Llantwit Major Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you about what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks around Llantwit Major. I’ve had a good look at the charts, and to be honest, it’s a pretty grim stretch for anyone looking to get a proper wave. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with very little to get excited about.

Right off the bat, the first recommendation we get isn’t until the 21st of July, and even then, it’s a tough sell. The water temperature is sitting at 69°F, which is a whopping 9°F warmer than average for this time of year, so that’s very unusual and you’ll be comfortable in a spring suit or shorty. But the surf? Forget it. The combined swell energy is a measly 3, and with a cross-on wind from the West, it's just messy and flat. There’s nothing to ride.

This flat spell drags on. We’ve got a run of days from the 21st of July all the way through to the end of the month where the forecast is basically all “poor surf conditions.” The swell heights are tiny, mostly between 0.3 ft and 0.7 ft, and the wind is constantly cross-on or onshore, keeping things choppy and unrideable. There’s a brief moment on the morning of the 24th of July where it goes glassy, but with a swell of just 0.3 ft and a period of 8 seconds, there’s simply no energy to push a wave. The combined energy is only 1. It’s a lake.

We start to see a tiny pulse of energy come in on the 25th of July, with the swell bumping up to 3 ft on the afternoon, but it’s a short-period windswell from the WNW with a period of just 4 seconds. The wind is a fresh 30 km/h cross-on, creating lumpy, poor conditions, and the energy is still only 21. Not worth paddling out. The same story continues through the 26th and 27th of July, with swell heights creeping up to 4 ft, but the period is still short (5-6 seconds) and the wind is relentless. The combined energy maxes out at 94 on the 27th, but with that onshore wind, it’s just a messy, choppy wall of whitewater. For a point break like this, that short-period, wind-affected swell isn’t going to wrap in cleanly. It’s all just bump and chop. If you’re looking for a paddle, you’d be better off with a kiteboard on those days.

Things don’t get any better as we move into the first week of August. The morning of the 4th of August gives us a bit of hope with a light offshore wind from the ESE, and the swell is 1.0 ft. But the period is only 7 seconds, and the combined energy is just 10. It’s small, weak, and not going to produce anything rideable. The afternoon of the 4th of August is the same story: a clean-looking 1.0 ft from the West with a 7-second period, but the energy is still only 10.

The 5th of August brings a bit more swell, but with a risk of thunderstorms and a cross-on wind, it’s another washout. The only real standout in the entire 16-day window is a pulse on the 2nd of August. On the afternoon of the 2nd of August, we’ve got a 3 ft swell from the WSW with a period of 8 seconds and a combined energy of 133. That’s the only time we see three-digit energy in the whole forecast. It’s still a cross-on wind, making it choppy, but for a point break that handles a bit of swell, this is the best on offer. It’s not a classic, clean day, but it is the most wave energy we’re going to see. If you are desperate for a surf, that’s the session to target. After that, it fades back into the flatness.

So, the honest truth is, there’s no proper surf on the menu for the next two weeks. The run of poor conditions is long and consistent. But that’s the nature of this area sometimes. It’s a blank run, but forecasts can always change. It never stays this poor for long, so keep an eye on the charts.

Rusty.

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