Yonabaru Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s shaping up for the Yonabaru region over the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you—this is a strange one. The first week is a total write-off, a real bust. From Sunday, August 16th, all the way through to Sunday, August 23rd, the conditions are just plain ugly. We’re talking persistent onshore and cross-shore winds, lumpy, choppy water, and a few thunderstorms and rain showers kicking about. The energy is weak, barely registering most days, and the wave comment is "poor surf conditions" across the board. There’s honestly nothing worth paddling out for in that first stretch.

But then, things take a turn. The forecast shows a pulse of solid, long-period groundswell arriving around Monday, August 24th. That’s when it gets interesting. The early part of that week doesn’t look perfect—the morning of the 24th is glassy with a small but promising 3ft swell from the ESE, period a juicy 15 seconds. The energy jumps to a moderate 621. This is the kind of clean start that gets a guy excited.

The real standout, though, happens later in that same week. The morning of Wednesday, August 26th, through to the afternoon of Friday, August 28th, is where the magic is. Get this: a solid 10ft swell from the ESE, with a period of 15 to 17 seconds, pairing up with a light to moderate cross-offshore wind from the NW. That’s a recipe for clean, powerful waves at Yonabaru. The combined swell energy is massive—in the 4500 to 5200 range—so this is serious, very strong energy. The surf will be heavy and well-defined, a proper groundswell.

Now, a word of caution: with a swell that big (over 8ft) and a long period like 17 seconds, this is strictly for experienced surfers. The waves are going to be powerful and relentless, and the long period means sets will be widely spaced but heavy. For the advanced crew, the morning of Wednesday, August 26th, with light offshore winds and clean conditions, is the absolute best bet of the whole outlook. The wave comment even calls it "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers" from the 28th onward. The water temp is sitting around 84°F, which is about normal for this time of year.

The crowds at Yonabaru can be a factor, so expect some company if you’re heading out for those peak days. By the time we hit the 29th and 30th, the swell starts to back off and the wind turns a bit more onshore, so the quality fades.

Bottom line: suffer through a week of flat and messy conditions, then get ready for a serious, expert-only window of groundswell starting around the 26th of August. That’s the one to circle.

Rusty.

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