Paignton Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's be straight with you: the next two weeks around Paignton are a bit of a tough watch. We're looking at a long, dry stretch with barely a ripple to get excited about, so don't be in a rush to grab your board.

The outlook kicks off on Tuesday, 21st July, and it's a flat start. We've got a tiny 0.7 ft swell from the ENE with a short, weak period of 4 seconds, and the wind is a cross-on breeze. The wave energy is pitiful – just 1 – and the water is sitting at a very warm 67°F, which is a hefty 6°F warmer than usual for this time of year. That's a real anomaly, but it's not much comfort when the surf is this poor. Conditions are described as "poor surf conditions" all the way through.

We're in for a proper drought. From Tuesday the 21st through to the morning of Sunday, 2nd August, the forecast is a flat, grim picture. There's a few days with a puff of wind here and there, like Friday the 24th with a glassy morning but no swell, and Saturday the 25th with a fresh offshore breeze but still no waves. The energy readings are all either zero or single digits. It's a classic summer lull, and it's silent.

Now, there's a flicker of hope on the horizon. On Sunday morning, 2nd August, we finally see a pulse of energy. The swell jumps to 4 ft from the east, with a period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy hits 154 (moderate). The wind is light and onshore, so it's not clean, but it's the first real pulse we've seen. The afternoon sees that swell nudge up to 5 ft with the same period, and the energy climbs to 351 (moderate). The wind swings to a light cross-on from the NNE. It's still "marginal" conditions, but it's the only window in the whole 16-day forecast that has any kind of energy. It's not a standout, but it's the only game in town.

The following days drop back down to tiny, weak swells and poor conditions. There's a brief moment on the morning of Thursday, 30th July, with a 2 ft swell from the east and a 4-second period, but the energy is only 7 and it's cross-onshore and choppy. Not worth the paddle.

The best of a bad bunch is that Sunday, 2nd August. If you're desperate, you might find a few closeouts on the sandbanks, but it's a long way out and the wind isn't ideal. For the rest of the 16 days, you're better off cleaning the wax off your board. It's a tough run, but it's the reality of the location right now. Keep an eye on the forecasts, because this kind of flat spell can't last forever.

Rusty.

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