Zandvoort Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this forecast for Zandvoort is a quiet one. We’ve got a solid 16-day window from now, but the first few days are a write-off. The swell is tiny, the wind is onshore, and the conditions are just poor. Don’t bother checking the water before Wednesday the 19th; it’s not worth the trip.

From Sunday the 16th through Tuesday the 18th, we’re looking at weak, messy waves. Heights are only 1ft to 1ft, with a short period of 5 to 7 seconds, and the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore and breezy. The combined swell energy is in the single digits to low twenties (11 to 22), which is just weak. Even the water temperature is about average for this time of year, nothing special.

Wednesday the 19th brings a slight bump. Swell pushes up to 4ft from the WNW, with a period of 6 seconds. The combined energy climbs to 108 to 128 – that’s moderate, so there’s a bit more push. But the wind is still cross-onshore, 18 to 19 mph, and the surf is lumpy and choppy. It’s still poor surf conditions. North-west winds are not optimum for this exposed sandbar; Zandvoort wants the swell from the NNW, and the wind off the land. We’re not getting that.

Thursday the 20th drops back to 3ft to 3ft, and the energy fades to 56. The wind stays cross-onshore, and the chop is constant. No real improvement.

The rest of the first week and into the second week is a story of tiny, weak, and often messy surf. There’s a stretch from the 21st to the 27th where the swell hangs around 1ft to 3ft, with periods between 5 and 8 seconds. The combined energy is mostly in the teens to low sixties. The wind does go cross-offshore from the 24th to the 26th, which is a nice change, and the waves clean up a bit. But the swell is just too small (2ft to 3ft, 6 seconds) to get excited about. The ENE and E winds will make the surface glassy, but there’s no power behind the waves.

The best of the whole run, and I mean the only real standout, is the period from Monday the 24th to Wednesday the 26th. The wind switches to cross-offshore, and the surf is clean. The swell is 3ft from the NNW on the 24th and 25th afternoons, with a period of 6 seconds, and combined energy around 74 to 85. That’s moderate energy, and the clean conditions will make it rideable. But it’s still not big, and the period is short. For a beginner or a longboarder wanting a gentle paddle, it might be okay. But for anyone looking for a proper wave, it’s underwhelming.

The rest of the 16 days is a blank. From the 27th onward, the swell drops to 1.0ft or less, the energy is in the single digits, and the wind turns back onshore. The 31st of August has zero swell and strong onshore wind. There’s nothing to recommend.

So, overall, this is a tough outlook. Zandvoort is an inconsistent spot, and this forecast proves it. The surf is poor for the vast majority of the window. The only faint hope is those clean, cross-offshore days from the 24th to the 26th, but the swell is small and weak. If you’re desperate for a paddle, those days are your best bet. Otherwise, I’d say save your energy and wait for a better forecast.

Rusty.

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