West Wittering Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it’s Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – this forecast for West Wittering is a tough one. We’re looking at a 16-day window that’s pretty much a write-off for any decent surf. The wave energy is non-existent or pitiful for the entire run, and the wind is rarely on our side.

The first hint of any real swell doesn’t show up until Friday, August 7th, but even then it’s a letdown. The east-facing beach/groyne setup here is sheltered, and we just don’t get the juice. We’ve got a long, dry spell from now right through the beginning of August. The water is running about 71°, which is a whopping 9° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, but it’s not going to make up for the lack of waves.

Let’s walk through it. From Wednesday, July 29th, right through to the end of the first week, we’re looking at flat, tiny scraps. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-shore, making a mess of the 0.3 ft to 2 ft slop. There’s a glassy moment on the afternoon of Sunday, August 2nd, but there’s no swell at all – zero wave energy – so it’s just a flat, calm sea.

Things finally try to show a pulse on Friday, August 7th. The morning sees a cross-on breeze with a 4 ft SW swell, but it’s a short-period windswell at 4 seconds, and the combined energy is only 42 – weak. The afternoon gets a bit bigger, 4 ft from the SW, but the onshore wind hits 19 mph, and the energy climbs to 71 – still weak and messy. This is not a session for paddle surfing; with that strong onshore wind and the shallow, choppy beach setup, it’s looking more like a kite surfing day.

Saturday, August 8th, offers a bit of hope. The morning has a clean offshore breeze (NNE at 6 mph) and a 2 ft SW swell. The period stretches to 8 seconds, and the energy is 54 – still weak. It’s the best of the whole 16 days, but that’s not saying much. You’ll need a log and low expectations. The break is inconsistent, so you could be waiting a while for a set.

After that, it’s back to the same story. The rest of the run into the second week is a mix of tiny 0.3 ft to 2 ft swells with poor winds. The morning of Monday, August 10th, has a clean offshore, but there’s no swell to speak of. The same goes for the morning of Tuesday, August 11th – a moderate offshore breeze with a 2 ft, 4-second slop that’s barely rideable.

Honestly, if you’re desperate for a paddle, the standout (and I use that word loosely) is the Saturday morning, August 8th. It’s the only session where the winds are clean and the swell is just about big enough to wobble around on. But don’t expect any quality. The rest of the forecast is a total blank. For this area, a long run of flat, poor conditions isn’t unusual, but it always stings. Keep the board waxed, check back with me, and hope the forecasts change.

Rusty.

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