Paignton Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. The 16-day outlook for the Paignton area is a bit of a tough one, I’m not gonna lie. There’s a big dry spell right at the start, and then only the faintest whisper of surf late in the second week.

We’re looking at a real quiet stretch from the 27th of July right through until the 2nd of August with absolutely no surf to speak of. The water temperature on the 27th is sitting at 67°F, which is a notable 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year – that’s very unusual, and it’ll feel like a bath. But that warmth doesn’t help us with waves. The wind is clean and offshore from the west at 9 mph, which would be perfect if there was any swell, but there’s no energy at all. The next few days are a write-off too, with a mix of cross-shore breezes and glassy conditions but still zero swell. The 31st of July morning is glassy, with a calm wind, but again, no waves. It’s frustrating.

The first sign of life, and I mean a tiny sign, pops up on the 2nd of August. Sunday morning, we get a northeast swell at 1 ft, but it’s a short period of 3 seconds, and the wind is a light cross-onshore from the north-northeast. The combined energy is a weak 2. This is barely surfable, and it’s for beginners only. The swell stays tiny and weak through the next few days, with periods under 6 seconds and onshore or cross-onshore winds from the east and northeast. The 5th and 6th of August even see fresh breezes up to 19 mph, making things lumpy and unappealing.

Then we hit another gap. From the 7th of August through the 10th, it’s back to zero swell again, even though the winds turn clean offshore from the west on the 10th. It’s a cruel tease.

Finally, on the 11th of August, Tuesday morning, we get a tiny glimmer. A north swell of 2 ft, with a period of 4 seconds, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the west-northwest. The combined energy is still only 9, so it’s weak. Paignton is a beginner spot that’s inconsistent, and this is about as small as it gets. The swell direction is from the north, which isn’t the optimum east for the break, so it’s not going to wrap in well. Given the general lack of quality, this setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. The crowd is listed as "sometimes", so you might have it to yourself, but honestly, there’s not much to claim.

So, to sum it up: the first 16 days are a near-total bust. We have a long, dry gap from the 27th of July until the 2nd of August, then a few days of tiny, weak, wind-affected dribble, another gap, and then a final blip on the 11th of August that’s barely worth a mention. Keep your hopes up, though – it’s not always this flat here.

Rusty.

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