Staithes Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get this straight. I’ve looked at the charts for the next couple of weeks, and honestly, it’s a pretty grim picture for Staithes. We’re looking at a long stretch of either no surf or just plain messy, blown-out conditions. The first real glimmer of anything rideable doesn’t show up until the 19th of July, and even then, it’s a real struggle to call it a good day.

The whole run starts off with next to nothing. Thursday the 16th has tiny 1ft waves from the NNE with a weak period, so we’re not even getting started. Then Friday and Saturday the 17th and 18th see a bit more size, but the wind is a mess—cross-onshore and howling. It’s building to 6ft by Saturday, but with a 19 mph wind on it, the surface is going to be a lumpy, choppy mess. Not worth paddling out for.

The initial standout in this sorry stretch is really the only break worth a mention, and that’s Staithes itself. It’s a reef break, but it’s inconsistent, so don’t expect it to be turning on all the time. The best shot we get is on Sunday, July 19th. The morning is still messy with a 8ft NNE swell and a period of 10 seconds, but it's cross-onshore. However, the afternoon shows a promising shift. The wind drops to a light breeze from the NNE, going straight onshore, but the swell holds at 7ft from the same direction, with a period still around 10 seconds. The combined energy is strong (932). It’s a bit of a beast at 7ft, so this is really for the experienced crew only. The water temp is sitting at 59°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year.

Now, after that, it all falls apart again. Monday the 20th fades to 5ft and the wind swings back onshore, making it choppy. From the 21st right through to the 31st of July, the surf is mostly below 4ft, with periods all over the place and constant cross or cross-onshore winds. There’s a tiny window on the 24th with a clean, light cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is a pathetic 3ft from the NW with a period of just 4 seconds. That’s barely a ripple. The energy is almost non-existent (30).

The only other notable pulse is right at the end of the run on Thursday, July 31st. We see a 5ft to 5ft north swell rolling in, but again, the wind is a gentle cross-onshore, so it’s not going to be clean. It’s a bit bigger, but the quality is still poor. The combined energy is moderate (236-264), but the wind is just enough to chop it up.

So, the honest truth is, if you’re keen, that Sunday afternoon the 19th is your best bet, but it’s for the experts only. For the rest of us, it’s a long wait. The entire second week looks a write-off. It’s one of those stretches where the forecast can change, but right now, it’s a tough one to call good.

Keep your eyes on the sky, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty

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