Chernobyl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Chernobyl. Gotta be straight with you—this is one of the quietest outlooks I’ve seen in a while. The finder isn’t recommending a single standout, so we’re looking at a long run of small, messy conditions through the entire 16-day window. The energy is weak across the board, mostly in the double digits (values like 11 to 83), with only a couple of brief pulses into triple digits. This isn’t a place that usually fires hard anyway, so a blank stretch like this isn’t unheard of.

Starting from Sunday the 9th of August right through to around the 16th, it’s real grim. Tiny swell around 0.7ft to 3ft, mostly from the E or ESE, with short periods (6 to 8 seconds). Winds are often cross-on or onshore, and the water is sitting at 83°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year (-2°F anomaly). The wave comment says “poor surf conditions” for every slot in that first week and a half, so I wouldn’t even bother paddling out.

Tuesday the 11th gives us a brief moment of glassy conditions in the morning with 1ft, but the swell is barely a ripple. Not worth getting wet for.

There’s a slight flicker of hope around Monday the 17th of August. Swell bumps up to 4ft from the NE, with moderate wave energy (145). Still, the period is short at 7 seconds, and winds are cross or onshore, so it’s going to be chop city. The comment is still “poor surf conditions.”

On Tuesday the 19th of August, we get a taste of something better. The morning shows offshore wind from the W, a 1ft swell from the E with a longer period of 13 seconds. That’s a real groundswell signature. The energy is still weak (83), but the wind is clean. The comment upgrades to “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” If you’re desperate, that might be your go. The break itself, Chernobyl, is a beginner spot that’s fairly consistent and exposed to swell. It handles an optimum swell from the NNE, so this E swell isn’t ideal, but the offshore wind will make it look better than it is. Expect crowds often.

Thursday the 20th of August morning sees a similar setup: 2ft from the E at 11 seconds, with moderate energy (116), and a cross-off breeze from the SSW. Clean again, but small.

After that, it fades back to tiny, crummy surf through to the end of the forecast on the 24th. There’s nothing here that screams “go now.” Honestly, if the wind kicks up and the swell stays small and weak, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Keep an eye on the forecasts, though—things can change. This kind of flat run is pretty normal for the area, so don’t lose hope.

Stay salty,
Rusty

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