Manchester Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me level with you. It's a pretty bleak run for Manchester Beach. We're looking at a solid stretch with very little to get excited about. The water is way colder than normal for this time of year, sitting at 54°F, which is over three and a half degrees colder than average, so factor that into your wetsuit choice.

Right from the start, Wednesday the 12th of August, there's a 8ft NW swell but with a short 8-second period and a light cross-onshore wind. The wave energy is moderate (938), but the quality is poor. It's borderline junky. Thursday the 13th is much the same story: 7ft NW, still a short period, and the wind goes cross-shore. Not clean.

Friday the 14th, the swell drops right off to 2ft, even though the period stretches out to 15 seconds from the SW. That long period means better shaped waves, but for a beach break like this, that long period groundswell tends to close out. The energy is weak (561).

Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th see a small 3ft to 4ft SSW swell with a long 16-17 second period. The wind stays light cross-onshore, so it's not totally blown out, but the wave comment calls it "marginal." Even the light wind can't fix the lack of size and the bumpy texture from that cross-onshore breeze.

From Monday the 17th right through the following weekend, it's just a long, flat, or weak run. Swell hangs around 3ft to 3ft, periods drop, and the wind is mostly onshore. The combined energy dips well below 500 for many of these sessions.

There is a slight pulse on Sunday the 23rd of August, with 5ft showing in the afternoon. But the period is a shocking 6 seconds – that's pure wind chop, and the wind is offshore but strong at 12 mph. It'll be messy.

The real hope, if you can call it that, comes from Monday the 24th of August into Tuesday the 25th. We get a bump of NW swell, hitting 7ft on Tuesday morning, with a period of 8 seconds. Combined energy is moderate to strong (825), and the wind is light offshore to start the day. That's the only window that looks even half-decent for a surf, and it's still a short-period, junky NW swell at a beach break. It's really only for the experienced crew – that size is pushing it for beginners.

Overall, there's no standout gem here. It's a gap of at least a week of mediocre, poor, or flat conditions. The best shot you've got is that Tuesday the 25th morning NW swell. If you're desperate, that's your window, but keep expectations low.

Rusty

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