Strandhill Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a good, hard look at what’s headed our way for the next couple of weeks.

We’re looking at a pretty frustrating run, to be honest. There’s a big gap of poor conditions to start, but the end of the window shows some real potential energy. The water’s sitting at 62°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you might not need the thickest wetsuit right away.

The first real chance to get wet doesn’t come until Sunday morning, the 9th of August. That morning at Strandhill, we’ll have a clean 4ft swell from the west, with a 9-second period. The wind is a light cross-off from the SSW at 9 mph, which should keep things tidy. The combined energy is moderate at 276, so it’s not a powerhouse, but it’s surfable. It’s the best of a very average bunch early on.

After that, we hit a quiet spell. Monday the 10th offers glassy conditions in the morning, but the swell drops right off to a tiny 2ft with weak energy (72). From Tuesday through to the following Saturday, the 15th, the swell is nearly flat, with heights under 2ft most days and combined energy readings in the low double-digits. The wind is offshore or cross-off a few times, but there’s just no water moving. It’s a real lull.

Things start to look a bit more interesting around Wednesday, the 19th of August. The swell kicks up to 6ft on Wednesday morning, but with a strong onshore wind from the WNW at 12 mph, it’s going to be a messy, blown-out affair. The afternoon shows a bigger 6ft swell from the WNW with a period of 9 seconds, and the energy jumps to 528 (moderate), but again, it’s cross-onshore. Not great.

The standout window, and the one to keep an eye on, is Thursday, the 20th of August. The morning brings a solid 6ft groundswell from the west with a long 11-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 819. The wind is offshore from the NW at 9 mph, which is a major positive for clean conditions. This is the best call on offer. However, at 6ft, it’s getting a bit too big for beginners. The long period also means it’s a groundswell, and at a beach/sandbar setup like Strandhill, it can break a bit straight. Still, that offshore wind is a game-changer. The afternoon stays big at 7ft (WNW, 10s) with 836 energy, but the wind swings cross-onshore, making it choppy and only for the experienced crew.

After that, the swell fades quickly through the 21st and into the weekend, with the last week of the forecast showing bumpy, onshore conditions and dropping energy. It’s not worth making plans for.

Final call: If you’re itching for a paddle, the Sunday morning, 9th of August is your best early bet for a clean, mellow session. But the real standout is Thursday morning, 20th of August. That’s got the size, the energy, and the offshore wind. It’s a week and a half away, so forecasts can shift, but right now, that’s the one to circle on the calendar.

Rusty.

Read more