Porth Ceriad Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Porth Ceriad. I’ve got to be straight with you—this is a tough one. The whole 16-day window is basically a write-off for any kind of decent surf. There isn’t a single standout session, and honestly, most of it looks pretty grim. You’re looking at a long stretch of poor surf conditions, with only a couple of brief moments that are even worth mentioning, and even then, it’s not great.

The water temperature is sitting at about 65°, which is a notable 5° warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s a bit unusual, so you’ll be surfing in warmer water than you’d expect, but that’s about the only positive.

We start off with a real flat spell. Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th see tiny, weak swell—only about 0.3 ft to 2 ft—with some cross-off winds that keep things clean but totally unrideable. The combined swell energy is negligible, barely reaching double digits (12). There’s just nothing to work with.

Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th are a complete mess. The wind swings onshore and gets strong, up to 22 mph, making the surface lumpy and choppy. Swell picks up a touch to 2 ft to 3 ft, but it’s short-period (6-8 seconds) and weak energy-wise, maxing out at 132 on the Sunday afternoon. It’s just not worth getting wet.

Monday the 31st is the closest we get to something half-decent. The morning shows a 4 ft swell from the WSW, with a 9-second period and cross-off winds from the WNW at 16 mph. The combined energy jumps to 459, which is the highest we’ll see, but the wave comment still says “poor surf conditions.” It’s clean, but it’s just not coming together for a proper wave. The afternoon drops back down.

From there, it’s a downward spiral. Tuesday the 1st of September and Wednesday the 2nd are small and choppy, with onshore winds. Thursday the 3rd sees a 6 ft swell, but it’s cross-shore with a cross-chop and only a 7-second period, so it’s messy and not surfable.

The only glimmer comes on Saturday the 5th of September. The morning has a 7 ft swell from the WSW with a 7-second period and light cross-shore winds. The combined energy is 428, and the wave comment is “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” It gets a score of 1 out of 10, which is the highest in the whole forecast. For a beginner-friendly spot like Porth Ceriad, 7 ft is getting too big, and with that short period, it’s going to be a bit of a washing machine. But if you’re an experienced surfer and you’re desperate, it might offer a few lumpy, powerful lines, especially if the tide lines up.

After that, it’s back to small, weak, and windy for the rest of the second week. Sunday the 6th has some offshore wind (N, 6 mph) but only 2 ft of swell, and by Monday the 7th, it’s onshore and messy again. The rest of the period is more of the same—small swell, strong winds, and clean but tiny conditions that won’t get you anywhere.

So, there you have it. A blank run like this is more normal for this area, but it doesn’t mean it stays poor forever. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye out, but for now, I’d say leave the board at home.

Rusty.

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