Freshwater West Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about Freshwater West. It’s a classic exposed beach-and-reef setup on the Welsh coast, a consistent spot that can handle a good punch of swell, but it doesn’t give you an easy ride. The water temp is about average for the year, so nothing unusual.

This outlook is a tough one for the next week. The swell is there, but the wind is a real problem. We’ve got a stretch of days from Monday the 17th through the weekend with cross-shore and cross-onshore winds that are just chopping everything up. Wave heights are between 3 ft and 6 ft, but the quality is poor. The combined swell energy is moderate, hitting 141 on Tuesday morning, but the 6-second period is too short to build any real shape. The wind is gusty and messy, and the conditions are lumpy and choppy. It’s not surfable in any good way.

Wednesday the 19th sees a bit more size, with 6 ft to 6 ft, and the energy jumps to 258 and 308, but the wind is onshore, and there’s rain. Not a day to get excited about. Thursday the 20th is similar, with 6 ft in the morning and 4 ft in the afternoon, but the wind is still cross, and the energy is high but wasted. The water is chopped up.

The weekend of the 22nd and 23rd drops right off. The swell is tiny, 1 ft down to 1 ft, with a very long 14-second period. That’s a groundswell, but there’s no power in it. The combined energy is below 80, so it’s weak. You’d be looking at clean, glassy water, but there’s nothing to ride. It’s a flat spell.

Then, a blank run. From Monday the 24th all the way through to Saturday the 29th, the swell is almost non-existent, with heights under 0.7 ft. The energy is pitiful, dropping to 15. The wind is a mix of cross-off and onshore, but with no wave, it doesn’t matter. The water is flat. That’s a solid gap of about six days with no real surf on offer.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Sunday the 30th of August. The morning brings a jump in swell to 6 ft from the WSW, with a 7-second period and a combined energy of 249. The wind is a clean cross-off from the north, and the conditions are clean. It’s a marginal call, but it’s the first time the wind is friendly. The afternoon turns messy again, but that morning window is a legitimate shot.

Monday the 31st is a bit of a mixed bag. The morning has 7 ft swell from the west, with a 7-second period, and the energy is strong at 493. The wind is light and cross from the SSE, leaving a gentle cross-shore and slight chop. It’s marginal, but not terrible. The afternoon, however, gets trashed by a fresh onshore wind. That morning could be worth a look if you’re desperate.

The standout for the whole 16-day window is the morning of Sunday the 30th of August. It’s the only time where the wind is clean and the swell is of a decent size. The 6 ft from the WSW is a good direction for the spot, and the energy is moderate. It’s not a world-class day, but it’s the best on offer. The break is consistent, so you know it’ll be breaking, but crowds are sometimes a problem, so expect company. The water is about average for the time of year, so a wetsuit is a must.

For the end of the run, the first of September starts the same story: wind onshore, swell dropping, and energy fading. The long-range stuff is unreliable, but the pattern looks like it’s trying to build again. Keep an eye on the charts, but for now, that Sunday morning is the one to circle.

Rusty.

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