Kata Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Kata Beach over the next couple of weeks. Gotta be straight with you – it’s looking pretty grim for a paddle. The overall pattern shows a real lack of decent, rideable swell, and when there is a bit of energy, the wind is going to be working against us for the most part. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor conditions before we even get a sniff of something surfable, and even then, it’s not going to be anything to write home about.

Right now, and for the first week, the story is mostly small, weak waves with onshore or cross-onshore winds, and a lot of stormy weather. There's a very long period groundswell from the WSW on the 14th and 15th, with swell heights around 1 ft, but the wave energy is weak. That's not enough to push you around, let alone give you a ride. We then go into a gap of several days from the 16th right through to the 20th where the surf is just poor. You've got some small windswell, some stormy conditions, and the wave energy is pathetic. A couple of tiny pulses on the 19th from the south with a period of only 4 seconds are just messy wind chop.

Now, the first real standout – and I use that term loosely – pops up on Monday the 21st. The morning session at Kata Beach shows a tiny 0.7 ft groundswell from the WSW with a long period of 16 seconds. The combined wave energy is still weak, but the wind is a light cross-offshore breeze from the ESE. This is going to make the surface clean. It’s not going to be big, and it’s an inconsistent break at the best of times, but if you are desperate for a little slide on a longboard, this might be your window. The water temperature is about average for this time of year. Don't expect any crowds on a day like this, but Kata Beach can get crowded when it's good, so don't be surprised if a few others have the same idea.

After that little glimmer, it’s back to the poor house. We get a glassy morning on the 23rd, but there is zero swell. Another gap of poor conditions lasts from the 22nd right through to the 26th. The wind does turn offshore again on the 24th, but again, no swell to work with.

Then, towards the very end of the outlook, on Sunday the 27th, we see the biggest pulse of energy in the whole forecast. The morning shows a 5 ft swell from the WNW with a short period of 6 seconds, and the combined wave energy climbs to a moderate level. The afternoon gets slightly bigger at 5 ft, with a similar energy level. This is a significant increase in size, and it’s coming from a direction that matches the optimum for the break (SW). However, and it’s a big however, the wind is a fresh cross-onshore from the WNW at 12-18 mph, making it lumpy and messy. For an exposed beach break like Kata, this short-period, wind-affected swell is going to be a choppy mess. At this size, it's too much for beginners, and with those winds, even experienced surfers will be in for a tough, bumpy session. It honestly looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. Remember, this is over a week away, so it's a bit of a long-range tease.

So, to sum it up: the only real chance for a clean wave, albeit tiny, is on the morning of Monday the 21st of September. The bigger swell on the 27th might have power, but the wind is going to ruin it. A frustrating outlook for Kata Beach, but that’s how it goes sometimes.

Rusty

Read more