Woolacombe Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s talk about Woolacombe. It’s a beach and reef set-up, fairly exposed to the west-northwest, which is what we want. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, but it can get busy sometimes.

The water is sitting at 65°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s a solid 5° above average, so you can probably get away with a thinner suit.

Now, the bad news. The next week or so is pretty grim. Monday the 14th kicks off with light rain and a moderate cross-onshore breeze from the southwest, shoving a weak 3ft swell into the bay. The combined wave energy is only 162, which is weak. It’s choppy and messy, no good for anything. That theme continues. Tuesday the 15th has a slightly bigger 6ft swell, but it’s a short-period 7 second onshore mess, with a fresh breeze blowing straight on. Energy picks up to 302, but the quality is still zero. Wednesday the 16th is the same story – cross-onshore winds and a 5ft to 5ft swell. The energy actually hits a moderate 535 on Wednesday afternoon, but the wind ruins it, making it lumpy and choppy. Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th are more onshore wind and poor surf. Honestly, it’s a write-off. You’re looking at a solid 7 days of poor surf conditions, with onshore winds and messy waves.

We finally get a change on Monday the 21st. The wind swings offshore from the east-southeast, with a slight air, giving us clean conditions. The problem is the swell has dropped to a tiny 2ft with weak energy (45). It’s clean, but there’s almost nothing to ride. Tuesday the 22nd morning offers the first glimmer of hope. A clean, offshore breeze from the east-southeast, and a 2ft swell with a 12-second period. That’s a long period groundswell, and for Woolacombe, a beach and reef break, that long period can make waves break a bit straight. Still, the energy is moderate at 132, and it’s clean. It’s surfable, but only just. Wednesday the 23rd morning is similar – 2ft with a 9-second period, clean with an offshore breeze. Again, small and weak, but the only window we have.

For the real standout, you have to look at Thursday the 24th of September. The morning is glassy, with a slight air from the southeast. The swell is 2ft from the west with a 9-second period. The energy is moderate at 108. It’s small, but glassy conditions are rare and will make it look better than it is. That’s the pick of the forecast.

After that, it fades again. Friday the 25th has a glassy morning, but the swell drops to 2ft. The wind goes offshore again from the east on the 26th, but the swell is down to 2ft. By the end of the month, the swell is almost non-existent, with a strong offshore breeze blowing the tiny 0.3ft to 1ft waves flat. The 29th has a moderate offshore breeze and a 2ft swell with a 13-second period, but it’s still too small to get excited about. For the whole 16-day run, the best bet is the glassy conditions on the 24th. Don’t expect much.

Rusty.

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