Zero Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m lookin’ at a pretty tough stretch of surf here. The charts are showing some swell, but the quality is just not there for most of the window. Let’s break it down, day by day, and see if we can find a decent wave.

The first bit of worthwhile surf is on Saturday, the 29th of August. The combined energy is moderate at 597 (moderate wave energy), with a 3ft SSW swell rolling in with a long 17 second period. That long period means it’s a proper groundswell, so it’ll have some punch and shape, but it’s gonna be a bit straight at a beach break. This spot, Zero, is a point break, which is a good thing for this kind of swell. The water temp is a wild 74°, which is 9° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a very unusual and welcome surprise. The wind is a light cross-shore, so the surface will be a little bumpy, not perfect. For Saturday afternoon, the wind swings to a light cross-offshore, which is cleaner. The swell drops a touch, but the energy is still solid at 522 (moderate wave energy). This is probably the best you’re gonna get in the whole 16 days. The score is a 3 out of 10, but that’s the best on offer.

Sunday the 30th is a step down. The wind is cross-on in the morning, and the swell is running at 3ft with a 15 second period. The energy is still there at 484 (moderate wave energy), but the onshore breeze will chop it up. The afternoon is a little better with a cross-shore wind, but the swell drops to 3ft.

From Monday the 31st through to the 7th of September, it’s a real grind. Swell stays small, mostly 2ft to 3ft, with periods dropping from 14 seconds down to 11 seconds. The wind is all over the place – onshore, cross-on, sometimes cross-off. The combined energy stays in the 200 to 600 range, which is weak to moderate. The scores are all 0, 1, or 2 out of 10. This is a stretch where you’re better off waitin’ for the next system.

Then we get a bit of a spike on Tuesday the 8th of September. The swell jumps up to 6ft from the S with a 13-second period. The combined energy is strong at 1324 (strong wave energy). That’s a solid wave, but it’s big. For a beginner, 6ft is borderline too big, but for an intermediate or better, it’s a fun size. The catch is the wind is onshore in the morning, which is a bummer. The afternoon sees a cross-shore breeze, which is better, but still not perfect. This is the second-best option in the whole outlook, but it’s not a standout.

After that, the swell drops off fast. On Wednesday the 9th through to the 13th of September, we’re back to tiny, weak swell. The periods are all over the place, from 8 seconds to 17 seconds, but the heights are 2ft to 3ft. The combined energy is weak, from 204 to 334 (weak to moderate wave energy). The wind is a mix of cross and cross-off, but the waves are just too small to get excited about. The scores are all 0 or 1 out of 10.

So, the honest truth is this: there’s no real standout session in this 16-day window. The best you’ll find is Saturday the 29th, with that 3ft clean-ish groundswell in the afternoon. The second best is Tuesday the 8th of September with the 6ft swell, but the wind is a problem. The rest of the time is a waiting game. The area is a point break that rarely breaks, so this kind of blank run is pretty normal here. Stay patient, and check the charts again.

Rusty.

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