Croyde Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let's have a proper look at what's on offer for Croyde over the next couple of weeks. I'm not gonna lie to you, it's a pretty grim picture. The forecast is a long, dry spell of very poor conditions, with only a couple of fleeting moments where you might get a wave worth paddling for. We're looking at nearly a week of pretty much nothing decent before a couple of small windows appear, and then it all goes messy again.

The whole period is dominated by onshore and cross-onshore winds, which are just going to chop everything up. The combined swell energy is weak for most of it, with readings like 71, 109, and 95, barely registering. Even when it does pick up, the wind is always there to ruin it.

The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

Alright, let's break it down. The first few days are a total write-off. Wednesday the 19th through to Thursday the 20th of August is just poor surf with onshore winds and short-period, weak swell. You'd be wasting your time.

Then we get a couple of very small windows. Friday the 21st of August morning is the first glimmer. A light 6 mph cross-offshore breeze from the NE will clean things up, but the swell is a tiny 2 ft from the west with a short 8-second period. The energy is still weak at 95. It's surfable, but it's ordinary. It's not a standout, just a possible session for the desperate.

Saturday the 22nd of August morning is similar. A 9 mph cross-offshore from the ENE cleans up a 1 ft, 10-second period WSW swell. The energy is a very weak 59. Again, it's clean but incredibly small.

The next real point of interest is a few days later. On Tuesday the 25th of August, we have a proper standout moment. The morning has a light 3 mph easterly breeze making it glassy. The swell is a tiny 1.0 ft, so nothing happening. But the afternoon is where it gets interesting. Glassy conditions again with a light NNW breeze, and the swell builds to 3 ft from the WSW with a 10-second period. The combined energy jumps to 154. It's a moderate energy, clean window. This is the best we've got. It's a very small, clean wave, perfect for a longboard or a funboard. It's not going to be epic, but it's the best quality you'll get.

After that, it's all downhill again. Wednesday the 26th of August is a mix of marginal and poor conditions. Thursday the 27th of August afternoon has a 5 ft swell from the WNW but with a short 7-second period and onshore wind, so it's just a messy windswell.

Then the final week of August and into September sees the swell size pick up significantly, but it's all bad news. From Sunday the 30th of August, we see a 7 ft, 8-second swell from the WSW with a fresh cross-onshore, and it just gets bigger and uglier. By Monday the 31st of August, we've got an 12 ft swell from the west with a 10-second period, but the wind is a fresh cross-onshore, and the combined energy is a massive 2573. That's a lot of energy, but it's all onshore, creating a complete washing machine. This is expert-only, and honestly, it looks more interesting for a kitesurfer than a paddler. The cross-onshore winds and big, messy swell will make it a real battle.

The first few days of September are the same story. An 8 ft swell on Tuesday the 1st of September, a 7 ft swell on Wednesday the 2nd, all with strong onshore or cross-onshore winds. It's just a write-off.

So, the bottom line: keep your eyes on Tuesday the 25th of August afternoon. That's your one clean, glassy window with a small but rideable wave. The rest of the 16 days is a poor run of conditions. It's a classic Croyde pattern, but it's a tough one to swallow.

Rusty.

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