Portreath Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright surfers, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Portreath Beach has cookin' over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, I gotta start this one with a heavy heart. Right now, and for a long stretch ahead, the surf is pretty much flat. We're looking at a real dry spell. From now through until around the 20th of July, the swell is tiny – we're talking ankle to shin-high waves at best, with the combined energy barely ticking over, often below 100 (weak). The wind is mostly coming from the east, which is cross-offshore here, but with next to no swell to work with, it doesn't mean a thing. The water temp is sitting at 63°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that's small comfort when the ocean is asleep. Expect a good week or more of very little to nothing rideable.

We do finally see a pulse of energy arriving around the 21st of July. The swell starts to show some life, with combined energy hitting 192 (moderate) on Tuesday morning as a 5ft W swell pushes in. But here's the kicker – the wind turns strong from the SW at 19 mph, making it a messy, cross-onshore chop. The size builds into the 5ft to 6ft range on Wednesday and Thursday, even hitting 479 (strong) energy at one point, but the onshore wind from the west just ruins the surface. It's going to be lumpy, choppy, and pretty unsatisfying for a paddle surfer. Honestly, when the wind is that strong and the setup is a beach break like this, the conditions might actually be better for the kite surfers to get their fix.

The big event arrives on Saturday the 25th of July. We have a serious swell – a solid 10ft W swell with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy is absolutely pumping at 1291 (strong to very strong). That is a lot of ocean power. But, and it's a big but, the wind is still a cross-onshore from the west at 16 mph. That kind of size with onshore wind at a beach break is a recipe for a washing machine. This is strictly for the experts only, and even then, it will be a battle. The swell direction from the west is close to the optimum NW, but the wind just won't cut us a break. The following day, Sunday the 26th, the swell drops back to 5ft with a clean cross-offshore wind from the SSW, offering the best chance of a clean-ish wave for a short window, but it's a big drop in size and energy (391).

So the bottom line: there is no standout period here. The entire 16-day window is plagued by poor surf conditions. The biggest swell is too blown out, and the cleanest winds have no swell. If you're desperate, keep an eye on Sunday the 26th morning for a last little pulse with cleaner wind.

Stay patient, lads. It'll turn around.
Rusty.

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