Harlyn Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. I’ve had a proper look at the charts for Harlyn, and I’ll be honest with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead. The forecast is pretty grim for the majority of the next 16 days, with very few windows that are worth paddling out for. The swell energy is on the weaker side, and the wind’s going to be a real pain most of the time.

Right now, through Thursday the 20th and into Friday, it’s a write-off. We’ve got a 7ft cross-on swell from the west on Thursday morning, but with a strong onshore breeze, it’s just lumpy and messy. Combined energy is sitting at 718 (moderate), but the quality is poor. Thursday afternoon is not much better, and Friday stays small and ugly. Saturday the 22nd is tiny with a weak 3ft cross-shore wind swell, and by Sunday the 23rd, it drops to near flat – 0.7ft with a very long period (14 seconds) but almost no energy (35). That’s a glassy morning though, so if you’re desperate for a knee-padder, you could go for a float, but it’s not surf.

We then have a long, flat spell from Monday the 24th right through to Wednesday the 26th. The swell is tiny – 0.7ft to 1ft – and the energy is in the double digits (18 to 45). The wind is offshore or cross-off, so the water will look clean, but there’s simply nothing to ride. It’s a proper gap of several days with no recommendations.

Things start to pick up a little on Wednesday the 26th of August. We get a 5ft swell from the southwest, with a fresh offshore wind from the south at 19 mph. That’s clean, but the period is short (8 seconds) and the combined energy is 289 (moderate). It’s still rated as poor surf, but at least the wind is working for us. Thursday morning the 27th is the first real standout. The swell drops to 4ft from the west, but the wind goes light offshore from the southwest at 9 mph. The water is clean, the energy is 245 (moderate), and it’s surfable. The waves will be soft and short-period, but it’s the best we’ve seen in a week. That morning is your best bet for a clean, small-wave session.

Friday the 28th sees a bigger pulse – 6ft in the morning, with a fresh offshore wind from the south-southwest at 19 mph. The energy jumps to 332 (moderate). By Friday afternoon, the swell hits 10ft from the west, but the period is still short (8 seconds), and the energy rockets to 1439 (strong). That’s big, powerful, and with offshore wind, it’ll be a clean but heavy wave. That’s expert territory only – 10ft is too big for beginners. Saturday the 29th is even bigger, with 12ft from the west, but the wind swings cross-shore, making it lumpy and messy. The energy is a massive 2259 (very strong), but the quality is poor. That’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session.

After that, it drops off again. Sunday the 30th through to the end of the forecast is mostly small, onshore, and weak. By Thursday the 3rd of September, we get a 6ft glassy morning with a north-west swell, but the period is only 6 seconds, so it’s weak and crumbly. Energy is 331 (moderate), but it’s surfable. Friday the 4th is similar, with 4ft and glassy conditions, but again, short period.

So, to sum it up: the best on offer is Thursday morning the 27th of August for a clean, small-wave session at Harlyn. The water temp is 66°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick wetsuit. The swell is 4ft from the west, light offshore wind, and it’s clean. It’s not epic, but it’s the only real window of quality. If you’re an expert, Friday the 28th afternoon has a big, clean 10ft swell, but that’s for the brave only.

Rusty.

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