West Wittering Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what West Wittering’s got cooking for us over the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, it’s a pretty grim run. The first real push of energy doesn’t show up until the end of the first week, and even then it’s barely a whisper. We’re looking at a long stretch of flat, small, and messy conditions before we even get a sniff of a wave.

The water temp is a wild one right now at 71°F, which is a massive 8°F warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s very unusual, so you’ll be sweating in your wetsuit more than surfing.

Looking at the first few days, from Wednesday the 12th right through to the end of the weekend, it’s a total washout. We’re talking about swell heights of 0.3ft to 1ft with combined energies barely registering – a puny 1 to 10 (weak energy). The wind is a mixed bag of cross, cross-off, and onshore, but the real problem is there’s just no power in the water. The 0.3ft of swell on Wednesday morning is technically clean with a cross-off breeze, but you’d be dragging your board over sand for nothing.

The middle of next week, around Monday the 18th, it’s more of the same – 1ft to 2ft, with the wind howling from the WSW at 22 to 25 mph on Wednesday the 19th. That’s fresh to strong breeze, making it messy and blown out. Honestly, with that wind and the tiny, weak waves, you’d have more fun kite surfing than trying to paddle out.

Thursday the 20th of August offers a glimmer. The morning sees a clean, moderate offshore wind from the NNE at 16 mph, but the swell is still a pathetic 2ft with a short period (3 seconds) and combined energy of only 4 (weak). It’s clean, but it’s barely surfable. The afternoon stays clean with a lighter cross-off breeze, but the swell is the same.

From Friday the 21st onward, it’s back to the flatlands. The 22nd, 23rd, and 24th are mostly zeros – no swell at all, with fresh offshore winds making it look clean but completely flat. The standout in this whole sorry tale is probably the morning of Thursday the 20th. It’s the best on offer because it’s clean, but that’s like saying it’s the best of a bad bunch. The wave quality is just not there.

So, to wrap it up, this is a 16-day window with almost no surfable swell. If you’re desperate for a paddle, Thursday the 20th morning is your best bet, but keep your expectations on the floor. It’s a beach and groyne setup, and with almost no swell, it’s a waiting game. Forecasts can change, so don’t bin the boards just yet, but right now, I’d find something else to do.

Rusty.

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