Widemouth Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for our stretch of coast. I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks look pretty grim for any decent paddle. We’ve got a long, poor run ahead, so don’t be in a rush to wax up.

The water here at Widemouth Bay is sitting at a balmy 66°F right now, which is *much warmer than normal* for this time of year – over 5°F above average. That’s a real oddity, but it won’t make the junk surf any better.

We start off with the last day of August. Sunday morning is a write-off. We’ve got 4ft of weak, short-period swell from the W, but it’s a cross-on mess with a 15 mph SSW wind. The wave energy is pretty weak (269). The afternoon gets worse: a bit more size at 5ft, but the wind swings to SW and cranks up to 19 mph, with a risk of thunderstorms. It’s just ugly.

Monday, the 31st of August, the swell pushes up to 8ft from the W with a period of 10 seconds, giving us a moderate energy pulse (985). But the wind is howling from the NW at 19 mph, and it’s cross-on all day. It’s lumpy, choppy, and poor. That kind of size with that wind? Honestly, it’s looking more interesting for kite surfing than a paddle.

We then drift into a long stretch of nothing. The first week of September is a total write-off. Tuesday the 1st through to Thursday the 3rd are all poor surf conditions with cross-on winds and choppy, lumpy sea states. Nothing worth a second look.

Friday the 4th of September brings a spike in swell – 10ft from the WNW with a period of 9 seconds. That’s a lot of water, with very strong wave energy (1162 to 1208). But the wind is onshore from the W at 22 mph, and it’s all on the beach. It’s unsurfable for anyone but experts, and even then, it’ll be a messy, blown-out beast. Only for the brave or foolhardy.

Saturday the 5th is a bit smaller, but the wind is still cross-on. The morning has 3ft from the W, and the afternoon picks up to 3ft from the W with a 10-second period. The wind drops to a light breeze (6 mph) from the WNW in the afternoon, so it’s *almost* clean, but the swell is just too weak and short-period to do anything with.

Sunday the 6th of September, we finally get a clean session. The wind goes cross-off from the SSE at 12 mph, and the swell is tiny – 2ft from the W with a short 6-second period. Energy is very weak (53). It’s clean, but it’s a knee-high dribble. Not worth the drive.

Monday the 7th of September, the swell bumps up to 4ft from the W with a long 12-second period, giving us moderate energy (456). But the wind is cross-on from the SW at 9 mph. The afternoon gets worse with a 5ft swell and onshore wind. The long period suggests some shape, but the wind is ruining it.

The best chance we get in this whole outlook is Tuesday the 8th of September. The morning brings 5ft from the WNW with a 10-second period and moderate energy (426). The wind is from the N at 9 mph, cross-shore. It’s a marginal call, but it’s the only session with a score of 1 out of 10. It’s the closest thing to surfable, but the tide or conditions are questionable. Still, if you’re desperate, it’s the pick of a very poor bunch.

From Wednesday the 9th of September onward, the swell drops to nothing. The 10th, 11th, and 12th are all tiny, with weak energy and poor conditions. The 12th of September morning has a clean 2ft from the W with an 11-second period and offshore wind from the ENE. That’s a fun little wave if you’ve got a longboard, but it’s tiny.

The 13th and 14th of September are the same story – small, weak, clean offshore winds, but nothing with any punch. The 14th of September morning has just 1ft from the W with a 9-second period and offshore wind. It’s clean, but it’s barely a ripple.

So, to sum it up: don’t hold your breath. The only standout, if you can call it that, is Tuesday the 8th of September morning. It’s not great, but it’s the only window with a chance. Everything else is a long, bleak gap of poor surf. It’s a classic late-summer flat spell. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, I’d be finding something else to do.

Rusty.

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