Zero Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for any proper surf around here. We’ve got a long, flat spell ahead, and it’s going to test your patience. The good news is that towards the end of the window, there are a few little pulses of energy that might just save the run.

Right now, and for the next several days, we’re looking at tiny, weak waves. Most of the time we’re talking ankle-biters in the 1ft to 2ft range, with periods that are mostly short and unimpressive. The energy is weak, with combined readings like 225 and 311 (moderate wave energy), but there’s just nothing behind them. It’s going to be a lot of staring at a flat, clean ocean. The wind is mostly light, but it’s coming from the wrong angles, mostly cross-onshore, which just adds a bit of chop to an already hopeless situation. This is a stretch where you’re better off finding something else to do.

We finally see a slight bump around the 26th and 27th of August. The swell pushes up to a still-small 3ft to 4ft from the S, with periods around 12-13 seconds. It’s a bit more energy, with readings hitting 507 and 522 (moderate wave energy), but the call is still “marginal.” The problem is the quality isn’t there, and the wind is all over the shop. It’s not worth getting excited about.

Then we drop right back off again. The end of August into the 1st of September is more of the same – tiny waves, weak energy, and a lot of nothing. There’s a brief moment on the morning of the 28th where the wind goes glassy and the swell is a clean 2ft from the SSW with a long 19-second period (combined energy 469 – moderate). That long period means the lines will be nice and clean, potentially a bit better shaped, but it’s still small and the break we’re looking at, Zero, is a point that rarely breaks and is inconsistent. It’s a tease, not a real session. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

The first week of September follows the same tired script. We see some slightly better energy, with combined readings climbing past 600 on the 4th, but the wave heights stay stuck around 3ft. The one standout in this whole sorry tale is the afternoon of Saturday the 5th of September. The wind is forecast to be light and cross-off, and the swell is 4ft from the SSW at a 16-second period, with the combined energy at 583 (moderate wave energy). The forecast calls it “very good surf conditions.” For this period, that’s as good as it gets. It’s still not a big day, but it will be the cleanest and most rideable the waves will be. This is about as good as it gets.

After that, the energy fades again, and we’re left with poor conditions and onshore winds into the 6th and 7th. The final call on the 8th of September shows a little bump of 4ft from the S with a short, 9-second period and moderate energy (431), but the wind is cross-off. It might be a bit of a close-out, but it’s something to look at.

So, the long and short of it: don't hold your breath. The only real highlight is that Saturday afternoon the 5th of September at Zero. It’s a small, clean window in an otherwise bleak outlook. It’s a picky spot that’s rarely breaking, so you have to be there at the right time, and even then, it’s not going to be epic. For the rest, it’s a waiting game. The surf isn't going to be good for a while, but that can always change. Keep the board waxed, but don’t be afraid to find another hobby for a bit.

Rusty.

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