Happisburgh Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this is a tough one. We’re looking at a solid 16-day window for Happisburgh, but if you’re hoping for a proper surf session, you’re going to be disappointed. The whole stretch is a write-off for decent waves. There’s a big gap of nothing really rideable right from the start, and it just doesn’t let up.

The first recommendation doesn’t come until Thursday morning, the 27th of August, and it’s already a dud. We’ve got a weak 3ft swell from the east-northeast, with a short, gutless 5-second period and a combined energy of just 54. That’s barely a ripple. The wind is a moderate breeze onshore from the east, making it messy. It’s poor surf, plain and simple. The afternoon is even worse—a bit of bump from a cross-onshore breeze and a storm risk.

Friday the 28th sees the swell drop even further, with a tiny 2ft from the northeast. The wind swings offshore from the southwest, so the surface is clean, but with combined energy at a pathetic 17, there’s just no power. Saturday the 29th starts off with a 0.3ft wave—basically flat—before a late afternoon spike to 4ft from the south, but that’s a choppy, windblown mess with a 6-second period and moderate energy of 104. Not worth paddling out for.

From Sunday the 30th onward, it’s a long stretch of tiny, weak waves under 2ft, combined energy mostly in the teens or twenties. The wind is often offshore or cross-offshore, so it’s clean, but there’s just no swell to work with. Even the glassy conditions on Friday the 4th of September, with a 1ft wave and combined energy of 16, can’t save it.

The only time the wave height gets close to 3ft again is on Wednesday the 9th of September, with a 4ft north swell in the afternoon, period of 6 seconds, and combined energy of 86. But even that’s still poor surf, with a moderate cross-offshore breeze. It’s a shame, because the water temperature is about average for the time of year, but without any real swell, it doesn’t matter.

Honestly, if you’re desperate for a wave, the best bet in this whole 16-day window is that Wednesday the 9th of September afternoon. The 4ft north swell might just be enough for a longboard if you’re keen, and it’s clean with a cross-offshore wind. But don’t expect much—it’s still a poor surf day. The combined energy is weak to moderate at best.

For the rest of the time, it’s a blank run. Small, inconsistent, and rarely breaking with any punch. This is pretty normal for the area when conditions go quiet. The setups are more interesting for a kite session than a paddle surf, to be honest.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the forecasts—things can change.

Rusty.

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