Paignton Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, mate, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, looking at the whole run, it's a pretty bleak picture. We've got a solid stretch of nothing at the start, and the few days where there's some size on offer are completely wrecked by the wind. It’s one of those periods where you’re better off checking the forecast again later.

The first sign of any surf is on Friday, July 10th, but it’s tiny and weak. Morning sees a meagre 2 ft from the east-northeast with a short 3-second period (combined energy of all swells directed here of just 6), and it's blowing cross-onshore with a gentle breeze. Not worth a paddle. The afternoon bumps up to a dribbly 3 ft from the east, but it's still weak (25).

We get a little more size on Saturday, July 11th. The morning offers 4 ft from the east (6-second period, energy of 80), but it's choppy with a moderate cross-onshore breeze. The afternoon drops slightly to 3 ft (64). Still poor conditions all round.

The "big" swell arrives on Sunday, July 12th. Morning sees 6 ft from the east (7-second period, strong energy at 377), and the afternoon holds 6 ft (330). But here’s the kicker—both sessions are written off as poor surf conditions. The morning is lumpy with a fresh cross-onshore, and the afternoon is also onshore. This pattern holds through Monday and Tuesday: decent swell height (7 ft and 7 ft on Tuesday, July 14th), with the combined energy popping up to 449, but every single one of those sessions is ruined by a fresh breeze blowing directly onshore. It's all chop and blown-out mess. For the experienced lads, there's power there, but you're probably going to be fighting a losing battle against the wind. A beach setup like this with that much wind and swell? Looks more fun for a kite than a surfboard that week.

After that, the whole show dries up. By the end of the week starting July 14th, the swell fades, and from Sunday, July 19th right through the 22nd, it's back to flat to near-flat conditions. You’re looking at a long gap of at least three to four days at the end with nothing going on.

So, the standouts? There really aren't any. The closest we get is Paignton on July 14th (Tuesday) with a 7 ft swell from the east, but the onshore wind kills it. If you are an expert and absolutely desperate, that's the only window with any real power, but the quality is poor. For everyone else, it’s a skunk.

The water’s sitting at 64°F for that first session, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won't freeze while you're holding your board.

Keep your eyes peeled, things can turn around quick around here. Rusty.

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