Chernobyl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s on the table for Chernobyl.

Honestly, it’s a lean run for the next couple of weeks. The surf’s small and pretty ordinary for most of it, with a few fleeting moments that might get you wet but nothing to write home about. There’s a bit of a gap early on where you’re better off doing something else, and even the so-called better windows are marginal.

We kick off on Thursday, August 13th – tiny 1 ft swell from the ESE with a short 7-second period, cross-off wind from the WNW at 3 mph but the wave comment says poor surf and an energy reading of just 13. Nothing worth paddling for. Friday and Saturday are similarly flat and wind-affected, with cross-onshore winds and swell barely pushing 0.7 ft.

Sunday morning, August 16th has a bit of a tease: glassy conditions with a light SSW breeze, but the swell is only 1 ft at 8 seconds from the ESE. It’s clean, but there’s nothing to push you into a wave. Energy is a weak 25.

The first real glimmer comes Tuesday morning, August 18th. We’ve got a glassy morning with NNE wind at 3 mph, and the swell climbs to 1 ft but with a 13-second period from the E, giving an energy of 63. That’s a groundswell feel – longer gaps between sets, but the waves might have a bit more shape if they wrap in. It’s surfable but very ordinary conditions, only scoring a 1 out of 10. Still, if you’re desperate and the wind stays off, bring a longboard.

The next standout is Saturday morning, August 22nd. Glassy again with SSE wind at 3 mph, 2 ft swell from the E at 9 seconds, energy at 58. Another surfable but very ordinary scenario. For a beginner break that’s fairly consistent, these are about as good as it gets in this window.

Further out, Wednesday morning, August 26th offers a glassy start with ENE wind at 3 mph, 2 ft from the E at 7 seconds, energy at 58. Again, just surfable. The period is short, so it’ll be crumbly and unexciting.

The only real standout is Sunday, August 23rd – but it’s not great. The morning shows 3 ft from the ESE at 9 seconds, but with a cross-on SE wind at 6 mph and energy reaching 130 (moderate energy). The wave comment still calls it poor surf. The afternoon has a risk of thunderstorms and onshore wind, so it’s messy. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on that afternoon.

Water temp is about average for this time of year.

Overall, don’t get your hopes up. There’s no proper swell in the 16-day window, just tiny, weak waves and mostly poor conditions. If you’re hanging for a splash, Tuesday the 18th, Saturday the 22nd, and Wednesday the 26th mornings are your best bets – glassy, small, and very ordinary. The blank run through the first few days is real, and this area can have stretches like this. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty

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