Bundoran Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with the long-range look at what’s coming our way for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a bit of a slow start, so don’t rush to grab your board just yet. The first half of this forecast is pretty quiet, with a lot of poor conditions and tiny swell, but there are a couple of moments that could make it worth the wait.

The first proper chance to get wet won’t arrive until Monday the 24th of August. Before that, the week leading up is a write-off. From Wednesday the 19th all the way through to Sunday the 23rd, it’s a real struggle. The swell is tiny, the wind is mostly onshore or messy, and the water temperature is running a touch warmer than normal at 62°, but you wouldn't know it from the surf quality. There’s a brief window early on Wednesday morning the 19th with a moderate wave energy of 489 (moderate) and a 5ft swell from the west, but it’s crossed-up and choppy, and not worth the paddle. That stretch of nothingness lasts a solid five days.

Now, Monday the 24th of August is where things start to look interesting. This is your standout window for the whole outlook. We get a clean pulse of 4ft swell from the west-northwest with a 11-second period, which is proper groundswell energy. The combined energy hits 285 (moderate), but the real story is the wind – a light cross-offshore breeze from the east-southeast, keeping the surface clean. Bundoran is a reef break, and when it’s offshore and has a bit of that longer-period groundswell, it can get real good. This isn't huge, but for a Monday morning session, you’ll have clean lines and some fun waves. Crowds are possible here at times, so expect company if it’s working.

The following session on Monday afternoon is also decent, with the wind turning offshore from the southeast, bumping that 3ft swell but still clean. The wave energy drops a touch to 227, but the offshore breeze makes it worthwhile for a late arvo paddle.

After that, the week tails off again. Tuesday the 25th gets a fresh cross-offshore breeze that cleans things up, but the swell drops fast to 3ft, and the energy is weak at 117. By Wednesday the 26th and into Thursday the 27th, it’s ordinary but rideable, with a bit of a longer period (12 seconds) on Wednesday morning. Nothing to get excited about.

But wait – Thursday the 27th of August afternoon is the other standout. The glassy conditions from a light west-northwest wind are a rare treat. The swell jumps to 7ft from the west-northwest, but the period drops to 7 seconds. That’s a short-period swell, so it’s going to be a bit lumpy and less refined, but at 7ft with glassy water, this could be a blast for experienced surfers. For beginners, that’s a lot of water moving around, so think twice. The wave energy is strong at 456 – that’s proper power. And those glassy conditions? That’s about as good as it gets for making a messy swell look clean.

The final week, from Friday the 28th of August through to Wednesday the 3rd of September, is more of a mixed bag. There’s a brief moment on Wednesday morning the 2nd of September with a clean 5ft west swell and 9-second period, and another on Thursday the 3rd with 4ft from the west-northwest. Both mornings show clean conditions with cross-offshore breezes. The energy is moderate (445 and 212). But honestly, those are just okay. The real gems are the 24th of August and the 27th of August.

So keep your eyes on those two dates. The Monday the 24th is your pick for clean groundswell fun, and the Thursday the 27th offers that big, glassy punch for the crew who can handle it.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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