Nanwan Beach (South Bay) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, looking at the next couple of weeks for us. It's a bit of a mixed bag, so let’s get into it.

First up, the water is sitting at a pretty typical 84°F for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The next few days are looking pretty average. From Thursday the 20th through to Monday the 24th, we've got a moderate to fresh cross-shore wind blowing, with a modest 8ft to 10ft SSW swell. The energy is moderate, but the wind is making things messy. Combine that with rain and a risk of thunderstorms, and it's not the best time to be out. The surf will be lumpy, and conditions are just marginal. There's a bit of a clean-up on the Friday afternoon, but the wind is still fresh.

The first real standout shows up on Tuesday the 25th. The morning sees a shift, and by the afternoon, it's looking really good at Nanwan Beach (South Bay). We have a 6ft swell from the east, but here's the kicker – it's a long-period groundswell at 16 seconds, which brings a ton of energy. The wind swings light and offshore from the northwest, giving us clean, glassy conditions. This is a great option for experienced surfers, but that long period can make the sets a bit more spaced out. The crowd factor is "often", so expect company.

Wednesday the 26th afternoon also looks promising. The swell drops a touch to 6ft from the SW, but the wind goes glassy from the west. The energy is moderate, but the clean conditions will make for some very good surf. Again, expect some crowds.

From Thursday the 27th onwards, the quality drops off again. The wind goes onshore or cross-shore, and the swell energy weakens. We get a bit of a lull for a few days, with just poor surf conditions.

Then, things get interesting again. On Monday the 31st of August, we see a massive pulse of 13ft swell from the SSW. The energy is pumping, and conditions are wind and tide favorable. However, that is serious size – 13ft is only for the experts. The same goes for Tuesday the 1st of September, with a 13ft SSW swell and light cross-onshore wind. This is a proper big-wave session, but it's over a week away, so keep an eye on it.

The energy drops back down after that, with 10ft swell on the 2nd and 8ft on the 3rd, but the wind stays tricky. The period shortens, and the conditions become marginal again. The final few days drop off to a poor 4ft to 4ft from the SW with a strong, clean offshore wind, but there's just not enough swell to get excited about.

So, the best bets are the Tuesday afternoon, August 25th, and the Wednesday afternoon, August 26th. The big swell at the end of the month is a watch-and-see for the experts.

Rusty.

Read more