Surf Forecasts:
Red Strand (Dirk Bay) surf forecast from 29 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 4 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 5s period, E swell with 71 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 1.1m 5s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Tue 4th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Red Strand (Dirk Bay) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is a tough one to write, because honestly, there’s nothing really on the table for the next couple of weeks. The whole 16-day window is a flat spell. You’ve got a few scraps of swell showing up, but nothing that even gets close to rideable.
We’re looking at Red Strand (Dirk Bay) here, a sheltered reef set-up that usually needs a good push from the SW to work. That push just isn’t coming. Over the next week, from July 29th right through to August 5th, the swell is tiny. We’re talking less than 1 ft up to 2 ft, with periods all over the place—some long-period groundswell signals at 13 seconds, but no height to back it up. The combined energy is weak, barely cracking double digits (values like 7, 15, 44), so there’s just no power in the water.
The wind, to be fair, does clean up a bit. Late July into early August we get some offshore and cross-offshore conditions from the WNW and N, which would make for a clean surface. But even with clean, glassy mornings on August 6th and some solid offshore breezes on the 4th, there’s no wave to ride. It’s all classed as “poor surf conditions” across the board.
Moving into the second week, from August 7th onward, things stay the same. The swell barely nudges up to 3 ft on the 7th, but the wind swings onshore from the S with a 4-second period, so all you get is bumpy, weak windswell. The combined energy climbs a little—into the 40s—but that’s still weak for any real surf. The rest of the week is more of the same: small, underpowered, and with winds shifting around. The last few days, August 12th and 13th, are just cross-shore slop with energy down in the teens.
This is a blank run for the area. For a spot this sheltered, you need a proper SW groundswell to wrap in, and it just isn’t happening. Kite surfers might find something to play with on the windier afternoons, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a waiting game. Forecasts can change, but right now it looks like a solid two-week flat spell.
Stay patient.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Wed morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Mon night. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | SW 3 | S 6 | S 13 | S 13 | S 11 | S 12 | S 12 | W 10 | S 10 | S 12 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | W 10 | SW 8 | SW 8 | SW 8 | SW 8 | S 15 | E 5 | E 4 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 11 | 24 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 71 | 15 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 6:09PM3.12m | 6:25AM3.11m | 6:44PM3.22m | 7:00AM3.19m | 7:18PM3.28m | 7:34AM3.24m | 7:53PM3.29m | 8:09AM3.24m | 8:28PM3.26m | 8:46AM3.20m | 9:06PM3.19m | 9:26AM3.12m | 9:49PM3.08m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:06PM0.52m | 00:27AM0.49m | 12:42PM0.42m | 1:02AM0.41m | 1:16PM0.36m | 1:36AM0.38m | 1:50PM0.34m | 2:09AM0.38m | 2:24PM0.37m | 2:44AM0.43m | 3:00PM0.44m | 3:20AM0.50m | 3:40PM0.53m | ||||||||
 |  |  | |  | | | | | |  |  | | |  | | |  | | | | |
 | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:29 | — | — | 9:28 | — | — | 9:25 | — | — | 9:23 | — | — | 9:22 | — | — | 9:21 | — | — | 9:19 |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 11 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 16 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | S 7 | S 6 | SSE 5 | — | SW 4 | S 12 | W 11 | — | SW 9 | SW 8 | SW 8 | SW 8 | SW 9 | SW 8 | SW 8 | E 6 | SW 8 | SW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 |
| kJ | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 11 | 24 | 23 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 4 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 11 | S 4 | — | S 13 | S 11 | W 12 | S 12 | W 10 | SW 4 | S 10 | — | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | S 16 | SW 8 | S 15 | S 15 | S 15 | S 14 |
| kJ | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | 17 | 7 | 5 | 17 | 4 | 17 | 4 | 4 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 13 | SW 4 | S 13 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | S 10 | S 12 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | W 6 | S 9 | S 16 | S 16 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | SE 7 |
| kJ | — | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 3 | SW 3 | — | — | WSW 2 | WNW 2 | W 4 | WSW 3 | — | — | WSW 2 | — | — | E 3 | E 4 | E 5 | — | E 4 | ENE 4 | E 5 | E 4 |
| kJ | 3 | 7 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 3 | 13 | — | 5 | 34 | 71 | 15 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 122 | 433 | 303 | 467 | 503 | 113 | 113 | 503 | 295 | 111 | 285 | 102 | 111 | 122 | 24 | 88 | 95 | 122 | 24 | 297 | 297 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cork | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Red Strand (Dirk Bay) surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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.
Nearest