New Brighton Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and settle in, because the next couple of weeks at New Brighton Beach are looking pretty flat and quiet. It’s one of those rare stretches where we’re just not getting much love from the ocean. I’d say we’re looking at a solid ten-day gap with hardly any worthwhile waves to talk about.

Let’s start with what’s on offer. The first surfable window shows up on Sunday, August 16th, with a tiny 2ft swell from the southeast, running at a short period of 7 seconds. The combined energy is weak, sitting at 103. The morning’s got a gentle offshore breeze from the WSW, which is a positive, but honestly, the waves are so small and weak it’s really only a beginner’s session. The water temp is a bit nippy at 50°, which is about normal for this time of year.

Monday, August 17th, looks pretty much the same—another 2ft of east swell, 9-second period, with light offshore winds. The energy is still weak (101). It’s clean, but "surfable" is being generous. We’re just ticking over.

Then we hit a real dry spell. From Tuesday, August 18th, right through to the end of the month, it’s a long stretch of tiny, weak swell and poor conditions. The swell drops to 2ft and below, and the wind is often messy or onshore. Even the glassy days on the 20th and 21st are barely making a ripple, with swell heights of 1.0ft to 1ft. The combined energy drops into the double digits, and there’s just no power in the water.

The only glimmer of hope comes right at the end of the forecast. On Saturday, August 29th, we see a bit of life: a 2ft swell from the SSE, but with a very long period of 19 seconds. The energy jumps to 156, and by the afternoon, it hits 207. The winds go glassy, and it’s clean. But here’s the thing—that long period groundswell, especially at a beach break like New Brighton, can be a bit tricky. It’s better suited to a point or reef, but on the right sandbank, it might offer a few longer, more powerful lines. It’s still small, just 2ft, but it’s the best we’ll see all period.

Sunday, August 30th, offers another small, glassy morning with a 1ft SSE swell (16-second period, 101 energy), but it’s fleeting.

To be honest, New Brighton is a fairly exposed stretch, but it’s just not getting any of the right swell direction. The optimum is ENE, and we’re mostly seeing SE and SSE, which just doesn’t wrap in properly. If you’re a beginner, the mornings of the 16th and 17th might be worth a paddle, but for anyone else, it’s a long wait. The late August window (29th-30th) is the only real standout, but it’s a long way off and the swell is still small. Keep an eye on it, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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