Magheraroarty Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let's get into it.

The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for Magheraroarty Strand. We've got a long, frustrating stretch of small, weak, and messy surf ahead. The water’s a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, coming in at 61°F, which is a small mercy, but that’s about all we’ve got going for us. The wave energy for the next many days is just pathetic, with readings like 142 and 232 showing very weak, dribbly conditions. It’s going to be a tough week and a bit for anyone looking to get wet.

The only glimmer in the first week is early on Sunday, the 16th. A light offshore wind kicks in with a small NW swell of 2.5ft at an 8-second period. It’s clean, but the energy is weak (85). That’s a thigh-high wave at best, but with the offshore breeze it might be the best you’ll see for a while. The period is short, so it won't be anything special, but beggars can't be choosers. That clean, glassy feel is a major plus, but it’s just not enough to get excited about. Monday the 17th brings a bit more size, around 3.5ft, but the forecast is for moderate offshore winds and the energy (186) is still weak. It’s a similar story—surfable but ordinary.

Then, from the 18th of August, we get a rude awakening. The swell jumps up but it’s all wind and chaos. A near gale from the west on Tuesday morning will be blowing hard cross-shore with a massive 15ft of swell and a strong energy reading of 4569. This is not surfable for anyone; it will be a complete mess. The wind and waves ease off a bit, but it stays poor through the rest of the week. We're looking at junky, cross-onshore waves with no quality, all the way through to the 27th. It's a real desert out there for surfers.

After a long, blank stretch, things start to look a little more interesting on the 28th. But it’s a false dawn. A huge, clean W swell of 11.5ft will hit, with a strong energy reading (7552 on Friday), but the wind is onshore and it makes it a complete disaster for everyone. There's a hint it might clean up on Saturday the 29th, as the wind turns offshore (WSW) and the swell holds at 10ft (energy 1921). But this is way too big for this break. This is expert territory only, and even then, it’s pushing it for a point break. The long period between 11 and 13 seconds suggests a proper groundswell, which would be great at a reef or point, but this size will be closing out and dangerous here. For now, it’s a case of watching from the beach and waiting for the ocean to calm down.

Read more