Kamakura Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk Kamakura.

The next week or so is a total washout. There’s a tiny, weak swell from the SE over the next few days, but it’s got no guts. The combined energy is 38 (weak), and with a short period of 10 seconds, it’s just not doing anything. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 81.3°, but that’s about it.

We’ve got a dry spell from now until the start of August. A few tiny pulses come through, but they’re all under 2ft and with poor surf conditions. The wind is light and variable, but the swell is too small to bother. The combined energy drops as low as 9 (very weak) on the 1st of August. It’s a real lull.

Things start to look a bit more interesting from the 3rd of August. A long-period SE groundswell starts to build. The combined energy jumps to 168 (weak) on Monday morning, and by the afternoon it’s up to 274 (moderate). The swell is still small though, at 1.6ft to 2.3ft, but the period is 15 to 16 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. The wind is cross-offshore from the NNE, which is clean. The surf is still marginal, but it’s a sign of things to come.

The real standout is the 4th and 5th of August. On Tuesday the 4th, the swell pushes to 3ft from the SE, with a period of 17 seconds. The combined energy is 420 (moderate) in the morning. The wind is light cross-offshore from the NNE – clean conditions. The afternoon sees the swell shift to an ESE direction, with a period of 18 seconds and energy up to 543 (moderate). The wind turns onshore, but it’s light. On Wednesday the 5th, it gets even better. The morning is glassy with a light offshore from the ENE, and the swell is 3.6ft from the SE at 17 seconds. The combined energy hits 640 (moderate). The afternoon pushes to 4.3ft at 16 seconds, with energy of 798 (moderate). This is the best on offer in the first week – clean, long-period groundswell with enough size to get some fun waves.

For the first standout, I’d say Wednesday morning the 5th of August. The break is Kamakura, which is an exposed beach break. The swell is 3.6ft from the SE, period 17 seconds, and it’s glassy with light offshore winds. The combined energy is 640 (moderate). The long period means the waves will have shape and power, but at a beach break it might break a bit straight – still, it’s the best we’ve got.

After that, the swell keeps building. Thursday the 6th sees 4.9ft to 5.6ft from the SE, with a period of 16 to 17 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 1123 (strong) in the morning and 1556 (strong) in the afternoon. The wind is light cross-shore, so it’s still clean. But the size is getting up there – 4.9ft is okay for intermediates, but the 5.6ft in the afternoon is pushing it for beginners.

Then it gets big. From Friday the 7th of August through to Sunday the 9th, the swell is massive. Friday morning sees 9.8ft from the SE at 18 seconds, with a combined energy of 4642 (very strong). The wind is cross-offshore from the NE, clean. But the wave comment says it’s too big for this break. This is expert-only territory. The swell peaks on Saturday the 8th with 18ft from the SSE, period 17 to 18 seconds, and energy readings of 17516 and 16628 (very strong). That’s a monster. The wind is glassy in the morning, but it’s way too big for anyone but the most experienced, and even then it’s probably more of a spectator event.

The second standout, if you’re an expert, is Saturday morning the 8th of August. The swell is 18ft from the SSE, period 18 seconds, with glassy conditions. The combined energy is 17516 (very strong). This is a once-in-a-while kind of swell. For a beach break like Kamakura, that much long-period energy will be big and powerful, but it might be a bit straight and chaotic. Only for the brave.

The swell drops off after Sunday. By Monday the 10th, it’s back to 6.6ft from the S, period 11 seconds, with cross-onshore wind. The energy is 2368 (very strong), but the conditions are marginal. Tuesday the 11th sees it drop to 2.6ft with a fresh onshore wind – not worth it.

So, overall, you’ve got a long wait for the good stuff. The first week is flat, then a solid groundswell arrives around the 4th and 5th of August. The best session for the average surfer is Wednesday morning the 5th. For the experts, Saturday morning the 8th is the mega swell, but it’s massive. The crowds at Kamakura can be

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