Perranporth Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. We've got a lot of swell, but it's coming with a ton of wind, and it's going to be messy. We're looking at a real long stretch of blown-out conditions.

The water’s running a bit warm for this time of year, about 65°F, which is a touch above normal for Perranporth. That’s a small silver lining, I guess.

Right now, we’re in a proper dry spell. The surf is tiny, under a foot and a half, and the wind is all over the place. It’s just not worth getting wet for. This flatness is going to hang around for a good four or five days, through Sunday the 9th. Honestly, it's a pretty bleak picture.

The first faint hint of life shows up on Wednesday the 12th. We see a little pulse of west swell, pushing to around 3ft. The period is a weak 9 seconds, and the energy is still low, just 142. It's mushy and not great, but it might be the only knee-high slop you can find if you're desperate. The morning wind is light cross-shore, so it's not completely hopeless, but don't expect any gems.

Then the ocean properly wakes up on Thursday the 13th. Swell jumps to 5ft, then 6ft, but it's coming right onshore, or cross-onshore, with a moderate breeze that's just going to chop it all up. The energy is building, up to 430, but it's all for nothing if it's a washing machine out there. This is where you start to think about kites.

Friday the 14th is more of the same, with a 5ft west swell and moderate cross-onshore winds. The quality is just not there.

Now, there's a big pulse on the horizon. Sunday the 16th looks like the biggest day of the whole period. We're talking 7ft of west swell, and the energy is cranking at 516. But before you get excited, that's paired with strong, onshore winds. That's a close-out, stormy mess. That is expert-only territory at best, but even then, it's not going to be fun. It’s a day for watching from the cliffs, not for surfing.

By Monday the 17th, the swell eases a bit to 4ft, and the wind swings cross-offshore in the morning. That's the only time in the whole window where the wind is at our backs. The fetch is coming from the SSE at 19 mph, making it clean. We're still dealing with a short-period, 8-second swell, but this might actually be the most rideable we're going to get. It's just a matter of finding one that isn't closing out.

After that, the energy fades away quickly. It drops back below 3ft and the strong onshore winds blow all week, guaranteeing lumpy, choppy, and messy conditions. The second week just looks like a write-off for any quality surf.

So, bottom line: it's a long, frustrating outlook. Hold onto that one morning on the 17th as a shot, but otherwise, keep the board in the car and the wetsuit in the shed. Forecasts can always change, but this stretch looks pretty set in its bad ways.

Rusty.

Read more