Folkestone Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and messy for the most part. We’ve got a solid stretch of poor conditions and tiny surf ahead, so don’t go getting your hopes up for any hero sessions just yet. The swell window is mostly closed, and the wind gods aren’t doing us any favors either. But hey, that’s the nature of the game sometimes. Let’s break it down day by day.

The outlook opens with a completely flat Friday morning. Forget it. The afternoon kicks up a tiny 2ft SW swell with a short 3-second period, but the cross-shore breeze chops it all up. Not worth paddling out. Saturday and Sunday are a total write-off with no surf on offer at all. The swell stays away and we’ve got onshore breezes making things even less inviting. You’re better off finding something else to do.

Monday the 10th is more of the same. A weak 0.3ft W swell in the morning is nothing, and the afternoon picks up slightly to 2ft from the NE, but it’s all short-period junk. The wind is a moderate cross-shore, so it won't be clean. We’re looking at a gap of several days with absolutely nothing worth riding here.

We finally see a little pulse of energy on Tuesday the 11th. The morning has 3ft of ENE swell with a 4-second period, and the afternoon builds to 4ft from the ENE. It’s a bit more swell on the face, but the wind is a fresh cross-shore, which will likely make it lumpy and bumpy. The combined energy is weak to moderate (30, then 68), but it’s still going to be a messy, short-period affair. Not exactly a stand-out day, but at least you’ll see some waves.

Wednesday the 12th backs off a touch with 3ft from the E in the morning, and it stays in that range through the afternoon with an ENE swell. The onshore and cross-shore winds are going to keep things choppy and uninviting. The energy is moderate (47, then 33) but the quality is poor. Thursday the 13th is another near-total write-off—nothing but a whisper of a swell in the afternoon.

Friday the 14th brings a moment of calm. The morning is glassy with a weak 1ft ENE swell. It’s small, but clean. The afternoon picks up a little to 2ft from the NE, but the glassy conditions are gone. It’s a tiny window, but if you’re desperate, the morning glass-off might just be your best look in the first week. The energy is very weak (5 and 16).

The weekend of the 15th and 16th sees some more swell fill in. Saturday the 15th bumps up to 4ft from the SW by the afternoon, with moderate cross-shore wind. The energy is climbing (55). Sunday the 16th holds 4ft from the SW in the afternoon. But the winds are still cross-shore, so it won't be stellar. There’s more size on the table, but it’s not translating into great quality.

Monday the 17th is a bit of a dud in the morning, but the afternoon brings a fresh breeze and a small 1ft SW swell. The wind will be making things lumpy.

Now, for the one bright spot in this entire forecast. On Tuesday the 19th, we get a bit of a change. The morning is clean with a light offshore WNW wind. The swell is small at 1ft, but those clean, calm conditions are a major positive after all that chop. It won’t be big, but it might just be the cleanest wave of the fortnight. It’s not a standout in terms of size, but the quality is there. Don't expect much else.

The rest of the period is grim. Wednesday the 20th sees more cross-shore winds and weak swells. Thursday the 21st is another story, though. The afternoon shows a jump to 8ft from the SSW, but the period is a dismal 6 seconds and the wind is a fresh cross-shore. The energy is strong (443), but it’s going to be a complete mess. This is definitely one for the experts only, and even then, the quality will be poor. For the average surfer, this is a struggle.

That’s where things get dicey. A 8ft swell, even if it's short-period, is well over the 5ft mark that makes it intimidating for beginners. With the strong cross-shore wind, it'll be tough. This looks like it could be more fun for the kite surfers than paddle surfers.

The final day we have on offer, the 22nd, drops back down to a weak 2ft SSW swell with more cross-shore wind. It’s another forgettable one.

So, there you have it. The first week is a flat, choppy mess. The second week has a couple of pulses of size, but the wind and short periods kill the quality. The best call is probably that clean Tuesday morning with a small wave and offshore wind. It's small, but it will be the cleanest you'll find. Everything else here is a compromise.

This is Rusty, signing off. Keep the faith, but don't force it.

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