Porth Ceriad Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get real about this stretch. I’m lookin’ at the charts for Porth Ceriad and, honestly, it’s a tough one. For a spot that’s usually exposed to the southwest, we’re in for a lot of waiting around. The first proper surfable pulse doesn’t show up until the very end of the first week, but even then, conditions are a mess.

We kick off Wednesday the 26th of August with barely a ripple—0.7 ft of swell from the SSW, and it’s just a weak, short-period thing. The water’s sitting at 66°F, which is a solid 5°F warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice surprise if you’re just having a swim. But for surfing? Forget it. That tiny, weak energy (9) and the cross-off breeze aren’t doing us any favours. Thursday and Friday are total washouts with even smaller waves and poor wind, so don’t bother padding up.

We get a bit of a pulse into the weekend. Saturday the 29th morning is a write-off—22 mph cross-onshore winds and chop, but the afternoon cleans up a bit with a lighter cross-off breeze and a tiny 2 ft swell. Still, with only 30 energy and a 6-second period, it’s not worth the drive. Sunday the 30th brings onshore winds and rain, so it’s ugly.

The first real chance comes Monday the 31st of August. We’ve got 4 ft of SW swell, an 8-second period, and moderate energy (166). The morning shows a cross-off WNW breeze at 19 mph, which should keep it reasonably clean. It’s not a standout, but it’s the best we’ve seen so far. The afternoon gets lumpy with a cross-shore wind, so aim for the early session.

Tuesday the 1st of September sees a bump in size—5 ft from the W—but the period drops to 6 seconds, which is pure wind swell. The morning is clean with a cross-off breeze, but that short period means the waves will be fat and crumbly, not really offering much shape. The energy is moderate (154). This is a beginner-friendly size, but don’t expect anything special.

Then we hit a weird gap. Wednesday the 2nd of September is glassy calm, with a 0.3 ft, 16-second groundswell. That’s an incredibly long period, but there’s no height to ride. It’s the kind of day you just sit and watch the ocean breathe. Thursday the 3rd brings strong winds and messy surf, so no go.

The next real window is Saturday the 5th of September. This one is a bit of a beast. We’re looking at 8 ft of SW swell with an 8-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 703—that’s strong, punchy wave energy. The wind is light and variable from the south, so it’s clean. But listen, 8 ft is solid and only for experienced surfers. The period is short, so those waves will be steep and dumpy, more suited to reef breaks than a beach. At Porth Ceriad, a beach break, this could be a close-out mess. The water temp is unknown for this date, but given the earlier anomaly, it’s likely still warm. The Sunday the 6th of September holds similar size (6 ft) but with a cross-onshore wind, so Saturday morning is the target.

After that, the swell drops off and the wind goes bad again. The rest of the second week is a write-off: tiny waves, onshore winds, and a lot of chop. The 8th of September has a nice offshore breeze from the NNW, but the swell is only 2 ft, so it’s a clean, tiny day for a longboard or a beginner.

The standout is the morning of Saturday the 5th of September. If you’re an experienced surfer, that’s the one to circle. 8 ft of SW swell, strong energy (703), and clean conditions. But it’s a short-period swell, so expect it to be a bit dumpy and punchy. For the intermediates, the morning of Monday the 31st of August is your best bet—4 ft, clean, and manageable.

Overall, it’s a period of waiting, with only a couple of windows that are worth your time. The first week is mostly a bust, and the second week has one solid pulse for the brave. The rest is flat or blown out. Keep an eye on the forecasts, because right now, it’s a lean stretch.

Rusty

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