Magheraroarty Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Magheraroarty Strand has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water is sitting at 60°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that's a nice little bonus.

Right now, and for the first few days, it's a bit of a write-off. We've got a small, weak 3ft swell from the NW with a short period of 6 seconds, and a cross wind from the West at 12 mph. The energy is a measly 66, so don't bother paddling out just yet. This poor surf sticks around through Thursday afternoon.

Friday the 24th sees a bigger swell arrive, 6ft from the WNW, but the wind is honking from the WSW at 19 mph. While the wind state is technically cross-off, that's a lot of breeze. The energy jumps up to 466, but the conditions are still ranked as poor. Saturday the 25th is where it gets interesting, but not for the faint of heart. We're looking at a heavy 10ft NW groundswell, with a period of 10 seconds and a massive energy reading of 1526. However, the wind is a messy cross-shore from the WNW at 19 mph. The report says it's too big for this break. That's expert territory only, and with that wind, it will be a lumpy, challenging beast. Sunday the 26th is similar, with 10ft and 8ft waves, but again, strong cross-shore winds and a note of poor surf conditions. It's a no-go for most of us.

We get a bit of a breather from Monday the 27th through Wednesday the 30th. The swell drops to 5ft - 6ft, the wind turns more cross-off from the SW, and the energy sits in the moderate range (315 - 839). The reports call these "marginal" or "questionable," so not a standout, but a surfer could get a session in if they're desperate and pick their tide.

Now, here's the one that catches my eye. Thursday the 30th of July morning. The swell is 5ft from the WNW with a 9 second period, and the wind is a gentle breeze from the SW at 9 mph, making for clean conditions. The energy is a moderate 352, and the report says "expect good surf conditions." This is the first time we get a positive call. With a gnarly period and a clean offshore wind, this is the best bet of the near-term forecast.

After that, it fizzles out. We get a few days of flat, tiny waves from the 31st of July through the 1st of August. Glassy conditions on the 1st of August afternoon, but the swell is only 1ft, so not enough to ride.

Then, a big one appears on the horizon. Sunday the 2nd of August morning. The model is showing a 10ft swell from the NW with a 9 second period, and an enormous energy reading of 1655. The wind is light from the SSW, which is offshore. The report says "wind and tide favorable, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break." This is another one for the experienced crew only, and while it's a promising forecast, it's over a week away, so don't book the time off just yet. It's a long-range standout that's worth keeping an eye on.

The rest of the second week is a mix of small, weak swells and onshore winds, nothing to get excited about.

So, to sum it up: The best bet for a clean, fun session is Thursday the 30th of July morning. For the big wave chargers, Saturday the 25th of July and Sunday the 2nd of August are the ones to watch, but they are for experts only.

Rusty.

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