Porth Ceriad Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Porth Ceriad over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, it’s a pretty quiet start. We’re looking at a whole lot of nothing for the first week or so. The water is sitting at 66°F which is much warmer than usual for this time of year, but that’s about the only thing to get excited about. From Friday the 17th right through to Sunday the 26th, the swell is tiny, often flat, with barely a ripple of energy. You’ll get some clean, glassy mornings, but there’s nothing to ride. The combined swell energy is practically zero for most of that stretch, just a few weak blips hitting single digits (5, 7, 1). It’s a long, flat gap of about nine days, so don’t bother paddling out until the end of the month.

Things finally start to flicker on Sunday the 26th afternoon. A small 3ft swell from the SW creeps in with a short period of 5 seconds, and the wind is a gentle offshore from the N. The combined energy hits 41 – still weak, but it’s a start. The conditions are clean, but it’s only just surfable, nothing to write home about.

Monday the 27th is a write-off, onshore wind and messy conditions, so skip it.

The first real standout comes on Wednesday the 29th. The morning sees a 5ft SW swell, period of 6 seconds, with a gentle offshore breeze from the NNE. The combined energy climbs to 141 (moderate). By the afternoon, things get seriously good. The swell bumps up to 6ft from the WSW, period still 7 seconds, and the wind stays light offshore from the NNE. The energy jumps to 286 (strong). This is the best on offer – expect good surf conditions, clean faces, and a proper session. It’s a beginner-friendly size, so it’s a good one for everyone.

Thursday the 30th morning is the absolute peak of the run. A 7ft swell from the NW, period of 7 seconds, with a light cross-offshore from the NE. The combined energy is a massive 572 (very strong). This is big, powerful, and the forecast says very good surf conditions. That’s expert territory, though. If you’re not comfortable in overhead, powerful surf, sit this one out. The afternoon drops off fast with a strong offshore wind, so get out early.

Friday the 31st morning offers a solid 6ft swell from the WNW, 6-second period, and glassy conditions with a light easterly. Combined energy at 268 (strong) – another good, clean session, but it’s a bit smaller than Thursday. Still, for a solid wave, it’s a great option. The afternoon stays clean with a 6ft NW swell, but the quality drops a notch.

After that, the window closes. Saturday the 1st of August looks back to small, onshore slop.

So, for the standouts, hit Wednesday the 29th afternoon for a solid, clean, manageable swell, and Thursday the 30th morning for the biggest, most powerful waves of the run – but only if you’ve got the skill for it. The swell direction is SW and then NW, which is a good match for the optimum SW direction for this break.

Don’t expect any crowds to be an issue, as it’s listed as ‘often’ busy, but with such a big gap of flat surf, everyone will be frothing to get out on those last few days.

- Rusty

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