Strandhill Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a bit of a flat spell to start, I’m not gonna lie. The first good opportunity doesn’t show up until Monday, July 27th, and even then, it’s a bit of a poor showing. The swell is only 4 ft from the WNW with a period of 10 seconds, but the wind is a cross-on from the W at 6 mph, making it choppy and messy. The combined swell energy is weak at 286, and the water temp is a touch warmer than normal at 62°. Honestly, it’s not worth paddling out for.

Things stay quiet through the rest of July and into early August. We’ve got a long stretch of really weak surf, with heights dropping below 3 ft and periods mostly around 7-8 seconds. The wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore, and the energy is in the double digits for a lot of that time. It’s a real dry run. By Monday, August 3rd, we’re looking at glassy conditions in the morning with a tiny 2 ft NW swell, but the energy is only 39, so it’s barely a ripple.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The real standout is shaping up for the weekend of August 7th. That Friday afternoon, the 7th, we see a bit of a pulse: 4 ft from the WSW, period of 7 seconds, and glassy conditions with the wind going calm. That’s the first glimpse of something surfable, but the real magic is Saturday, August 8th. Saturday morning brings a solid 7 ft swell from the W with a 10-second period and a moderate offshore wind from the SE at 12 mph. That’s clean. The combined energy jumps to 865 (moderate wave energy), and the guidance says the wind is offshore, so those waves will be clean. That’s the best bet for experienced surfers.

Then Saturday afternoon, August 8th, it gets even better. The swell bumps up to 8 ft from the W, period still 10 seconds, and the wind is a light cross-off from the ESE at 6 mph. The energy is a whopping 1158 (very strong wave energy). This is a solid, powerful groundswell for experienced surfers only. The break is Strandhill, a beach/sandbar setup that’s fairly consistent and exposed to the WNW. The optimum swell direction is WNW, so the W and WNW swells are right in the sweet spot. It’s an intermediate-level break, but with that size, it’s expert territory. The water is a touch warmer than normal, which is nice.

The fun doesn’t last long, though. Sunday, August 9th, the wind swings to the SW at 19 mph with rain showers, and the swell is still 8 ft, but the quality drops off a cliff. The wind is cross-shore and lumpy, making it marginal at best. After that, it’s back to onshore junk and fading energy through the rest of the forecast.

So, to sum it up: you’ve got a long wait, but the 8th of August is the day to have your board waxed. Saturday morning is clean and big, Saturday afternoon is even bigger and glassy. Don’t miss it.

- Rusty

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