Westport-The Corner Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I'm looking straight at the forecast for Westport-The Corner. Let's be honest right off the bat, the next week and a half is going to be a tough slog for paddle surfing. The conditions just aren't lining up for any kind of quality session. The water temp is sitting at 62°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, but that's about the only silver lining for a while.

We're looking at a big dry spell here. From Friday the 7th right through to the end of next week, it's all "poor surf conditions" with scores that don't inspire any confidence. The swell is all over the place, mostly short-period junk between 6 and 7 seconds, with a few longer-period SW pulses that never seem to hit at the right time. The wind is a constant problem, mostly cross or cross-onshore, keeping everything chopped up and messy. The combined swell energy is mostly in the moderate range, hitting 271 on the 8th, but with that 16-second period and a 1ft swell, it's just too weak and straight for The Corner's beach/jetty setup. Even the Thursday morning of the 13th with a 4ft WNW swell and light offshore wind only rates as "marginal" – the period is short, so the waves will be weak and crumbly.

Now, if you're a kiter, the setup from the 12th onwards with that moderate cross-shore wind and building swell might look a bit more interesting, but for a surfer, there's nothing to get excited about.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn't arrive until Wednesday morning, the 19th of August. That's when a proper pulse of energy shows up. We're talking about a 5ft swell from the west with a 12-second period, and the combined energy rockets up to 845 (moderate to strong). It's a real groundswell. The caveat here is that the wind is a messy cross-shore from the SSE, and it's light rain. The size is just over the 5ft mark, so it's pushing into "too big for beginners" territory, but for the more experienced crew, this is where it gets interesting. The wave comment is still "marginal" though, so we know the wind is going to mess it up.

The real standout, and the only one I'd truly put money on, is the Thursday morning of the 20th of August. This is the best on offer. The swell drops just a touch to 5ft from the west with a solid 10-second period. The combined energy is still a strong 613 (strong wave energy). But the kicker here is the wind. It goes light from the northwest, described as "Slight air" and "light cross-shore with small crossing wind ripples". That's going to be clean, and The Corner should be holding a decent shape. The crowd factor is listed as "sometimes", so you can expect some company, but it won't be a zoo. This is the session to aim for.

After that, things fade out again quickly through the rest of the 21st and into the 22nd. The Saturday morning of the 22nd has a clean, cross-offshore breeze from the north, but the swell is tiny at 2ft from the west, so it's just not going to have any push. The energy is a weak 114.

So, to sum it up: you've got over a week of pretty average surf ahead. If you can wait, the Thursday the 20th is your best bet for a decent wave. The Wednesday the 19th has more size and power but the wind will be a fight. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but for now, that's the call.
Rusty.

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