144. It’s a groundswell, so you’ll get better shaped little runners, and the offshore wind will keep the face smooth. It’s small, but if you’re on a log or a fish, you might score a few clean ones. The water is a touch warmer than normal, so that’s a bonus. Keep in mind, the break is in an exposed spot, and with the swell direction from SE, it’s not dead on the optimum ENE, but it’ll wrap enough. Don’t expect much, but it’s the only window that offers a clean, rideable wave.

After that, from around Friday 17th onwards, we see a few tiny pulses of 0.3ft with no real energy. The long-range stuff is so weak it’s barely worth mentioning. Given the very consistent nature of this break, it’s a bit of a surprise to see such a blank run, but sometimes that’s how it goes.

So, if you’re desperate, paddle out Tuesday morning 7th July. Otherwise, keep the board in the car and wait for the next system.

Rusty.

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