Bundoran Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, lads, Rusty here with a look at what’s shaping up around Bundoran. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a couple of sessions that have me proper keen. We’ve got a solid run of clean conditions coming in the back half of the week, so don’t write this one off.

This is a reef set-up and it’s fairly consistent, so you can usually count on it, but for the next few days, the wind is going to be the story. We’re looking at a fair bit of onshore and cross-onshore junk, which is going to make things messy. The water temp is running a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting around 61°, so that’s a nice bonus.

Let’s start with the first bit of hope, which is Sunday morning, the 13th. It’s glassy. Dead flat, no wind. The swell is small, only about 4ft from the WNW with a period of 11 seconds. It’s weak energy, only 279 (moderate), but for a reef break, that clean glass and a bit of WNW groundswell is a tasty little combo, though it might be a bit weak to get the blood pumping.

Now, Monday the 21st is where I’d circle the calendar. After days of wind and rain, we’ve got a Monday morning with a gentle breeze that’s cross-off, cleaning up a 5ft WNW swell with a 12-second period. The energy is solid (800 – moderate) and it’s a proper groundswell. That’s the script for a good Bundoran day. If that’s not enough, the Monday afternoon is a gem: light rain, but an offshore wind from the SE at only 3 mph. That’s glassy again. Swell is 5ft, WNW, 12-second period, and the energy is still chunky (633). That’s the standout – clean, offshore, solid swell. The crowds might show up occasionally, but on a Monday afternoon in September, you’ve got a fighting chance of a peak to yourself. That’s our best bet.

Before all that goodness, the middle of the week is a write-off. Strong winds, lumpy, messy, and rain. From Tuesday the 15th right through to the 20th, it’s poor. We get a big jump in swell, with the combined energy hitting 1775 (strong) on Thursday the 17th, and even 4370 (very strong) on the 19th, but it’s all cross-on or onshore, making it a washing machine. That sort of power with a messy wind is more of a kite session than a surf.

After the Monday high, the swell drops off quick. Tuesday the 22nd is still clean with a cross-off breeze and a 5ft WNW swell (469 energy), which is a decent fun wave but nothing special. From Wednesday the 23rd onwards, it’s small. We’re down to 3ft and less for the rest of the run, reaching as low as 0.7ft on the 27th. Some of those days have clean offshore winds (Friday 25th has a 12 mph offshore), but the swell just isn’t there to push it. It’s a long, flat finish.

So, to wrap it up: the next few days are a right off, but Sunday morning the 13th offers a clean, glassy window if you’re desperate. The real highlight is Monday the 21st, with a long-period groundswell and clean conditions all day. After that, it dribbles away into flatness. Get your Monday sorted.

Rusty.

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