Gwithian Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get this out there. It’s been a bit of a flat and messy run, and honestly, the next couple of weeks are going to test your patience. Looking at the whole sixteen-day window, we’ve got some solid swell windows, but the wind gods are not playing nice for most of it. The real standout, the one you’re gonna want to circle on the calendar, is the big groundswell pushing in at the end of the month. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

Right now, and for the next several days, it’s a write-off. Through the 23rd and 24th, we’re looking at small, weak surf mixed with cross-shore and onshore winds. The energy is just not there, with combined swell energy readings as low as 35, and the swell that is around is short-period windswell. There’s a brief moment on the morning of the 24th where the wind goes light offshore, but the swell has completely died, so you’re just staring at a lake. It’s a real kick in the teeth.

We see a bit of a pulse come back around the 25th with some waist-high swell, but the wind is still messy. Then a bigger, longer-period WNW groundswell starts to build into the 27th. The morning of the 27th actually has some potential. We’re looking at 8ft of WNW groundswell at 11 seconds, which is proper, and the wind is only a gentle cross-onshore. The combined energy jumps to 1245, showing there’s some real push behind it. The issue is the wave comment flags it as questionable tide conditions. Gwithian is a beach break, so that long-period stuff can go a bit straight, but this could be the pick of a pretty average bunch. It’s still going to be a bit lumpy and not perfectly clean.

From there, we slide back into another period of poor conditions right through the end of the month. The winds stay strong and onshore, and the surf quality drops off a cliff. The 30th sees a rising swell with big, stormy energy, hitting 2253 by the afternoon, but it’s all chop and lump with a fresh onshore breeze. It’s not going to be surfable.

Now, for the one you’ve been waiting for. The 31st of August and the 1st of September is where things get interesting. A serious, long-period WNW groundswell fills in. We’re talking 13ft of swell at 11 seconds, with a combined energy reading of over 4200. This is a big, powerful swell. The wind, however, is still forecast to be a strong onshore breeze. For Gwithian, this is going to be a full-on, heavy beach break. At this size, and with that wind, it’s a recipe for a closeout and serious paddle. This is advanced surf, no doubt, and despite the size and energy, the quality is going to be poor due to the onshores. It’s a frustrating one—so much power, but the ocean is just going to be a washing machine.

The water temp is sitting around average for this time of year when we first get going. Not warm, not cold, just about normal for late August.

The long-range stuff after that remains big but messy, so keep your expectations in check. The 31st and the morning of the 1st of September look like the biggest swell of the period, but it’s more for the eyes than the surfboard. There’s no clean, perfect window in this entire outlook. It’s a grind, folks.

Rusty

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