Month: February 2024

East Coast

Conditions on the East Coast are looking like they are going to be small to flat on Saturday with a big period but very little swell and only light offshore breezes which will struggle to hit 1ft waves. Sunday is similar until much later in the afternoon into evening when the northerly winds bring some wind swell to the beach in Wicklow but this could bring 2ft weak wind swell waves to the beach with onshore winds.

South Coast

Conditions in Tramore are looking really good for Saturday with 2-3ft conditions and light cross offshore winds which should make for some nice longboard conditions with a little bump on the wave but Tramore can handle a little wind. Sunday sees the swell swing around a bit starting small at 1-2ft before building until later in the day when it could hit 2-3ft but the winds are looking moderate to strong offshore.

South West

Garretstown is looking like it could be maxed out for improvers on Saturday with 6ft plus conditions and moderate cross shore winds all day. Sunday sees the swell normalise somewhat but the conditions should still be in the 3-4ft region with the winds moderate to strong offshore so take care in the winds and keep control of your board but also make sure to watch you position to ensure you are not being blown out to sea. Inch Beach in Kerry is showing some massive conditions on Friday which look to spill over into Saturday with the waves and wind being too strong for improvers with the winds coming from the north west meaning very little shelter on either side of the peninsula. Sunday looks to be only a bit smaller at the 6ft range with northern winds that look moderate to strong but may be lighter with land drag.

West Coast

Saturday looks to be big and unruly in Lahinch with the winds blowing direct onshore all day with waves being too big and messy for improvers. Sunday looks like there are two separate swells coming into the bay and the southern swell is the one that will bring the best chance of waves although the northerly swell could bring some random larger sets but the conditions are showing to be building all day with the morning looking like northerly swells are the primary which tend not to get into the bay as easy with perhaps 2ft conditions before the secondary swell kicks in by afternoon when the waves should build but with the high tide parking at 6pm on Sunday you really need to be out of the water by 3.30 when the waves could be 3-4ft so allow time for your exit. Winds are moderate 15-30mph offshore from the north west all day.

North West

Saturday looks like it is going to be too big and chunky for any waves around Strandhill or the nearby spots with the only possibility being Aughris on Saturday but with the winds blowing from the west all week the waves hitting there are not going to be clean by any means. Many spots will be maxed out with the conditions so it could be a day to sit it out and enjoy the rugby. Sunday looks like a much nicer set of conditions with the winds less than 10mph from the north east which would mean spots like Rossnowlagh could be really nice on Sunday with 3-4ft conditions. Tullan may start out with some bigger sets but should become more mannerly by lunchtime. Strandhill will also look much better on Sunday with perfect 3-4ft conditions with light offshore winds.

North Coast

Conditions on the north coast are looking really good for Saturday with 5-6ft conditions with bigger on sets coming from the 16 second period all day. Winds are light offshore for the likes of East Strand which should fare the best for the conditions but Whiterocks will also be a good shout but be wary of the size of the waves and only go out if it is in your experience range. Sunday looks like the east in the winds could make for cross shore conditions for both east and Whiterocks but West Strand could be offshore so check it out where waves should be in the 3ft range.

Surf Safe and Enjoy,

Col,

Surf Improvers

Surf Report for the weekend of the 17th and 18th of February

From next week the surf reports will be linking to my website as more and more people have been asking for reports as they are not users of Facebook so I will still post here and on other platforms with a link to the report going forward but the website will have the report. Check Surfimprovers.ie each week now going forward for reports.

East Coast
It is looking like there is going to be some wind driven swell up the channel for waves in Wicklow but these should be small weak waves as they are wind driven with only a 5 or 6 second period which should be enough for 2ft conditions with moderate to strong southerly winds. Sunday looks small to flat with light offshore winds.

South Coast
Conditions are looking small and onshore for Tramore on Saturday as the winds are blowing moderate to strong from the south with the best conditions on Saturday late afternoon when the winds will drop off but still be onshore. This means that conditions during the day will vary from 2ft in the morning up to 3-4ft blown onshore before dropping back to 2-3ft but it will be bumpy as the winds are blowing onshore all day. Sunday drops back to 1-2ft with light cross shore breezes from the west.

South West
Conditions in Garretstown are looking blown out on Saturday with the waves in around the 3-4ft zone with bigger sets in between due to the large 19 second period with the winds blowing directly onshore making for messy white water. Sunday sees the winds still blowing from the west and south west but with the waves jumping in size to 5-6ft with bigger waves on sets with the larger 14 second period. This will mean chunkier heavier waves that will fair better in the light onshore conditions. Winds look lightest in the middle of the day. Inch Beach in Kerry is showing that it is going to be chunky and probably maxing out with the large 17-20 second period on Saturday and solid 12ft at 14 seconds Sunday so I would recommend giving it a miss and checking for spots that will kill off some of the swell size. Winds are from the south west on Saturday and same for Sunday so possibly check some of the more shelter spots on the north of the peninsula that may get some swell wrapping in.

