Perranporth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s talk about the surf here in the UK. It’s been a grim stretch, and to be honest, the next couple of weeks aren’t going to win any awards. We’ve got a long wait for anything decent, but there is a tiny window of opportunity if you’re patient.

The main issue is the wind. We’ve got a solid run of onshore and cross-onshore winds from the west and northwest that are just tearing up the surface. The first proper recommendation doesn’t come until Saturday morning, August 22nd at Perranporth. The swell is small, just 2ft, but it’s swinging in from the west with a 10-second period, which is a clean, long-period groundswell. The real kicker is the wind: a light offshore from the east, with a gentle breeze, creating clean, glassy conditions. The wave energy is weak (117), so it’s not going to be pumping, but it’ll be a nice, soft, clean wave for a paddle. The water is sitting at 65°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick steamer. That Saturday afternoon stays clean with a cross-off breeze, but it’s even smaller.

We then hit a massive flat spell. From Sunday, August 23rd, right through to Tuesday, August 25th, the swell completely drops out. Swell heights are barely 0.7ft to 1ft. Even with fresh offshore winds, there’s just no water moving. You’d be floating.

The next faint glimmer comes on Wednesday, August 26th, with a 4ft southwest swell, but it’s a short period of 7 seconds and the wind is a fresh cross-offshore. It’s clean, but it’s weak and messy. Not worth a special trip.

The real story, and probably the only thing that gets the heart beating, is a big, raw pulse that arrives right at the end of the forecast. On Saturday, August 29th, the swell jumps to 8ft from the west-southwest, with a combined energy of 933 (moderate). That’s a chunky wave. However, the wind is a strong cross-shore, creating a lumpy, choppy mess. It’s not a classic. Then on Sunday, August 30th, the swell peaks at 10ft to 12ft with a 10-second period, and the energy rockets to 2290 (strong). That’s serious power. But again, the wind is a fresh cross-onshore. This setup is big, raw, and blown out. For a beach break like Perranporth, this is more interesting for the kite surfers than the paddle crew. It’s only for experts who are happy in challenging, lumpy conditions.

The rest of the window into early September is a repeat of the same story: big swells (8ft to 10ft) but with onshore and cross-onshore winds that will trash the surface. The best of a bad bunch is the Saturday morning, August 29th window, but even that is far from perfect. The standout for the whole period, if you are desperate for a paddle, is that Saturday morning, August 22nd – small, clean, and offshore. It’s the only true classic window.

Rusty.

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