Tullaghan (Leitrim) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you – the next 16 days at Tullaghan (Leitrim) are a bit of a struggle. We're looking at a long stretch of poor surf conditions, with only a couple of windows that offer anything surfable, and even those are pretty ordinary.

The water temperature is sitting at 63°F, which is a notable 4°F warmer than usual for this time of year. A bit of a tropical vibe in the water, but it won't help the waves much.

We kick off from Sunday, 30th August, with tiny, weak swell. The combined wave energy is a measly 39 (weak energy), with a 1ft west swell and light cross-off ESE wind. It's clean, but there's just no power. Sunday afternoon goes glassy with a 2ft west swell, but still, the energy is only 64 – it's a pond.

Monday, 31st August, brings a bit more size – 5ft west-northwest swell in the morning – but it's cross-on and choppy from a 16 mph wind, with a short 8-second period. The energy jumps to 250 (moderate), but the quality is poor. This pattern of messy, cross-onshore conditions continues through Tuesday and Wednesday, with the swell bouncing around but never really organizing.

The first real standout, though it's a marginal one, arrives on Thursday, 3rd September. The morning sees a 8ft west swell with a 12-second period, and the combined energy hits 1473 (strong). The wind is a cross-shore SW at 19 mph, creating a lumpy cross-chop. This is big, powerful swell, over 8ft, so it's only for experts. The afternoon gets even bigger at 8ft with energy up to 1973, but still with that messy cross-shore wind. It's a powerful, long-period groundswell, but the conditions are far from perfect.

Friday, 4th September, is a write-off. The swell is 10ft from the west-southwest, but with a strong 25 mph cross-onshore wind, it's a washing machine. The energy is a massive 2569 (very strong), but it's unsurfable. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

After that, the swell drops and the wind remains onshore or cross-onshore through the first week of September. There's a gap of several days with no real surf to recommend. We get a brief glimpse of hope on Saturday, 12th September, with a clean morning: 4ft west-northwest swell, light cross-off wind from the south-southwest, and a combined energy of 167 (moderate). The waves are surfable, but very ordinary. The afternoon goes cross-shore and choppy.

The last notable moment is Sunday, 13th September, with a clean morning again: 3ft northwest swell, a 10-second period, and a light cross-off breeze. The energy is 163 (moderate). Again, surfable but nothing to get excited about.

So, the honest truth? There's no true standout here. The best you'll find are those marginal mornings on 3rd September (for experts only) and the clean but weak sessions on 12th and 13th September. This is a blank run, and it's a tough one for the area. Forecasts can change, but for now, keep your expectations low.

Rusty.

Read more