Aberdeen Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's get real about what Aberdeen’s got on offer. I’ve had a good look at the charts, and I have to be straight with you – it’s a tough run ahead.

For the next 16 days, we are looking at a long, frustrating stretch. We kick off on Thursday the 20th of August, and there is absolutely nothing rideable for the first few days. The wind is howling from the north and northwest at 19 mph, and while the conditions look clean at times, there’s simply no swell to work with. Thursday through to Sunday the 23rd is a complete write-off – not a single wave to be had.

We finally see a tiny pulse arrive on Monday the 24th of August, but it’s pathetic. A 1 ft swell from the SSE with a 3-second period is just dribble. The combined energy is so weak, barely registering a 4. It’s not worth paddling out for. Tuesday the 25th is a bit better with 2 ft from the SE and a 4-second period, but the wind is onshore from the ENE at 9 mph, so it’ll be bumpy and messy. That poor surf quality doesn’t change much through the week.

Then on Wednesday the 26th of August, we get a bit of a spike. The swell picks up to 6 ft from the ESE with a 7-second period, and the combined energy jumps to a moderate 270. But here’s the kicker – the wind is cross-onshore at 12 mph, making it choppy and ugly. It’s not the clean, lined-up wave you want. Thursday the 27th drops back down to 4 ft and stays onshore, so still no good.

The real letdown is that nothing in this entire 16-day window scores above a 0 out of 10 for quality. The wind is almost never offshore, and when the swell does show a bit of life, it’s blown out or has the wrong period. The best chance you might have is on Sunday the 30th of August, when we get a clean 2 ft from the SSE with light cross-offshore winds from the NNW at 9 mph. The combined energy is still weak at 20, so expect small, clean little rollers if you are desperate for a paddle. But honestly, it’s a marginal day at best.

A couple of things to keep in mind: on the 26th, the swell hits 6 ft, which is beginner territory but pushing it, and with the wind onshore plus a short period, it’s more of a washing machine. And the water temperature anomaly is about average for this time of year, so the water feels normal.

Overall, this is a bleak outlook. The surf just isn't here. If you’re a kiter, the strong cross-shore winds on the first few days and the choppy conditions on the 26th might be more interesting than paddling a surfboard. For the rest of us, it’s a waiting game. Forecasts can change, but for now, keep the board in the van.

Rusty out.

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