Atlantic Terrace Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Right, let’s have a look at what’s on the table for Atlantic Terrace. Gotta be straight with you, the next 16 days are looking lean. There are no surfable waves on offer at all until Wednesday the 29th of July, a solid three-day wait, and even then, it’s not exactly a green light.

The outlook starts with some small, messy conditions. On Monday the 27th, we’re looking at 2 ft of weak southeasterly swell with a short 8-second period, onshore winds making a right mess – a write-off. Tuesday the 28th doesn’t get any better; the swell picks up slightly but it’s still short-period, lumpy, and cross-onshore.

Now, the first sniff of something happens on the morning of Wednesday the 29th of July. There’s a bump in combined swell energy reaching 772 (moderate wave energy) with a 6 ft swell from the SSE. That’s solid height, but the period is only 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit of a jumbled beast. The wind is only a gentle cross-shore breeze, so it might be worth a look for experienced surfers only, given the size and short period. But honestly, the overall rating is marginal. By the afternoon, the wind swings back onshore and turns it into a choppy mess.

Thursday morning the 30th is the real standout of the whole forecast. It’s the only time we see decent conditions. The swell drops to a more manageable 4 ft from the SSE, but the period stretches out to 9 seconds, giving it some proper shape and energy (combined energy at 229, moderate). The wind is a light cross-offshore breeze from the WNW at 3 mph, which is practically glassy. The water is sitting at 69°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, but that’s a small price to pay for clean lines. This is the session if you can get out. Everything else after that fades fast.

Friday the 31st, and the weekend, are a real let-down. Swell drops right back, winds go onshore or cross-offshore but just don’t line up. Saturday morning August 1st does have some glassy conditions with tiny 3 ft waves, but it’s barely surfable. From there, it’s a long, painful dry spell. Through the first full week of August, the swell is tiny, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and there is nothing to get excited about. The combined swell energy numbers drop into the weak category (41, 84, 47), showing just how flat it gets.

We get a brief flicker on August 3rd with some 4 ft to 5 ft SSE swell, but it’s all onshore junk with 9-second period. Not even worth paddling out for. The rest of the second week is a tragic tale of sub-3 ft swell and persistent onshore breezes. It’s a bleak run. The setup is a beach and reef, but with this wind and chop, honestly, it looks more like a kiter’s zone than a paddle surfer’s paradise. I wouldn’t hold your breath; forecasts can change, but right now, Thursday the 30th of July morning is your one and only shot for a clean wave at Atlantic Terrace.

Rusty.

Read more