Ballyconnell Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the outlook for your local sub-region. The main event is a solid groundswell from the WNW, but the wind is gonna be a real pain for most of the coming week. The standout period is later on, but we’ve got a bit of a wait for the clean stuff.

The first chance to paddle out is this Monday morning (24th August) at Ballyconnell, with the water sitting at a touch warmer than normal for this time of year at 16°. The early session is the pick of the next few days. We’ve got a clean 5ft swell from the WNW with a decent 11-second period and a moderate 452 (moderate) combined energy. The wind is a gentle offshore breeze from the ESE, so it’ll be glassy and clean. The Monday afternoon remains glassy with a 5ft swell, so that’s a good one too.

Tuesday morning (25th August) still has a clean 3ft swell from the W with a 10-second period, but the offshore wind is a bit stronger, so it’s a bit more choppy. The energy drops to 184 (moderate). After that, a few days of very ordinary conditions kick in. Wednesday and Thursday are mostly small, weak, and blown out. The swell drops to 1ft on Wednesday and the period plummets to 7 seconds. The energy is only 20 (weak) to 31 (weak). The wind is a cross-off, so it’s not clean.

Friday morning (28th August) is a no-go, with a messy onshore wind blowing into a 4ft swell from the NW. The period is only 6 seconds, so it’s a junky windswell. Saturday (29th August) brings a little relief with a clean offshore breeze and a 3ft swell, but it’s a weak 6-second period, so it’s a shortboard-only zone. The energy is just 50 (weak). Sunday (30th August) is similar, with a moderate offshore wind and a 2ft swell from the W, but again, a weak 9-second period and 119 (moderate) energy.

Now, we get to the big shift. Monday 31st August looks like a write-off for hand-surfing. The swell jumps to 7ft, but the wind is a messy cross-onshore, and by the afternoon it’s a 8ft onshore mess. The energy is 303 (moderate) and then 773 (moderate), but the conditions are poor. Tuesday 1st September is even worse with a strong onshore wind hitting a 4ft swell. The energy is 375 (moderate) but the wind is a fresh cross-onshore, so it’s lumpy. This is a kite-surfing setup, not a paddle one.

Thursday 3rd September is the real standout. A solid 4ft swell from the W with a moderate 8-second period and a clean moderate offshore wind from the SSE. The energy is 254 (moderate), and the conditions are clean. This is the session to target. The Friday 4th September is a big no-go, with a 7ft swell and a fresh cross-onshore wind.

The weekend of 5th and 6th September is a write-off with strong onshore winds and a lumpy 7ft to 5ft swell. The energy is very high (1156 and 1040), but it’s messy.

The week of the 7th September starts with a clean offshore wind on Monday morning, but the 5ft swell has a 10-second period, and the energy is 470 (moderate). The wind is a fresh offshore, so it’s clean. The real monster is Tuesday 8th September. A massive 15ft swell from the W with a *very long* 15-second period (groundswell) and a huge 8486 (very strong) energy. The wind is a cross-shore, so it’s lumpy. This is a bomb, but it’s too big for this break. The tide and wind are favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this spot. The afternoon is a 13ft on a 14-second period with 6646 (very strong) energy, but it’s messy. This is a paddle-out for experts only, or maybe a tow-in situation.

The best bet overall is the Thursday 3rd September morning session. The Ballyconnell (Lough Erne) has a clean 4ft W swell with a moderate offshore breeze. The water is a touch warmer than normal. The crowds are sometimes, so you might get a few out, but it’s a good bet.

Rusty.

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