Zandvoort Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch coming up for the local stretch. We’ve got a solid run of poor conditions with nothing worth paddling out for, so save the wax for later.

Right now and through this first week, it’s a write-off. The onshore winds are messy, the swell is tiny, and even when there’s a little bump, the wind just chops it to bits. That combined energy is often weak, barely scraping triple digits (59 to 103 range on the best days), and it’s mostly short-period, windswell junk. The water temperature at Zandvoort is sitting at 71°, which is over 5° above the norm for this time of year – that’s very unusual, feels like a warm bath, but it won’t make the surf any better.

You’re looking at a gap of more than a week before anything even looks like it might have potential. The middle of the second week, from Saturday 29th August onwards, we finally see a bigger pulse of swell. Saturday the 29th brings a lumpy 8 ft from the WSW (combined energy hitting a strong 604), but the wind is a solid 28 mph cross-shore. That’s not for paddling – that’s kite territory. Too messy for a surfboard, and at that size with those winds, only for experts who don’t mind a beating.

Then Sunday the 30th offers a cleaner look: morning and afternoon have a light offshore cross-off breeze with 3 ft from the NW. The period is short though, only 6 seconds, so the waves will be weak and crumbly. You could get a few small ones if you’re desperate, but it’s not a standout.

The only true standout on the horizon – and it’s a long way off – is Wednesday 2nd September. We’ve got a 8 ft swell from the WNW with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy is 726 – that’s strong. But, and it’s a big but, the wind is onshore and fresh. That kind of size with a cross-onshore wind at 22 mph means it’s going to be blown out and lumpy. For the experts only, and even then, it’s a gamble. That’s the closest we get to something exciting, but you’ve got to be patient – that’s over a week and a half away.

Bottom line: the whole 16-day window looks bleak for a proper surf. The area is usually inconsistent at this time, and this run is pretty normal for a flat spell. Forecasts can change, but right now, save the energy.

Rusty.

Read more