Swanage Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Swanage has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a pretty bleak picture for a while. We’ve got a long stretch of almost nothing worthwhile, so don’t be in a rush to grab your board.

The first bit of surf that’s even worth mentioning doesn’t show up until late in the first week. For the first few days, from Saturday 22nd right through to mid-week, it’s all tiny, weak, and choppy. The wind is all wrong, mostly cross-onshore, and the swell is barely a ripple. You’re looking at waves under 2 ft with periods so short they’re just wind slop. Combined energy is in the single digits to low teens – that’s weak stuff. Water temp is a scorching 69°, which is a whopping 7° warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s very unusual, but it won’t help the waves.

By Thursday 27th there’s a slight uptick. Thursday morning we get a clean 2 ft from the SE with a 6-second period and a cross-offshore wind, combined energy of 31 (weak). It’s clean, but tiny. Thursday afternoon the swell jumps to 4 ft from the SW (7s), and the energy jumps to 328 (moderate), but the wind goes cross-shore, so it’s a bit messy.

Now, Friday 28th is the one true standout in the whole period. Friday morning we’ve got offshore winds from the WSW at 19 mph, a clean 7 ft swell from the SW with a 6-second period, and combined energy of 386 (moderate). That’s a solid, punchy wave for Swanage, but it’s over 5 ft, so it’s getting a bit much for beginners. The wind is fresh offshore, so it’ll be clean. Friday afternoon sees a similar 8 ft from the SW (7s), energy at 471 (moderate), with a cross-offshore breeze. That’s your best bet – it’s a proper session if you’re comfortable in bigger surf. For experts, that’s a go.

Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th still have some size, with waves around 6 ft to 6 ft and offshore winds, so it stays clean, but the energy drops a bit. Sunday morning has a strong 25 mph offshore wind, which makes it clean but hard to paddle into. After that, the swell fades fast.

From Monday 31st onwards, it’s a slow bleed back to nothing. Monday morning is glassy, but only 3 ft (8s) – clean but small. The rest of the second week, from 1st September onward, is a total write-off: tiny waves, poor winds, and combined energy in the single digits. There’s a longer-period 15-second swell on the 3rd but it’s a pathetic 0.3 ft – not worth a paddle.

So, to wrap it up: the first several days are a write-off. The only real session to aim for is Friday 28th, with the 7-8 ft SW swell and offshore wind. Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th are also clean but a bit smaller. After that, it’s back to flat or near-flat conditions. If you’ve got a kite, some of those windy days with bigger swell might be more interesting than a paddle on a surfboard, but for a surf, it’s mostly a bust.

Rusty.

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