Harlyn Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get stuck into this one. For us here at Harlyn, the next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag. We’re not looking at any classic, all-day perfection, but there are a couple of moments that could be worth a look if you’re keen and not too fussy. The water temp is sitting at about 65°, which feels a touch warmer than usual for this time of year.

Right off the bat, the opening Thursday afternoon isn’t great. We’ve got a 7ft swell from the west, but the wind is screaming out of the southwest at 22 mph. That’s a cross-off wind, but with that much juice, it’s messy and not really offering anything clean. The combined wave energy is sitting at 501 (moderate) but it’s not translating into good surf.

Friday stays pretty flat and uninspiring. The morning shows a 5ft west swell with a 9-second period, but the wind is cross-on. The swell drops a bit into the afternoon. It’s a write-off.

The weekend is a similar story. Saturday has some size, around 4ft to 5ft, but the wind is fresh and sideshore, and the period is short. Sunday morning actually has a bit of go, with a 5ft west swell and a 10-second period, and combined energy hitting 450 (moderate). It’s cross-off and clean, but the forecast calls it marginal. Worth a look if you’re really jonesing, but don’t expect perfection.

Monday and Tuesday of the following week are poor. Monday is small and weak, 3ft and under. Tuesday sees a bit more size with a 5ft west swell and a long 11-second period, but the wind is a fresh cross-shore that’s going to chop things up. By Tuesday afternoon, the wind swings onshore and picks up. Not good.

Wednesday the 16th has moderate 5ft to 5ft swell, but it’s all cross-onshore and lumpy, with fresh winds. Not what we want.

Thursday the 17th is tiny, down to 2ft by the afternoon. Hardly worth paddling out.

Now, here’s where it gets a bit interesting. Friday the 18th morning is the closest we get to a standout in this whole run. We’ve got a 5ft west swell with a solid 12-second period, and the wind is blowing offshore from the south-southwest at 19 mph. That’s a fresh offshore breeze, and it’s showing as clean. The combined energy is 631 (moderate to strong). This is the one to circle. The swell direction (west) doesn’t perfectly match the optimum WNW for Harlyn, but with offshore wind and that period, it should still offer some clean, lined-up waves. It’ll be one for the more experienced crew at that size and with that period. It’s the best on offer by a long shot.

The weekend after that is back to average. Saturday the 19th has some size, 6ft, but it’s a short-period 7-second swell with strong cross-onshore winds. That’s just messy.

The following week is mostly small and weak. Sunday the 20th is clean but tiny, 3ft.

There is a big pulse coming in much later. Wednesday the 23rd morning shows a 8ft west swell with an 8-second period and combined energy rocketing up to 689 (strong). The wind is light, cross-off, and clean. That’s a lot of water moving. That’s expert territory at that size, and the short period might make it a bit walled. Still, it’s clean.

Wednesday the 23rd afternoon gets even bigger, a 10ft west swell with a 10-second period and 1462 combined energy (very strong). But the wind is onshore, which will trash it.

Thursday the 24th morning still has a solid 7ft west-northwest swell with a very long 12-second period (groundswell). Combined energy is 1221 (strong). The wind is cross-off and moderate, and it’s clean. That’s another window for experienced surfers, especially if you hunt around for a better shape. The swell direction is nearly spot on the optimum for Harlyn. This is promising, but it’s a long way out, so take it with a grain of salt.

After that, the swell fades again through the 25th.

So the short version: the standout is Friday the 18th morning for clean, offshore surf in the head-high range. The later, bigger groundswell on Thursday the 24th is also promising for the experienced crew, but it’s nearly two weeks away.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on that Friday.

Rusty

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