West Wittering Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what the next couple of weeks are serving up for us at West Wittering. I gotta be straight with you – it’s looking pretty bleak for a paddle.

We’ve got a real dry spell on our hands. From now, right through the end of August and into the first week of September, there’s just nothing worth getting excited about. We’re talking day after day of tiny, weak waves with hardly any energy behind them. For example, on Sunday the 23rd, we’re looking at a meagre 0.3ft to 1ft of swell. The combined energy is barely registering at 1 to 3 – that’s basically flat. And the wind, while sometimes cross-off, is just not working with what little swell there is.

This pattern just keeps on repeating. Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th are essentially flat, with the odd 0.3ft showing up on the charts but producing zero for actual surf. The water temp is about average for this time of year, which is nice if you’re swimming, but not much help for surfing.

We finally see a tiny pulse of energy on Thursday the 27th. The swell bumps up to 3ft from the SSW, but the period is a short, weak 4 seconds, and the wind is blowing straight onshore from the SSW at 19 mph. The combined energy is still pitiful at 30 – it’s just messy and poor. Friday the 28th brings a bit more size, with 4ft from the S, and the combined energy jumps to 109 – finally into triple digits, which is something. But the wind is a strong cross-shore from the SE at 25 mph, creating a horrible cross-chop. It’s poor surf conditions all the way.

The weekend of the 29th and 30th is more of the same. We get some size on Sunday the 30th with 5ft from the SSW and combined energy of 164, but the wind is a strong onshore from the WSW at 22 mph. For a sheltered beach/groyne setup like West Wittering, that’s a no-go. With that kind of wind and swell, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

There’s a brief moment of calm on Monday the 31st morning with glassy conditions and a tiny 0.3ft, but there’s just no swell to work with.

Into the first week of September, it’s the same story. Tiny swell, poor winds, and zero quality. We get a little bump on Thursday the 3rd with 3ft from the SW, but it’s short period and cross-onshore. By the second weekend, Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th, the wind is howling onshore again. Sunday afternoon sees 5ft from the SW with 123 combined energy, but it’s blown out.

So, to be honest, there are no standouts here. The entire 16-day window is a write-off for quality surf. With West Wittering being an inconsistent spot, this kind of blank run is a bit more normal for the area. It tends not to stay this poor forever, but for now, leave the board in the car and maybe go for a walk on the beach instead.

Rusty.

Read more