Nordseeklinik Westerland (Sylt) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

The bad news first: for the next two weeks we are looking at a proper run of flat to near-flat conditions and messy, blown-out waves at Nordseeklinik Westerland (Sylt). Honestly, there’s a big ol’ gap with no surf on offer from now until almost the very end of the forecast period. We go days and days – morning after afternoon – with nothing worth talking about. The water is 62°, but the anomaly is +0.4°, so pretty much bang on average for this time of year.

Through the afternoons of the 12th, right through to the morning of the 24th, it’s all one-star junk. Tiny heights mostly – 0.3 ft, 1 ft, 2 ft – from the NW or WNW with periods so short we’re talking 3 to 6 seconds. That’s just wind chop, not a wave. Winds are often cross-on or onshore, gusting from moderate to fresh, which leaves it lumpy and choppy. There’s weak combined swell energy, generally in the single digits to low double digits (7, 29, 67). Not a paddle worth taking.

The first sign of something better comes on the morning of Thursday, 24th July. That WNW swell starts to build to 5 ft with a period of 8 seconds, combined energy hitting 290 – that’s moderate power. But those WSW winds at 12 mph are cross-shore, not exactly clean. The guidance points to W as the optimum, so we are a little off. Still, it’s the first day where you might see something half-catchable. The afternoon is similar: 5 ft, 9-second period, 311 energy. Again, cross-shore wind. You could get a few, but it’s not top shelf.

Now, if you’ve got patience, the standout of the whole rundown is the morning of Saturday, 25th July. That morning comes in with 6 ft of NW swell, period 8 seconds, and the combined energy is a solid 398 – that’s the strongest we see here. But here’s the real kicker: the wind is a glassy light air from the NE at just 3 mph, so you are looking at clean surfaces. The break works best with W swell, but NW is close enough and at 6 ft, that’s plenty of size. For beginners, 6 ft might be a push – it’s over 5 ft – so consider that, but for a confident intermediate, this is the window. Just watch the afternoon: it gets cooked by heavy rain and a 19 mph NE breeze that wrecks those clean conditions.

After that standout morning, the following days quickly drop back down. The 26th is back to 3 ft, 75 energy, and cross-on breeze. The 27th is the same story: 3 ft, 56-69 energy, and onshore or cross-on winds. Not worth getting excited about.

So, if you can, plan for the morning of Saturday, 25th July. That is the only decent window in this 16-day stretch. The rest, save your energy.

Stay tuned, forecasts can shift.

Rusty.

Read more