Porthtowan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s coming our way for Porthtowan over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I’ve got to be straight with you: the start of this forecast is a real grind. There’s a big gap of nothing-worth-paddling-out-for from now up to the first week of September. We’ve got tiny, weak swell with lousy cross-shore winds messing things up. The water temp’s about average for the time of year, which is no surprise for late August.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until Wednesday the 4th of September. The Friday morning session is where it’s at. We’re looking at a clean, glassy start with a 5ft W swell and a period of 10 seconds. It’s a moderate energy swell (476) and it’s going to be smooth as silk. For a beginner spot like this, that’s about as good as it gets – clean, manageable, and no wind to chop it up. Keep in mind, though, that Porthtowan can get a crowd, so expect some company if it’s looking that good.

After that, the forecast gets messy again with strong onshore winds on the 5th. You get a little reprieve on Sunday the 6th with some clean, knee-to-waist high waves from the W (3ft to 2ft) and a light offshore or cross-off breeze. It’s weak energy stuff (132 to 64), but for a longboard or a funboard, it’d be a nice, quiet paddle. The crowds will likely have moved on by then.

Now, here’s the big one that’s a little far out, so take it as promising but not locked in. Monday the 7th of September morning is looking absolute beast mode. We’ve got a massive 12ft W swell rolling in with a solid 10-second period and clean conditions thanks to a cross-offshore wind. The energy reading is a whopping 2318. That is a lot of water moving. However, this is well over 8ft, so this is strictly for experts only. For a beginner break like Porthtowan, it’s honestly going to be way too big and powerful for most, and the break will be a mess of white water. If you’re not a seasoned charger, sit this one out and watch from the cliff.

The rest of the week after that fades back into mediocre cross-shore conditions and smaller swell. There is a brief moment on Wednesday the 9th of September morning with light winds and a tiny 3ft W swell, but it’s not enough to get excited about.

So, to sum it up: the standout window is the morning of Friday the 4th of September for clean, fun-sized waves, and the morning of Monday the 7th of September for the big-wave crew only. Everything else in between is mostly a write-off.

Rusty.

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