Westward Ho Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Westward Ho has got cookin' for us over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you, it's a grim picture for the most part. We've got a wave window stretching out to the end of August, but the surf quality is just not there. The wind is gonna be a persistent problem, and even when the swell shows up, it gets hammered by onshore slop. This is going to be a long stretch with very little to get excited about.

We kick things off on Sunday the 16th with hardly any energy – the combined swell energy is a weak 18 – and a small 1ft windswell from the West. But the wind is a cross-onshore WNW breeze at 12 mph, so it's messy and choppy. Not worth the paddle. The water's sitting at a balmy 66°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, but that's about the only good thing going. Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th don't improve. The swell picks up a bit to 3ft and then 4ft, but the wind stays cross-onshore or onshore, and the wave comment is consistently "poor surf conditions". The energy creeps up to a moderate 144 by Tuesday morning, but with that onshore wind, it's just a churned-up mess.

We get the biggest push of swell through Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th. Swell heights hit 5ft to 6ft from the West, with the combined energy jumping into strong territory – 262 on Wednesday afternoon and 356 on Thursday. But here's the kicker: the wind is onshore or cross-onshore the whole time, mostly W or NW at 12-19 mph. For a beginner-friendly spot like Westward Ho, anything over 5ft is already pushing it, and with that wind, it's going to be a washing machine. Honestly, Thursday afternoon's setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than a paddle surf session.

Friday the 21st is a brief tease. The wind swings light from the North at 6 mph, going cross-shore. The swell is small, only 3ft, but the energy is a moderate 108. It's the best window in this whole sorry forecast, but even then, it's not exactly firing. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd drop right back down. We're looking at tiny 1.0ft swell with a long period of 9-10 seconds. The wind does go clean, with light cross-offshore breezes from the ENE and NNE, but there's just no swell to work with. The energy is a pathetic 26-33. You could maybe get a fun little log out if you're desperate, but don't expect much.

From Monday the 24th to Tuesday the 26th, it's more of the same – tiny 0.3ft to 2ft swell, but at least the wind is clean and light. The swell direction goes a bit weird, coming from the SW and then NNW, but the period drops to a meager 4-5 seconds. There's just no substance. The energy for Tuesday the 25th afternoon is only 33.

We see another pulse of swell building from Wednesday the 26th through the end of the month. Heights climb to 5ft and even 10ft on Saturday the 29th afternoon, with the combined energy reaching a massive 1393! That's a powerful swell. But the wind is onshore from the West or WNW, blowing 12-25 mph. For a beach break like this, a long-period groundswell (which this might be, with periods up to 9 seconds) and onshore wind is just going to be giant, choppy closeouts. On Saturday the 29th, that 10ft is expert-only territory, and with 19 mph onshore wind, it's not even good for experts. It's just dangerous.

So, the honest truth? There are no true standout days. The only flicker of hope is Friday the 21st morning with a light cross-shore wind and a little bump of swell. But even that's a "maybe" day. For the rest, it's either too small, too windy, or too big and blown out. This is a classic summer lull for the area, where the poor conditions can drag on. But don't lose heart; forecasts can change.

Rusty.

Read more