Surf Forecasts:
Red Strand (Dirk Bay) surf forecast from 15 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 15 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 16s period, SSW swell with 51 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Red Strand (Dirk Bay) this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Red Strand (Dirk Bay) in the next 16 days are 0.3m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 1ft (0.3m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Red Strand (Dirk Bay) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer.
Well, to be honest, it’s gonna be a pretty quiet stretch ahead. The whole 16-day window is looking like a write-off for any decent waves. That’s a long gap with nothing to get excited about. We’re talking from now, right through to the end of July, with no real surf to speak of.
The only spot in the frame is Red Strand (Dirk Bay), a sheltered little reef that’s pretty beginner-friendly and fairly consistent when there’s swell. But that’s the problem – there’s barely any swell. The water’s sitting at 63°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice bonus if you’re just having a dip.
The first few days, from Tuesday the 14th through to the end of the week, are tiny. We’re looking at a max of 4 ft, but that’s from the east with a short, weak 6-second period and a cross-shore wind, making it lumpy. The combined energy is only 176 (moderate), but the quality is poor, so it’s a no-go.
The rest of the run is even smaller – mostly 0.3 ft to 1 ft, with a few pulses of long-period groundswell from the SSW, up to 16 to 20 seconds. That sounds nice on paper, but the swell height is just too small to do anything with. The wind does turn offshore or clean on a few mornings, like the 17th, 18th, and 20th, but with those tiny waves, you’d be floating around waiting for a ripple.
Later in the month, around the 26th and 27th, we see a bit of a bump in size – 2 ft to 3 ft – but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, and the periods are short and weak (3 to 6 seconds). The combined energy tops out at 85 (weak). It’s choppy, messy, and not worth paddling out for.
So, bottom line: there’s nothing to recommend here. The surf is flat, the wind is messy, and the consistency is just not there. It happens sometimes in this area – a blank run like this is more normal than you’d hope. Keep an eye on the charts, though; it tends not to stay this quiet forever.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Fri morning, min 17°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Fri afternoon, min 15°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tue 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 21 | S 20 | SSW 19 | S 19 | S 18 | SSW 18 | S 18 | SE 6 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 94 | 18 | 50 | 51 | 49 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 34 | 33 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 37 | 7 | 6 | 30 | 6 | 7 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | off | cross-on | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | off | off | cross | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 5:52PM3.53m | 6:17AM3.47m | 6:42PM3.63m | 7:05AM3.52m | 7:29PM3.64m | 7:52AM3.50m | 8:16PM3.57m | 8:37AM3.41m | 9:02PM3.42m | 9:23AM3.25m | 9:48PM3.21m | 10:10AM3.06m | 10:36PM2.97m | 11:00AM2.85m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:18AM0.14m | 12:39PM0.10m | 1:08AM0.08m | 1:27PM0.06m | 1:56AM0.10m | 2:14PM0.09m | 2:42AM0.19m | 3:00PM0.20m | 3:27AM0.34m | 3:47PM0.37m | 4:12AM0.52m | 4:34PM0.57m | 5:00AM0.71m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:41 |
 | — | 9:47 | — | — | 9:46 | — | — | 9:45 | — | — | 9:45 | — | — | 9:44 | — | — | 9:43 | — | — | 9:40 | 9:39 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 24 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 25 | 21 | 17 |
Feels °C | 14 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 19 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 18 | ESE 6 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | E 5 | SSW 14 | SSW 6 | E 4 | ENE 6 | E 6 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | ENE 4 | SW 12 | S 12 | E 5 | E 4 | E 4 | E 5 | E 4 | SE 6 |
| kJ | 61 | 50 | 50 | 51 | 17 | 41 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 17 | 17 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 7 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | ESE 8 | S 7 | S 6 | SSW 16 | SSW 7 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | E 4 | — | SSW 12 | S 21 | S 20 | SSW 19 | S 19 | ESE 6 | SSW 18 | SE 4 | S 16 |
| kJ | 18 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 49 | 9 | 41 | 41 | 34 | 33 | 1 | — | 14 | 9 | 7 | 37 | 7 | 3 | 30 | 1 | 5 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 7 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 6 | S 18 | SW 12 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | S 5 | — | S 21 | S 15 | S 15 | S 12 | S 11 | S 18 | S 12 | S 18 | S 11 |
| kJ | 3 | 18 | 7 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 9 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | — | E 5 | E 5 | — | E 6 | E 5 | — | — | — | N 2 | NNE 3 | — | NNE 3 | NE 4 | ENE 5 | — | — | — | — | ENE 4 |
| kJ | 94 | — | 52 | 31 | — | 31 | 31 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | 3 | 3 | 20 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 95 | 7 | 5 | 93 | 5 | 5 | 95 | 5 | 24 | 766 | 122 | 109 | 631 | 112 | 113 | 5 | 113 | 98 | 95 | 113 | 102 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cork | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Red Strand (Dirk Bay) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Red Strand (Dirk Bay) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Red Strand (Dirk Bay) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Red Strand (Dirk Bay) surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Red Strand (Dirk Bay)) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Red Strand (Dirk Bay) may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a holiday in Cork? If you are looking for accommodation near Red Strand (Dirk Bay), camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Cork, consider staying in Kinsale which is 34 km (21 miles) away. Other places in and around Cork where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Bantry which is 39 km (24 miles) away, Cork, Cobh and Youghal.
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