Whitby Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let's be honest with you about Whitby. The whole 16-day stretch is a tough one. Every single session in the forecast gets labelled as "poor surf conditions" and scores a zero for quality. That’s a long blank run – over two weeks of pretty much nothing to get excited about. For this area, a run like this isn't unheard of, so we just have to roll with it.

Let’s look at the details. On Saturday the 4th of July, we’ve got a tiny swell around 2ft from the north, with a short period of only 6 seconds. That’s weak wave energy (just 22) and a cross-off wind that’s pretty fresh, so it’s not going to shape up. Water temp is sitting at 58°, which is about normal for the time of year.

The rest of the first week is more of the same – small, weak swells, mostly from the north-northwest or northwest, with periods under 8 seconds and very low combined energy, often in the single digits or teens. The wind stays mostly cross or cross-off, with a moderate to fresh breeze, so there’s nothing clean or powerful on offer.

Into the second week, from around the 11th of July onwards, we start to see a slight increase in swell size, with heights reaching 3ft by the 11th and 12th. The combined energy climbs to the 60s and 70s – still weak, but a bit more activity. The problem is that wind shifts to a cross-on direction from the east and then north, bringing a fair bit of chop. That’s not what you want. By the 14th, the swell hits 3ft from the northeast, but it’s with a fresh cross-on breeze and a short 5-second period, so it’ll be lumpy and messy. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The best chance we get, and I’m stretching the word "best" here, might be on Saturday the 18th of July. The morning session shows glassy conditions with no wind at all, and a tiny 1ft swell from the north-northeast. The combined energy is only 15, so it’s weak, but if it’s glassy flat, you can at least sit out there without fighting the wind. The afternoon brings a 2ft swell but an onshore breeze. Honestly, it’s barely a ripple.

There’s no standout swell, no clean window, and no break to recommend over another. The forecast confidence is good for the near-term, but the outlook is just poor all round.

Stay patient, folks. It’ll turn around eventually.

Rusty

Read more