Porthtowan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Porthtowan. Gotta be straight with you – the next few days are a write-off. We’re looking at a rough start with onshore winds hammering the coast, and the swell is all over the place. It’s not until Sunday the 13th that we finally see a glimmer of hope.

The water is sitting at 65°F with a positive anomaly of 3°F, so it’s a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a small mercy.

Tuesday 8th to Saturday 12th September – Forget it. Strong onshore winds from the NW and SW, with a fresh breeze picking up. The swell is there, up to 7ft on Tuesday, but it’s blown out and messy. The combined energy is moderate at best (677), but it’s all slop. Not worth paddling out.

Sunday 13th September – This is the first bright spot. We get a brief window of magic. The wind drops to nearly nothing, going glassy from the NW. Swell is a clean 5ft out of the west with a 10-second period. The combined energy is moderate (433). This is clean, glassy surf. For a beginner spot, this is about as good as it gets, but it’s a small window. The Sunday afternoon session gets a bit of cross-on chop, so hit the morning session hard.

Monday 14th to Tuesday 15th September – Monday is a bit of a return to messy conditions, but hold on. Tuesday the 15th is the real standout. A classic Cornish offshore from the SE, 9-12 mph, keeping it clean. The swell is 4ft to 4ft out of the west with a decent 10-11 second period. Combined energy is moderate (290). This is a lovely, clean, fun-size wave. For a beginner-friendly break like Porthtowan, this is a winner with light crowds possible.

Wednesday 16th to Thursday 17th September – Back to the onshore wind regime. The swell drops off and the wind gets messy. Not worth the trip.

Friday 18th to Saturday 19th September – Friday is a no-go, but Saturday morning the 19th is another little gem. The wind goes glassy from the NNE. The swell is a small 3ft out of the WNW, but with a juicy 11-second period. Combined energy is moderate (307). This is a long-period groundswell, which will wrap in nicely. It’s clean, it’s glassy, and it’s a perfect little wave for a longboard.

Sunday 20th to Tuesday 22nd September – A bit of a mixed bag. The wind turns offshore again from the ESE, but the swell is tiny, 2ft to 3ft. It’s clean, but you’ll be fighting for a knee-high wave. The combined energy is weak (68-180). If you’re desperate for a paddle, it’s surfable, but that’s all.

Wednesday 23rd September – A bigger pulse of long-period swell arrives, 4ft out of the WNW with a very long 14-second period. The combined energy is strong (586). But the wind is cross-on from the WSW, so it’ll be a bit lumpy. This is a classic groundswell setup, which is better for the points and reefs, but at a beach break like Porthtowan, it might be a bit straight and gutless. Worth a look if you’re patient.

The Bottom Line: The real standout is Tuesday the 15th. Clean, offshore conditions, fun waist-high swell. The second best is Sunday morning the 13th for the glassy conditions. The long-range Saturday 19th morning is a small but clean prospect. The rest of the window is a lot of waiting for the wind to play ball.

Stay patient, and I’ll see you in the water.

Rusty.

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