Portrush-West Strand Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way.

It’s a bleak start, I won't lie. The first few days are mostly a write-off with onshore junk and messy conditions. The pattern shows a big pulse of NW swell mid-period, but the wind’s all over the place. Things start to clean up nicely heading into the second week, though, with a few standout windows for the patient surfer.

The opening on Tuesday the 15th is nothing to write home about. West Strand’s got a tiny 1 ft WNW swell with a weak 10-second period and a cross-on WSW breeze at 16 mph. Combined energy is just 59 – that’s weak. It’s lumpy and poor. That afternoon it jumps to 4 ft on a 5-second windswell, but it’s onshore at 19 mph, so forget it.

Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th see the swell building but the wind stays gnarly. Thursday afternoon we hit 10 ft from the NW with a 13-second groundswell, and the combined energy rockets to 3385 – that’s strong energy, but it’s being absolutely trashed by a 28 mph cross-onshore. That’s expert-only territory, and frankly, it’s messy. For the average surfer, the beach setup combined with that strength wind makes this look more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Into Friday the 18th, we get a glimmer. The swell is easing to 7 ft NW at 12 seconds (energy 1381 – moderate-to-strong), and by the afternoon the wind swings to a light cross-offshore from the SSW at 16 mph. Conditions are clean. This is the first real chance for a decent wave, but that’s still a solid 7 ft, best left for experienced surfers.

Saturday and Sunday the 20th show promise. Sunday afternoon is our first true standout. The swell holds at 5 ft from the NW with a nice 13-second period (energy 639 – moderate). The wind is light cross-off from the SSE at just 6 mph, making for clean surf. This is a good window for all abilities.

From Monday the 21st, the trend is your friend. Monday afternoon the wind drops to glassy – that’s a 4 ft NW swell with a 11-second period and a flat calm. Clean, easy paddling, just a nice little groundswell. Tuesday the 22nd afternoon is even glassier, with 3 ft from the NW and a very long 15-second period. That’s classic groundswell; it’ll wrap into the beach but might be a bit straight, so watch for that. Combined energy is 417 – moderate. Still, glassy is glassy.

The real highlight comes a bit further out. Saturday the 26th morning, we’ve got a 3 ft NW groundswell with a very long 17-second period, light offshore wind from the SSE at 12 mph, and combined energy of 580. That’s a clean, lined-up swell with good push. With that long period and offshore breeze, West Strand will have some nice peeling shoulders. Crowds are often here, so expect company, but this is the best window for a quality session. The break is consistent and exposed to that NW swell, so it should fire.

A few other notes: water temp is 59°, which is a touch warmer than normal for the time of year – about a degree and a third above average, so not a huge anomaly but pleasant. And on Monday the 28th afternoon, we get another glassy spell with 5 ft NW at 12 seconds, clean, and combined energy of 573 – a solid backup if the earlier standouts get too busy.

Overall, it’s a slow start but the second week has a couple of clean, glassy, long-period windows that will reward the patient surfer.

- Rusty

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