Porth Ceriad Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about Porth Ceriad. I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – this stretch is going through a lean, frustrating patch. For the first several days, there just isn’t anything worth paddling out for. Tiny, weak, messy little lines, with the odd clean moment but nothing that would get you out of bed. From Monday the 24th through to the end of August, it’s a real struggle, with wave heights barely cracking 2ft and mostly junk wind. You’re looking at a solid week-plus of flat to poor conditions, so don’t even bother waxing up until we get past that.

Now, things start to look a little more interesting come Wednesday the 2nd of September. That morning we’ve got a pulse of swell coming in from the SW at about 7ft, with a 7-second period and the wind swinging offshore out of the north at 19 mph. That’s clean, and it’s the first real chance we’ve seen in a while. The combined energy climbs to 489 (moderate energy), so there’s some decent push behind it. This is the standout window. That afternoon stays rideable too, with 5ft and still offshore, though lighter. Porth Ceriad is an exposed spot, so it’ll catch that SW swell nicely, and with clean offshore wind, it should shape up well for a beginner-friendly wave.

The clear winner? Wednesday morning, September 2nd. Swell around 7ft from the SW, clean offshore breeze, and the water’s been running much warmer than normal for this time of year – about 65°F with a 5°F anomaly, so that’s noticeable. Just bear in mind, with swell over 7ft it might be a bit much for absolute beginners, but for anyone with a bit of time in the water, it’s the best on offer.

Thursday the 3rd of September morning is worth mentioning too – glassy conditions, a little 2ft SW swell, combined energy only 54 (weak), so it’ll be small and clean, good for a longboard or a fun cruiser session.

After that, it gets messy again. Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th see lumpy, onshore winds and dropping energy. By Sunday the 6th, it’s back to tiny and chopped. Then we get a big, long-period pulse showing for Tuesday the 8th of September – 5ft SW swell, period up at 18 seconds, and combined energy a massive 1518, which is strong. But the wind is howling onshore from the south at 28 mph, so it’ll be a blown-out, dangerous mess. That one’s for the experts only, and even then, only if they’re feeling crazy. Not recommended for a paddle session.

So overall, the one true standout is Wednesday morning, September 2nd. Get on it if you can. The rest of the window is mostly a write-off, with small windows of clean but weak surf.

Rusty.

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