Folkestone Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Gutted, folks. Plain and simple, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty barren for a proper surf. I’ve scanned every nook and cranny of the forecast, and there’s just nothing that gets the heart rate up. We’re looking at a real dry spell here.

Right from this Monday the 17th, it’s flat. No swell to speak of, and what little breeze there is doesn’t matter. That carries on through Tuesday and Wednesday. We get a tiny pulse of southwest swell on Tuesday afternoon, but it’s weak, short-period stuff, barely a ripple. The energy readings are pathetic, down in the single digits and twenties – combined energy of all swells directed here (29) on Tuesday, (53) on Thursday. It’s just wind chop, not surf.

Honestly, the whole first week is a write-off. The swell direction is all over the place, but the size just isn't there. Thursday the 20th has a small southwest swell, but at 4ft with a 5-second period, it’s just a lumpy mess, especially with the fresh cross-offshore winds. Not worth suiting up for.

The weekend doesn’t offer any salvation either. Swell gets down to 0.3ft. It’s a lake. If you’re desperate, there might be a ripple for a log on Sunday the 23rd, but it’s cross-shore and messy. I wouldn’t bother.

We get a bit of a tease around the 26th and 27th. There’s a southwest pulse that shows some energy, with combined energy of all swells directed here (40) on Thursday the 27th, and the morning is clean with light cross-offshore winds. But the swell is only 3ft with a short period. It’s knee-to-waist high at best. Folkestone, being a sheltered spot, might catch a few of these reformed lines, but it’s inconsistent and won’t be anything to write home about.

Then, just when you think it can’t get any worse, the models throw us a bone for the very end of the run. On Sunday the 30th of August, there’s a pulse of south-southwest swell that looks more promising. The combined energy of all swells directed here jumps to a moderate 177, with the swell pushing 5ft. That’s the most significant energy we’ve seen all window. But, and it’s a big but, it’s looking at a fresh cross-shore wind which will chop it up. And the period is still only 6 seconds, which is pretty weak. It’s a long way out, so I’d call it promising but less certain, but right now I’d say even this one will be a bit of a messy, wind-blown shambles rather than clean waves.

There is one bright spot in the data, and it’s not even about the surf. On Monday the 17th, the water temperature at Folkestone is 70°, with an anomaly of 7°. That’s much warmer than normal for this time of year. So if you do bob around on a board, you won’t need a thick suit, but that’s about all the good news I have.

Given the total lack of swell, the strong winds and the poor quality on offer, spots like this are going to be more interesting for the kite surfers than us paddle surfers.

So, there you have it. A blank run. It happens. With a break as inconsistent as Folkestone, this dry spell is more normal for the area. But keep the faith, forecasts can change, and when a proper southwest swell lines up with a bit of luck, it’ll be worth the wait.

Rusty.

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