Bundoran Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. I’ve been staring at this forecast for the next couple of weeks, and it’s a tough one. We’ve got a long stretch of flat, weak, and messy conditions before anything worth getting wetsuit-wet for shows up.

The first real day we can even talk about surfing is Monday, August 17th. Even then, it’s a struggle. We’re looking at a tiny 2ft swell with a weak 69 units of energy. The wind is offshore, so it’ll be clean, but it's just dribbly. You’d be scratching for anything rideable. The water temp is 62°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so don't expect a cold shock.

The next few days just get worse. Monday afternoon turns cross-shore, and then things go downhill fast. Tuesday, August 18th, is a write-off. The ocean will be roaring with 8ft of cross-onshore slop and energy jumping up to 1375 units. That’s not surf; that’s a washing machine. We see a drop in size on Wednesday, but it’s still onshore and junky.

Honestly, from the 19th through the 27th, it’s a brutal stretch. We’re talking about a week and a half of tiny, weak swell, poor surf conditions, and onshore winds. There are a couple of quiet days, but even the "clean" ones have no power behind them. You’d be better off finding a new hobby during this stretch. The swell energy stays in the double digits or just barely cracks 100, which is nothing.

Then, the long-range forecast starts to flicker with some life. On Friday, August 28th, things take a dramatic turn. The models are calling for a strong pulse of west swell to hit, jumping to 13ft with a 14-second period. That’s a lot of water moving, with energy readings shooting up to 5893 units. It’s a proper groundswell. However, and it’s a big however, the winds are looking cross-onshore. It’s going to be big, powerful, and messy. This one is only for the hardcore experts, and even then, you’ll have to be picky. That long period at a reef like Bundoran could make it bend and jack, but the wind is going to be the enemy. It’s promising because it’s the only real swell in the window, but I’d be holding my breath.

The following morning, Saturday, August 29th, the swell backs off a touch to 8ft but the period is down to 11 seconds. The wind is offshore and light, which is a huge plus. This could actually be the pick of the whole window. The energy is still strong at 1292 units, and it should be much cleaner than the day before. This is the one to circle on the calendar. It’s far out, so treat it as a promising swell, not a guarantee, but with light offshore winds and a solid 8ft of west-northwest swell, it could be a proper day at Bundoran.

So, the plan is simple: hibernate for the next week and a half, keep the board waxed, and hope that Saturday morning, August 29th, delivers. It's a long way out, but it’s the only real hope we’ve got.

Rusty out.

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