Happisburgh Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let me tell it to you straight: if you’re hanging out at Happisburgh, you’re in for a long, quiet stretch. There just isn’t any decent surf on the cards across the whole sixteen-day window. The swell is weak, the energy is low, and honestly, it’s a tough scene for anyone trying to get wet.

Right now, from August 14th onward, there’s almost nothing happening. The waves are tiny—the biggest we see is maybe 4ft way out on August 22nd, but even that comes with messy, choppy conditions and cross-onshore winds. The water temp is sitting at 67°F at the start, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year—about 5°F above average—so if you just want to float around in the shallows, go for it. But for surfing? You’re better off waiting.

There’s a real gap here. For days on end, we’re looking at nothing but flat spells. Swell heights hover around 0.3ft to 1ft for the first week, with combined swell energy barely reaching double digits—4 (weak) to maybe 16 (still weak). Winds are all over the place: offshore on some mornings, like August 18th and 19th, with 15–18 mph winds out of the west-northwest, which would make the water clean but there’s no swell to ride. Even when the wind glassed off on August 16th morning, the waves were just 0.7ft. That’s ankle-biters.

Around August 22nd, we get a little bump. Swell hits 4ft–4ft out of the north with periods around 6 seconds. The energy climbs to 104 (moderate) on the 22nd afternoon, but the wind is cross-onshore from the north-northeast at 12 mph, keeping things choppy. Not ideal, but it’s the biggest pulse we see. Then it fades quickly. By late August, we’re back to near-flat with 2ft waves and onshore winds.

Look, for a spot like Happisburgh, this kind of blank run is pretty normal. It’s inconsistent at the best of times, and right now the ocean just isn’t delivering. Don’t hold your breath on the long-range stuff—there’s a glimmer around August 29th with clean conditions and offshore winds from the west at 18 mph, but the swell is only 2ft. Not worth the drive.

If you’re desperate to paddle, keep an eye on forecasts—they can change—but honestly, this stretch looks more like a kite-surfing setup for a few days around the 23rd when the wind picks up and the waves are mushy, than anything for a surfer.

Rusty.

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