Paignton Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – we’re looking at a pretty grim picture for the next couple of weeks around Paignton. The forecast is a long, dry spell with absolutely nothing to get excited about for a while. Let’s break it down.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a solid run of flat, useless conditions. From Sunday the 30th of August all the way through the morning of Monday the 7th of September, there’s no surf to speak of. The wind is howling from the southwest and west, mostly cross-off, but it doesn’t matter because there’s zero energy in the water. The water temperature is sitting at 67°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s the only notable thing.

We finally see a tiny pulse of life on the afternoon of Sunday the 6th of September, but it’s barely a ripple: a 1ft swell from the SE with a period of just 3 seconds. The combined energy is a measly 2 (weak). That’s not surf, that’s wind chop. And the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s messy. Not worth paddling out for.

The next few days are flat again, with some glassy conditions on the morning of Tuesday the 8th of September, but still no waves. It’s torture.

The action, if you can call it that, finally picks up on Friday the 11th of September. We get a little bump from the ESE: 2ft on Friday morning, with a period of 5 seconds. Combined energy is still weak at 17. The wind is cross-onshore, so it’ll be choppy. Not exactly a standout.

Saturday the 12th of September is similar, with 2ft from the east, period still 5 seconds, and energy in the mid-20s. Still cross-onshore winds. Nothing to write home about.

Now, the real change comes on Sunday the 13th of September. The swell finally kicks up to 6ft from the east, period holding at 6 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 221 (moderate). That’s actually some power. But here’s the kicker – the wind is cross-onshore in the morning and onshore in the afternoon. The surf quality is still rated as poor. The size is enough for a beginner to be cautious, but the wind is going to wreck it. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, honestly.

That trend continues into Monday the 14th of September: 6ft from the east, 6-second period, energy at 299 (moderate). But again, the wind is cross-onshore and onshore, making a mess of things. The break is a beach, so with that short-period east swell and onshore wind, it’s going to be a washing machine.

So, looking at the whole 16-day window, there isn’t a single day I’d circle as a real standout. The best you’re going to get is maybe the morning of Sunday the 13th of September if you’re desperate, but you’ll be battling choppy, wind-blown waves. The consistency is just not there for Paignton this time around. It’s a tough one.

Stay tuned, forecasts can change. But for now, I’d leave the boards in the car.

Rusty.

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