Surf Forecasts:
Bundoran surf forecast from 28 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 1PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 11s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, W swell with 3,257 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 31 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Bundoran this week:
The surf forecast for Bundoran over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Bundoran in the next 16 days are 3.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Mon 31st Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 1PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Fri 4th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bundoran over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Bundoran over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first few days are a tough watch. We’re talkin’ Friday the 28th of August through to Monday the 1st of September. There’s barely a ripple. Swell heights are sittin’ at 1ft to 3ft, with combined swell energy anywhere from a weak 12 up to a moderate 104, and the periods are short, around 6 to 8 seconds. Winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, so it’s choppy and messy. You’re better off stayin’ on the beach with a cold one. This is a gap of four days with nothin’ worth paddlin’ out for.
Now, Tuesday the 2nd of September starts to show a little pulse. We’ve got a 2ft swell from the W, period 8 seconds, and the wind swings to a light SSW cross-off. The energy is still low at 63, and the surf report calls it “surfable but very ordinary.” It’s clean, but it’s not gonna blow your mind.
But hold on – Thursday the 3rd of September is where things get interesting. Wednesday night into Thursday morning, a proper swell arrives. We’re lookin’ at 7ft from the W, period 10 seconds, with the combined energy jumpin’ to a solid 848. That’s moderate energy, but the real story is the wind: SSW at 9 mph, givin’ us a clean, offshore flow. The report says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is the standout of the whole window, hands down. Bundoran is a reef break, exposed to the NW, and the optimum swell direction is NW – so this W swell is knockin’ right on the door. For a seasoned intermediate, this Thursday morning session is the one to circle. Water temp is about average for this time of year, nothin’ wild to report.
Now, the caveat. Thursday afternoon gets a bit dicey. The swell pushes to 8ft with a 12-second period (that’s a long-period groundswell), and the energy hits a strong 1665, but the wind whips around to a fresh WSW cross-shore at 19 mph. It gets lumpy and messy. If you’re an expert, you might still find somethin’ out there, but it’s not as clean as the morning.
Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th of September blow out. Swell is still big – 10ft on Friday, 7ft on Saturday – but the wind is a fresh cross-onshore W at 19 mph, and the energy is strong (2914 on Friday!). Everything turns lumpy and poor. Honestly, this setup looks way more interestin’ for kite surfers than paddle surfers.
Sunday the 6th of September drops off fast. Swell backs down to 3ft to 4ft, period drops to 9 seconds, and we’re back to onshore WNW winds. Poor conditions again. This theme sticks through Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th – small, weak, and mostly onshore.
There’s a little flicker on Wednesday the 9th of September afternoon. The swell jumps to 10ft from the W with a 9-second period, wind is SW at 22 mph cross-off so it’s clean, but with that much wind and that size, it’s only for the brave. The report says “marginal.” Then Thursday the 10th of September gets nasty – near gale-force winds, 12ft swell, and 3207 energy. Do not go out there.
After that, it’s back to small, weak, and not worth mentionin’ through to the 12th of September.
So, here’s the takeaway: the one true standout is Thursday morning, the 3rd of September. Get on it early. After that, the window gets messy or flat. That’s the long and short of it.
Rusty, out.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Mon night. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Sun night, calm by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | W 7 | NNW 7 | W 9 | WSW 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 6 | W 6 | W 9 | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 7 | WSW 8 | W 10 | W 12 | W 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
11 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 31 | 42 | 38 | 60 | 58 | 219 | 305 | 207 | 107 | 55 | 27 | 286 | 848 | 1665 | 2235 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off | off | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross |
High Tide | 6:44AM3.06m | 6:58PM3.58m | 7:16AM3.17m | 7:28PM3.65m | 7:47AM3.22m | 8:00PM3.64m | 8:20AM3.23m | 8:33PM3.55m | 8:55AM3.18m | 9:09PM3.38m | 9:33AM3.08m | 9:51PM3.14m | 10:19AM2.92m | 10:42PM2.86m | |||||||
Low Tide | 12:37PM0.26m | 1:09AM0.15m | 1:08PM0.17m | 1:39AM0.07m | 1:39PM0.15m | 2:09AM0.07m | 2:12PM0.19m | 2:41AM0.15m | 2:48PM0.31m | 3:16AM0.31m | 3:29PM0.49m | 3:57AM0.53m | 4:17PM0.72m | ||||||||
6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | |
— | 8:35 | — | — | 8:32 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:28 | — | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | |
mm | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | 8 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 8 | 3 | 2 |
Temp °C | 19 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 14 |
Feels °C | 18 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | WSW 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | — | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 7 | NW 8 | — | — | — |
11 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 31 | 42 | 38 | 50 | 46 | — | 305 | 207 | 107 | 55 | 27 | 3 | — | — | — | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 5 | — | N 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 9 | NW 6 | N 6 | W 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | — | — | — | — |
1 | — | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 8 | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | W 10 | W 6 | N 7 | — | N 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 4 | WNW 6 | W 6 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | S 3 | WSW 8 | W 10 | W 12 | W 13 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 60 | 58 | 219 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 286 | 848 | 1665 | 2235 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 317 | 393 | 403 | 73 | 73 | 39 | 19 | 19 | 117 | 295 | 66 | 38 | 491 | 718 | 129 | 0 | 49 | 38 | 0 | 45 | 32 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Donegal | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Bundoran Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Bundoran provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Bundoran can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Bundoran surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Bundoran) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Bundoran may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Bundoran is 20 km (12 miles) from Killybegs. If you plan a holiday in Donegal, look for hotels and other accommodation in Killybegs. Killybegs has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











