Swanage Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s cut to the chase: the next couple of weeks are looking mighty quiet on the surf front. We’ve got a long stretch of flat, tiny, and messy conditions lined up, so if you’re holding out for a decent wave, you’re gonna need some patience.

Looking at the whole 16-day window, the swell machine is basically switched off. The energy is weak across the board, and most of what we’re seeing is just wind chop and leftover lumps. The first real chance of anything rideable doesn’t show up until August 28th, and even then, it’s not going to be setting any worlds on fire. Before that, we’ve got a solid week-plus of nothing worth suiting up for. It’s a real bummer, but that’s how it goes sometimes.

For the first stretch, from the 16th through the 27th, it’s all about tiny, short-period slop. The swell heights stay below 1 ft, and the periods are mostly under 9 seconds, so there’s just no power or shape. We get a few pockets of offshore wind—like clear skies and a light W breeze on the 19th and a glassy morning on the 21st—but with zero swell, it doesn’t matter. The water temp anomaly is about average for the time of year at Swanage, so nothing weird there.

The first little pulse of something shows up on the morning of the 28th. The swell bumps to 2 ft from the W with a 10-second period. The combined energy is only 50, which is still pretty weak, and the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s going to be lumpy. It’s not good, but it’s at least a sign of life.

The 29th morning looks slightly better, with 2 ft from the WSW and an 8-second period, but it’s cross-shore and still weak (37). The afternoon cleans up a bit with a light cross-off breeze and 1 ft, but the energy drops again to 25. It’s not going to be pretty, but it might be your only real chance to get wet.

To be honest, the standout, if you can call it that, is the morning of the 29th. Swell direction is WSW, which is fine, and the wind is only a light breeze. It’s still small, but it’s the cleanest of the very few options.

Periods over 15 seconds? Forget it. We don’t see anything close to that until the 22nd, and even then, we’re talking about 11-second swell that’s mostly coming from the wrong direction with onshore winds. It’s not going to do anything for us.

So, for the next two weeks, keep your board in the car if you’re desperate, but don’t get your hopes up. The 29th morning looks like the only window with any kind of clean, rideable—if tiny—waves. Everything else is a washout. This stretch is proving why this spot is so fickle. Forecasts can change, so I’ll keep an eye on it, but as it stands, it’s a lean couple of weeks.

Rusty.

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