Folkestone Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you. Looking at the next couple of weeks, it's a pretty bleak picture for the waves. We've got a long stretch of flat, poor conditions with nothing really worth paddling out for. It's one of those periods where the ocean just seems to switch off.

The forecast window is a full 16 days from August 15th, but the surf just doesn't show. We're talking about a solid run of nothing. The first week is a total washout, with only tiny, short-period, wind-blown slop that's not going to do anything for anyone. As we get towards the end of the month, the swell does start to show a little more energy on the charts, but the wind is just going to wreck it.

Let's get into the specifics. The only spot on the radar is Folkestone, a beach-and-reef setup that's sheltered and inconsistent at the best of times. To be honest, it just isn't breaking properly for the entire period.

Right from the start, Saturday the 15th has a tiny 2ft of NE windswell. The wind is howling 16 mph from the NE, making for a lumpy, cross-choppy mess. The water temp is 70° and that’s a whopping 7° warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a real standout in itself, but it's not enough to make the surf any better. Sunday the 16th is even smaller, and Tuesday sees the swell disappear entirely.

Through the middle of the week, it's flat. There's a bit of a pulse on Wednesday the 19th, but it's only a short-period 4ft SW windswell with a fresh 19 mph cross-shore wind. It's just texturised and lumpy, with a weak combined energy of 39. It's a total no-go. This poor form continues all the way through to the following Tuesday, the 25th of August. By then we've got near gale-force winds and rain on the cards, and the surf is still flat. A total blank.

As we move into the second week, the ocean starts to show a bit more life, but it's still nothing to get excited about. The swell direction shifts to the ENE, but we're still dealing with short-period, wind-blown junk. By Friday the 28th, there's a slight glassy moment in the morning with 2ft on offer, but the energy is weak (14). The afternoon sees a slightly better 4ft, but it's still messy with an E swell.

The one real spike in the whole window is Saturday the 29th, a full two weeks out. The swell builds to a solid 4-5ft from the ENE with a period of 6 seconds. The energy jumps up to a moderate 101 in the morning, and 125 in the afternoon. But here's the kicker: the wind is onshore and choppy all day. It's going to be a complete mess, with rain showers to boot. For a break that's already inconsistent, this is just cruel. The setup will be more interesting for the kite surfers than for us paddle surfers on those days. It's promising in size, but the wind kills it.

So, there you have it. A 16-day outlook with nothing on offer. It's a tough one. However, Folkestone is listed as inconsistent anyway, and this kind of blank run is a bit more normal for the area. The long-range says there is some energy out there for the 29th, so if you're desperate, keep an eye on it, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Forecasts change, and a stretch this poor usually doesn't last forever.

Stay patient.
Rusty.

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