Xa Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the next couple of weeks at Xa.

Right now, we are looking at a pretty flat and messy start. Monday morning has a bit of swell but it’s tiny, only 2ft from the SSE and the wind is cross-off, so it’s clean, but there’s just no energy to work with (181). Monday afternoon the wind swings cross and stays fresh, so it’s a write-off. Tuesday picks up a touch to 3ft, but it’s cross-shore and the surf quality is marginal at best—hard to get excited. Wednesday morning sees a little more size at 5ft from the SSE, but the wind is cross-on and we’ve got rain showers. The wave energy is moderate (634), but those conditions won’t do it any favours.

Honestly, from Monday through to Thursday of the first week, we’ve got a long gap of barely rideable or just poor surf. Thursday morning offers the best chance with clean skies, light N winds, and 4ft SSE swell (541 energy), but it’s still a cross-shore breeze and the quality is only marginal. Afternoons are all blown out.

Friday the 14th through to Tuesday the 18th is a similar story—swell hangs around 3ft to 4ft, but winds are mostly onshore or cross-on. Mornings can be okay with a cross breeze, but afternoons are a no-go with fresh NE winds making things lumpy. The surf is just not clean enough to recommend.

Now, here’s the standout. Look at Friday the 21st of August. That morning we’ve got a solid 4ft SSE swell, but the real story is the period—17 seconds! That’s a proper groundswell, bringing serious energy. The combined energy is a massive 1880, which is strong. Winds are light from the north, so it’s cross-shore with only a slight chop. For a reef break like Xa, this long-period swell is perfect; it’ll wrap in nicely, offering well-shaped, powerful lines. The only thing is the swell direction is SSE, and the optimum is E, but with that much period and energy, it’s still the best session of the whole outlook. Expect long waits between sets, but when they come, they’ll be worth it. This is for advanced surfers only—at 4ft with that energy, it’ll be hollow and punchy.

The water temperature anomaly is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

After that, Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd see smaller SSE swell (3ft and 3ft) with lighter winds. Sunday morning actually looks clean with SSW cross-off wind—a nice little session for someone wanting a more relaxed wave.

Then it tails off again into the final few days of the outlook. Monday and Tuesday of the following week are marginal, with onshore winds in the afternoons.

Overall, the only true standout here is Friday the 21st of August. That morning session at Xa is the one to circle on the calendar. Everything else is a lot of waiting for something half-decent.

Rusty out.

Read more