West Coast
Lahinch is looking like it is going to start off with offshore winds in the morning with waves in the 6ft plus range and then this turns to winds from the south and the swell looks to jump in line with the winds picking up. It is showing waves well overhead with a large 17-21 second period which should bring some large volume waves which may be out of the improvers range bringing conditions into the experienced surfers only range so I would ask that everyone exercise caution as big period waves can offer big lulls between sets where all can appear calm before large sets roll in bringing big volumes of water. Sunday looks to go onshore with waves that are very big and should not be undertaken unless experienced in conditions double overhead. Tides are high at 11am Saturday so allow 2 hours either side for safe access and exit and Sunday should be avoided at all times.
North West
Strandhill is showing some big period conditions also which should bring about some chunky conditions with the forecast for 5-8ft conditions but these waves should have much more volume which will make them harder to duck dive or turtle roll. Unless you have experience in these conditions, I would opt for more sheltered spots such as Enniscrone or Streedagh which could have some more normal conditions of 2-3ft with random bigger sets in between. Sunday in Strandhill is looking like it will be well overhead with a good 15 second period so only for the experienced surfers out there with light winds. Streedagh or Rossnowlagh will offer some good head high conditions on Sunday with light winds. Tullan should have 4-6ft conditions on Saturday with moderate cross shore winds with Sunday pushing Tullan possibly past its maxing out point with light cross onshore winds so Rossnowlagh would probably offer more for improvers.

North Coast
Despite the small figures that are showing for East Strand the bigger period may bring some nice waves to the north coast with 2-3ft conditions with the 20 second period could jump to 3-5ft conditions with moderate offshore winds. Sunday looks like a much better shout for East Strand with 3-4ft conditions and light offshore winds all day.

Caution: Bigger period swells being about a greater volume of water in the waves and can even enlarge the size of the waves as they break as there is a lot more water in the wave meaning that it will dump with much greater force which can often snap boards and hurt bodies so caution should always be exercised. If in doubt, don’t go out.

Surf Safe and Enjoy,

Col,
Surf Improvers

Surf Report for the February Bank Holiday Weekend

East Coast
It is looking like both Saturday and Sunday will be small to flat for the two day with a small 1-2ft wind swell wave for Monday with moderate cross offshore winds.

South Coast
On the south coast the problem is looking like the winds that are blowing from the south and west south west for the weekend on into Monday. All three days are moderate onshore. Saturday is showing 2ft with a small period as it is all wind swell so weak waves blown over. Sunday is looking like similar with the onshore dropping off slightly in the late afternoon. Monday showing 2-3ft but again moderate to strong onshore winds.

South West
Winds are onshore for all three days over the weekend in Garretstown with the waves showing 3-4ft conditions blown over, similar for Sunday and dropping slightly to 2-3ft for Monday but the onshore winds all weekend are going to make for very little waves for improvers, unless you’re keen to work on your duck dive game but the waves will be white water mess all weekend.
Inch Beach in Kerry is looking like it is going to be massed out all weekend with onshore winds all weekend making for poor surfing conditions. There may be some opportunities for offshore winds on the north of the peninsula but the winds are moderate to strong with the best day for lighter winds on the north facing spots being Saturday.

West Coast
Lahinch is looking like there will be too much west in the winds for the weekend with all three days showing large and messy conditions with very little for the improvers. Saturday is showing 6ft plus blown over, Sunday is showing 8ft plus blown over and Monday is 6-8ft blown over. The onshore winds will make the waves look smaller but there will be lots of messy white water. Tides are high at 11 Saturday, 12 Sunday, and 1.30 Monday and while they are not big high tides, due to the wave and wind size, I would still recommend at least two hours out of the water either side of high.

North West
Strandhill is looking maxed out for all three days with the swell bringing well over 6-8ft waves for all three days with the winds cross onshore. The only spot that might have a little shelter from the winds and the size of the waves would be Aughris in by the cliffs where there will some respite from the west winds and the south in the wind will offer some cross offshore conditions. Streedagh will be big and dumpy all weekend but for those keen for a wave it will have sufficient reforms for smaller waves on the inside with cross offshore winds. Mullaghmore beach may have a small wave for those looking for something tamer. Tullan Strand will be well maxed out and Rossnowlagh will be walls of messy white water with the wave size and wind direction.

North Coast
Portrush is looking like it could have some nice conditions for the weekend with the only warning that it is looking big and chunky. Saturday is showing 5-6ft conditions with a large period so expect heavy waves on East Strand or Whiterocks with cross offshore winds. Sunday is looking bigger again with well overhead conditions with a 16 second period which will bring gaps in the waves but monsters when they arrive up to 8-10ft+ so please do not venture out in these conditions if you are not experienced in surfing waves of this size. There will be a strong current to match the conditions as that will be a lot of water unloading on the beach so this is really only for the experienced surfers and not the improvers. Monday sees it drop back to 5-6ft with a more moderate 12 second period and the winds are slightly more offshore for East Strand but the winds are a good but stronger on the gusts.

Surf Safe and Enjoy,

Col,
Surf Improvers