Portrush-East Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and listen up. It’s Rusty here, and I’ve got a tough one for you. The entire 16-day window for Portrush East Strand is looking pretty grim. We’ve got a long stretch of poor surf conditions and marginal forecasts, so don’t expect to be ripping much.

Right now, the water’s sitting at around 59°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year. The problem is, we’ve got a massive gap at the start with no real surf to speak of. Tuesday afternoon the 4th sees a tiny 1ft swell from the NNW, with a weak 8-second period and combined energy of just 19 – that’s barely a ripple. The wind is a light cross-off from the W, but with that size, it’s a total write-off.

Wednesday the 5th gets a bit of a bump in the afternoon, with a 8ft NW swell and a short 8-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 771 (moderate). But the wind is howling at 25 mph from the WNW, making it a messy, blown-out cross-off. At 8ft, it’s getting too big for beginners, and with that wind, it’s just not fun. Thursday the 6th is a step down, with a 4ft NNW swell and a 7-second period in the morning, then dropping to 2ft. It’s still windy, so nothing is clean.

The first real glimmer comes on Friday afternoon, the 7th of August. The swell picks up to 4ft from the NW, with a 10-second period—that’s a decent groundswell. The combined energy is 304 (moderate). The wind is a gentle 9 mph cross-off from the W, which will keep things clean. The forecast says “expect good surf conditions,” but it’s only a 2 out of 10. It’s rideable, but don’t expect perfection. It’s more of a salvage session than a standout.

Then we hit another dry spell. Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th offer small, marginal 3ft to 4ft swells, but the wind is either cross-off or light, and the forecasts are all “marginal” or “poor.” The whole week from the 10th to the 14th of August is a total bust. We’re looking at tiny 0.3ft to 2ft swells, short periods, and combined energy barely hitting double digits. It’s as flat as a pancake.

The only real standout in the whole 16-day window lands on Saturday the 15th of August. That’s the one to circle on your calendar. We get a 8ft NW swell with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 1160 (strong). That’s a proper amount of power. The wind is a moderate 12 mph cross-off from the WNW, which will keep the surf clean. However, the forecast is “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions,” scoring a 3 out of 10. At 8ft, this is only for experienced surfers; it’s too big for beginners. The NW swell direction is a good match for the break, but the period is only 10 seconds, so it won’t have that super-long, drawn-out feel.

Sunday the 16th is a step down to 5ft, and the rest of the week fades back into small, weak junk. Overall, the 15th is your best bet, but it’s a long way off and not a sure thing. For the rest, it’s a waiting game. The break is fairly consistent, so it tends not to stay this poor for long. Keep checking the charts.

Stay patient, and I’ll see you in the water if it ever shows up.

- Rusty

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