Gwithian Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s cut through the noise and look at what’s on offer for Gwithian over the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it: this is a grim run. The guidance gives Gwithian a solid rating for consistency and shape when conditions align, but the 16-day forecast is a tough read. We’ve got a massive gap of poor surf quality right from the start. There’s very little to get excited about, and the wind is a constant problem.

The first real surf we see kicks off on Tuesday the 25th of August, but it’s nothing to write home about. Tuesday morning brings a tiny 2ft (WNW) swell with a short period of 10 seconds, and weak energy (66). The wind is a cross-off from the E at 12 mph, which keeps it clean, but with only 2ft on offer, it’s barely a knee-high dribble. The water temp is sitting at 63°, which is about normal for this time of year.

The afternoon picks up a little, with the swell nudging to 2ft from the same WNW direction, energy climbing to moderate (115). Offshore wind from the ESE at 16 mph helps, but it’s still very ordinary. If you’re desperate for a paddle, Tuesday afternoon is your best early bet, but don’t expect any kind of wave.

From Wednesday the 26th onward, it gets worse. The swell drops, the wind shifts, and we get a long stretch of poor surf conditions. By Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th, the swell tries to push up to 6ft and 6ft from the W (7 seconds), but the wind is cross or cross-on, making it a lumpy, messy affair. The energy is moderate (365 to 404) but the quality is shot.

Saturday the 29th sees the swell jump to 10ft from the WSW, but with a cross-on wind at 19–22 mph, it’s blown out. The energy is strong (989 to 1183), but this is one for the experts only, and even then, it’s messy. The same goes for the following days right through to the end of the first week and into September. There’s a persistent cross-onshore or onshore wind, and the swell keeps pumping between 6ft and 10ft, but the conditions are consistently poor.

The second week doesn’t offer much hope. Sunday the 6th of September brings a 10ft swell from the W with a very long period of 12 seconds, and the energy is very strong (2610). That’s a proper groundswell, and the long period means it’s got heaps of push. But the wind is a strong cross-shore from the SSW at 25 mph, creating a messy cross-chop. This setup would be better for a point break or reef, but Gwithian is a beach break, so the long period will likely make it close out and the wind will ruin it. It’s a kite surfer’s dream, not a paddle surfer’s.

The 8th of September is the biggest energy event of the spell, with the combined energy hitting 3226 on the Tuesday afternoon, with a 8ft swell from the W at 12 seconds. But again, the wind is a fresh cross-onshore from the SW at 19 mph. It’s lumpy and messy.

Honestly, the only standout – and I use the term loosely – is the afternoon of Tuesday the 25th of August. Clean offshore wind, a tiny but rideable 2ft swell, and it’s the only window where the wind is actually working for us. The rest of the 16 days is a write-off. Gwithian is a consistent spot, so a blank run like this is unusual, but the forecasts can change. For now, leave the board in the car and take a walk.

Rusty.

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