Portreath Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get this out there. It’s a bit of a slow burner for the next stretch, but there are a couple of windows that’ll get the heart going.

Overall, the first week is mostly a write-off. Tiny, weak swell with a lot of onshore or cross-onshore wind is the story. We’re looking at ankle-biters and chop for most of the first five days. You’ll see some clean conditions, but there just isn’t any push. The energy in the water is weak, mostly in the 20s and 40s, which is basically nothing.

The first real sign of life shows up on Wednesday, August 12th. The swell bumps up a bit to around 3 ft – 3 ft from the W, and the energy kicks into moderate territory (132, then 142). The morning wind is a fresh offshore from the SE, which will leave it glassy but a bit too blown out. The afternoon cleans up to a light cross-off and it’s surfable, but it’s ordinary. Not a standout, just the first paddle back.

Thursday the 13th looks like a tease. The swell drops in a bit more size (4 ft – 4 ft) and the period stretches to 10-11 seconds, and the energy jumps to 319. But the wind swings onshore from the NW and the window is gone. Cruel.

After that, we drift back into average conditions with a messy mix of NW and N winds and a bumpy ocean. The swell stays small, maybe 2 ft – 4 ft, and the energy stays in the weak to moderate range. This stretch runs from the 14th through the 18th. Plenty of chop, not much else.

Now, here’s where we get to the one true standout of this whole outlook. It’s a long way out, so keep that in mind, but Tuesday, August 19th through Wednesday, August 20th is the window. On the 19th, we see a jump in swell to 7 ft, then 8 ft, with the period still short (7-8s) and onshore winds from the NW/WNW. Not clean, but the energy is pouring in, hitting 456 and then 574. The 20th pushes it further. Morning sees 8 ft of WNW swell with a period of 9 seconds and a fresh cross-onshore breeze. That’s strong energy, hitting 919. The afternoon backs off a touch to 6 ft but the period stretches to 10 seconds, keeping the energy at 725.

Look, with that size and that wind, Portreath Beach isn't going to be a pretty sight. It’s going to be lumpy and cross-onshore. This isn’t a clean surf day for us paddle surfers. With that much west in the wind and a beach setup, it looks far more interesting for the kite crowd. If you’re one of them, get on it. For the rest of us, we’re going to have to wait.

After that, the swell drops right back off into the sub-3 ft range with weak energy through the final few days of the window. Nothing to get excited about.

Water temp is sitting at 65°, which is a touch warmer than normal for the time of year, so the boardshorts are fine.

So, there you have it. A lot of flat and messy, one big brute of a swell that’ll be a kiter’s dream and a surfer’s frustration. The long-range 19th and 20th are the best on offer, but they’re promising, not perfect. Keep the hopes up, this stretch won’t last forever.

Rusty.

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