Widemouth Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got to be straight with you – this outlook for Widemouth Bay is a rough one. We’re staring down a long, barren stretch with hardly a wave worth paddling for. The forecast shows a solid 12-day gap with nothing but poor conditions, so don’t expect any decent surf until the very end of the window. The water is sitting at a balmy 64°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a solid 4° above average, so you’ll be sweating in your wettie, but that’s about the only highlight.

For the first week, from Wednesday 15 July right through to Sunday 26 July, it’s a total write-off. The swell is tiny, mostly 0.7ft to 2ft out of the west or north-northwest, with short periods between 4 and 10 seconds – that’s weak, wind-slop energy with combined energy values barely cracking 30 (like 10 to 33). The wind is a mess, too: mostly cross-off or cross-on breezes, and even when it’s clean, the waves are just too small to do anything. We’ve got a few glassy moments on Friday 24 July morning, but the swell is only 0.7ft with an 8-second period and combined energy of 10 – that’s so weak it’s barely a ripple. Nothing to get excited about.

Then there’s a glimmer on Monday 27 July. The morning brings a glassy, calm session with a 2ft swell from the west, 8-second period, and combined energy of 80 – still weak, but it’s the first time it’s not labeled “poor surf conditions.” The afternoon is glassy, too, with no wind, a 2ft west swell at 9 seconds and energy of 61. It’s surfable, but honestly, it’s very ordinary – just a small, weak wave that won’t hold much shape. This is the best on offer, and it’s only a 1 out of 10 sort of day. For a beginner, the 2ft height is fine, but don’t expect any power.

The rest of the week after that, from Tuesday 28 July to Thursday 30 July, fades back into poor conditions. The swell picks up a bit – 3ft to 4ft out of the west-northwest on Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30, with combined energy hitting 136 (moderate wave energy) – but it’s short-period junk (6-7 seconds) and the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, making it choppy and messy. That’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session. The Thursday 30th afternoon has a 4ft west-southwest swell at 7 seconds with onshore winds – total slop.

So, the standout here is that Monday 27 July – both the morning and afternoon glassy windows. It’s the only time the wind is clean, with a tiny west swell that’s just about rideable on a longboard or foamie. But keep your expectations low: it’s weak, inconsistent, and the break is a beach and reef setup that’s fairly exposed to the WNW, so that small west swell might just wrap in. Crowds are often around here, so expect a few others out, but with surf this poor, it might be quieter than usual.

No other options in the 16-day window. It’s one of those stretches where the forecasts could change, but for now, you’re better off waiting for the next system.

Rusty.

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