Bamburgh Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s heading our way.

Honestly, it’s a pretty bleak run on the whole. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak, and messy surf ahead, with only a couple of windows that might get the heart beating a little. The water temp is sitting at 58°F, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year – no surprises there.

The pattern starts off flat and stays that way for the first week. From Wednesday the 12th right through to Monday the 17th, we’re looking at tiny, weak swells. The odd wave might be ridable, but conditions are ordinary. Wednesday morning has a 3ft swell from the SE, but that period is a short 6 seconds and the wind is cross-off. The combined energy is just 91 (weak). That’s not doing anyone any favours. Thursday and Friday are even smaller.

Saturday the 15th is a real dud – we’re talking 0.7ft swell from the north with glassy conditions in the morning, but there’s just no energy behind it. There’s a stretch of several days here where you’re better off leaving the board in the car. The only flicker of life comes on Monday the 17th morning, with a 3ft, 7-second swell from the NNE and light cross-off wind, and a combined energy of 62. It’s surfable, but ordinary.

Now, the standout – and I mean the only real standout in this whole 16-day outlook – is Wednesday the 19th afternoon at Bamburgh. We get a jump up to a 7ft swell from the north, with a 9-second period. The combined energy hits 783 (moderate to strong). That’s the biggest energy we see by a long shot. The wind is cross-on from the NNW at 9 mph, which keeps it a bit choppy, but that’s a lot of water moving. At 7ft, this is getting into expert territory – not one for the beginners. The swell direction is north, and the guidance says optimum swell is from the NE, so it’s a bit off, but still the best we get. Then Thursday the 20th morning holds onto a 7ft swell from the NNE with a 12 mph cross-off wind and combined energy of 547 – that’s solid, clean surf, but again, big enough for experienced surfers only. It could be worth a look, but the wind is a bit on the stronger side.

After that, it fades fast. Friday the 21st morning drops to 4ft with light wind – clean, but ordinary. Then from late Friday right through to the end of the outlook on Thursday the 27th, it’s back to tiny, weak, and mostly onshore or cross-on conditions. There’s a run of days from the 22nd to the 27th where the swell barely gets above 3ft, with wind howling from the north and east, making it a mess. Honestly, that stretch looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing – especially with the strong to near gale winds on the 24th and 25th.

So, to wrap it up: the first week is a write-off. The only real moment to get excited about is the 19th afternoon and the 20th morning, when that north-northeast swell bumps up. After that, it’s back to the waiting game. But don’t lose hope – the area can turn around fast.

Rusty.

Read more