Strandhill Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Strandhill. We’ve got a bit of a mixed bag ahead, but there’s definitely some light at the end of the tunnel. The water temp is sitting at about 60°F right now, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so the rubber might be a little thinner for the next few days.

Right, the start of the period is a write-off, I’m not gonna sugar-coat it. Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th are all poor surf conditions with messy, cross-onshore wind and lumpy, choppy seas. You’ll be fighting the wind more than riding the wave. That changes a bit by Wednesday the 16th, but the wind is still onshore or cross-shore, making it choppy and not worth paddling out for. The energy is building though, hitting a moderate 672 on Wednesday morning and then a strong 1257 by Thursday morning, but the wind is just too fresh and nasty.

Thursday the 17th sees the biggest swell of the first week, with the morning pumping a solid 8ft and the afternoon jumping to 12ft from the WNW with a very long period of 14 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 4420, which is strong to very strong. But here’s the kicker – the wind is a fresh cross-onshore at 22 mph. That’s a lot of power, but it’s going to be a beast and a mess. That 12ft size is expert-only territory, and with that onshore wind, even the experts are gonna have a tough time.

The first real glimmer of hope comes on Friday morning, September 18th. The swell is still a solid 8ft from the WNW, with a period of 13 seconds and combined energy of 2028. But the wind swings to a cross-off from the south at 12 mph, cleaning things up nicely. It’s still a big, powerful wave, so intermediate crew need to be on their game, but the conditions are finally surfable. This is the standout of the first week – a window of clean, strong surf.

Saturday the 19th drops off again with cross-onshore wind, keeping things marginal.

Now, hold onto your boards for Sunday morning, September 20th. This is the pick of the entire forecast. We’ve got 6ft of groundswell from the WNW with a 12-second period and combined energy of 992 (moderate to strong). The wind is offshore from the SSE at 9 mph. Gentle offshore and clean. That’s the magic words. This is going to be lined-up, clean, and firing for the intermediate crew. The break can get crowded sometimes, so get down early.

The rest of that week (21st-26th) is a slow fade. The swell drops right down to 1ft to 4ft, with clean but weak conditions. There are a couple of glassy mornings on the 25th and 26th, but you’re looking at tiny waves – better for a longboard or a paddle than a proper surf.

Into the second week, the forecast gets less certain, but there’s a promising window. Monday morning, September 29th is the one to circle on the calendar. The swell bumps back up to 4ft from the west with a very long period of 14 seconds and a moderate 489 combined energy. The wind is offshore from the SE at 12 mph, keeping it clean. It’s not the biggest, but with that long period, it’ll have some real push and shape, especially if you’re out on a point or a reef setup. It’s a promising but less certain long-range standout.

So, overall: we’ve got a rough start, a clean window on Friday the 18th, the best day on Sunday the 20th, and a potential sneaky good day on the 29th. Get after that Sunday.

Rusty.

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