Westward Ho Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at this forecast for Westward Ho!. I’ve got to be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch coming up for the next sixteen days. The first week or so is a write-off for any proper surfing. The energy is just not there, or when it does show up, the wind tears it to pieces.

We kick things off on Wednesday the 5th of August, and straight away it’s a no-go. There’s a 5.2ft swell from the west, but it’s short period, just 7 seconds, and a solid 16 mph onshore wind from the WNW is making a mess of it. The combined energy is only 243, which is moderate, but with that wind it’s a total loss. This carries on through the rest of the week into the weekend. We get a tiny pulse on Friday the 7th with a glassy morning, but that’s a 0.7ft wave with barely any energy – you’d be floating around. There’s a long gap here with absolutely no surf to recommend.

We finally see a little shift on Wednesday the 12th of August. The morning shows some hope with an offshore breeze from the ESE at 16 mph, which is clean. We’ve got a 1.6ft west swell with a 10-second period. The energy is still low at 54, but that offshore wind could make it tidy for a longboard. The afternoon is even better on the wind front – a cross-offshore from the southeast, and the swell bumps up to 2.3ft with a combined energy of 96. It’s small, but for a beginner spot like Westward Ho! this is about as good as it gets right now.

Thursday the 13th of August morning is the standout of the whole forecast. The wind is light offshore from the ESE, and we have a 2.6ft swell from the WSW with a 9-second period. The combined energy is 154, which is moderate, and conditions will be clean. The water temperature is 64.9°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for the time of year, so you won’t need a thick suit.

But don’t get too excited. That afternoon the wind swings onshore again, and the rest of the forecast is plagued by onshore and cross-onshore winds, with bigger swells showing up on Monday the 17th of August – a massive 13.1ft west swell with a 11-second period and a combined energy of 3855 – but it’s absolutely hammered by a 16 mph cross-onshore wind. That kind of power with slop is for the brave or the kite surfers, not for a pleasant paddle.

So, the pick of a poor bunch is the morning of Thursday the 13th of August. It’s small and clean, and that’s your window. For the rest, you’re better off waiting for the forecast to change.

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