Month: December 2024

East Coast

Both Saturday and Sunday are looking small to flat on the east coast with no waves over 1ft coming into Wicklow. Winds are light offshore from the south west making for relatively calm conditions.

South Coast

Tramore is also looking very calm for the weekend with the waves not breaking much over 6” to 1ft and barely enough for a foamie. Winds are light onshore.

South West

Conditions in Garretstown might break the 1ft mark but with the small 8-9 second period, the conditions will be small and weak and will struggle to get very much push on the waves with the winds light onshore from the south west. Inch Beach in Kerry is showing a chunky north west swell which would normally struggle to get into Inch but with a good 14 second period, it should still bring 2-3ft conditions and possibly bigger on sets with light onshore winds for Saturday and stronger moderate onshore conditions for Sunday.

West Coast

Lahinch also struggles to let the north west swell in but with a good bit of push behind it and there being a god bit of west in the angle, some of the swell will get in but how much is the question with 6-8ft forecast but it will be nowhere near this with more likely 2-3ft with possibly bigger on sets and tides with the high tide in the afternoon around 3pm so best to get on it in the morning before it gets too high as the dark will not allow for waves after the high tide. Winds also turn onshore around lunchtime. Sunday sees similar conditions but the winds are much stronger for Sunday making for more messy onshore conditions gusting up to 30mph at times. Tide on Sunday is high at close to 4.30 but realistically with the conditions being moderate to strong onshore, it will be messy and you would want to be out of the water by around 2pm as the high is over 4m.

North West

Conditions around the northwest are looking chunky for the coming days with the north west swell getting in a little too easy to most spots with the better conditions being around spots that offer shelter from the swell with even the likes of Enniscrone being over 6ft and Streedagh probably being around 2-3ft and maybe bigger but dumpy but worth a look further up the beach but I suspect that it could take somewhere like Rossnowlagh to kill off some of the swell with even there pulling in 3ft waves and light winds southerly in the morning before turning onshore later in the day. The usual spots like Strandhill or Tullan will all be maxed out. Sunday is big and onshore for all spots leaving no surfable beaches.

North Coast

Portrush has been having a good run of waves with this set to continue but the waves are fairly chunky and only for the experienced as the waves coming through are well overhead with 6-8ft sets forecast for Saturday with a good chunky 14 second period with good wind conditions for East Strand until around midday and possibly a little cross shore for Whiterocks for the day. Sunday sees the winds pick up significantly leaving cross offshore conditions but probably a little too strong for anything decent.

Surf Safe and Enjoy,

Col,

Surf Improvers

East Coast

While it is big and stormy on the west coast, it is looking like the east coast will not get any of the larger swells normally associated with the storms. Instead conditions will be 1-2ft at best Saturday in Wicklow with moderate to strong offshore winds all day. Sunday returns to being small to flat.

South Coast

Conditions in Tramore are looking like there is going to be plenty of swell with waves in the 3-4ft range but the winds are blowing directly onshore for most of the weekend making for smaller appearing conditions and messy waves. Saturday should see 3ft blown onshore conditions with Sunday sees the conditions change to 2ft with the winds turning to blow from the west north west making for cross shore messy conditions.

South West

The winds around Garretstown are going to make for blown out conditions with the gusts hitting up to 40mph direct onshore Saturday making for unsurfable conditions. Sunday sees more of the same but with the swell jumping up with the winds hitting nearly 50mph on the gusts. Inch Beach in Kerry will be maxed out both days so give it a miss.

West Coast

Lahinch is also going to be maxed out both days with no shelter along the coast from the large onshore winds and waves.

North West

Normally I would recommend a spot like Aughris but the winds and the waves are going to be probably bringing larger conditions to Aughris with the west winds offering very little shelter. There could be a wave on Mullaghmore Beach for those who are in the area and super keen but the winds are hitting gale force from the west so there will be very little shelter or enjoyment from the winds. Strandhill, Enniscrone, Streedagh, Tullan, Rossnowlagh etc will all be maxed out from the conditions so give it a miss this weekend.

North Coast

Portrush ended up having periods of good waves last weekend after me forecasting doom and gloom but the waves were not on offer all weekend so would only have suited those who were in the area and able to jump in at a moments notice as they did not last through the tides. This weekend is looking like it is also going to be maxed out with the large storm force conditions bring very little by way of shelter or respite from the winds and large waves with both Saturday and Sunday looking maxed out.

Surf Safe and Enjoy,

Col,

Surf Improvers

East Coast

Things are looking very small to flat for the weekend on the east coast. Winds are offshore all weekend but no waves for surfing.

South Coast

Tramore is also looking very small for the weekend with the conditions struggling to get above 1ft Saturday and Sunday may get up to 2ft but the period is very low which make for a very small weak wave with light onshore winds on both days.

South West

Conditions in Garretstown are showing 1-2ft for Saturday with onshore winds all day with Sunday looking a little better in the swell but it is also only getting that 5 second wind swell from the 10-25mph onshore winds all day so while it forecasts 2-3ft, I would be thinking that this should be more of the 2ft and weak blown over waves. Inch Beach in Kerry is showing a primary swell coming from the north west which will struggle to get into Inch but it also has north westerly winds making for messy 2-3ft conditions. Sunday sees more of the same but with the winds swinging to be south westerly onshore conditions but the primary swell is still north westerly.

West Coast

Around Lahinch it is again a north west swell which will struggle to get into the bay with 1-2ft and possibly bigger on sets but the north should kill off most of the swell opportunity. Winds are light to moderate onshore from the north west. Sunday is showing more westerly conditions which has a greater chance for waves with 3-4ft conditions but the winds are onshore so this may blow over the waves making it feel more like 2-3ft. Winds are up to 30mph on Sunday. Tides are high at 4.30 Saturday and 5pm Sunday but they are quite large high tides so at least 2 hours out of the water before high to ensure safe exit.

North West

The north west in the swell will actually get directly in to Strandhill but the winds are showing to be westerly also which may cause for cross onshore conditions. Waves should be in the 4-5ft region but with the onshore winds these will probably be messy and blown over but conditions are lightest during the middle of the day. Sunday is showing the winds to be much stronger onshore so expect similar 3-4ft blown onshore conditions with the winds up to 30mph onshore making for messy conditions. In the Bundoran area Tullan will be maxed out with the onshore winds leaving only Rossnowlagh as a safe option for those keen for a white water surf with 2-3ft conditions both days with winds gusting between 20 and 30mph both days onshore so really only for the keen.

North Coast

In the Portrush area the winds will be the killer with the north west winds blowing out all spots leaving no options for surf across West, East or Whiterocks with waves in the 3-4ft blown onshore Saturday and 2-3ft waves Sunday but these will probably be smaller due to the wind strength on Sunday.

Surf Safe and Enjoy,

Col,

Surf Improvers

A foreword of warning. This weekend sees Storm Darragh come through. It has been upgraded to a Red weather warning for lots of counties around the country. Extreme caution should be taken before going in the water and only those who have experience of surfing storms of this magnitude should venture out and even then I would offer warning. Do not put the lives of the RNLI or others at risk as there are plenty more weekends and plenty more waves in the sea. Even after the storm, there will still be a lot of water moving around and it doesn’t look like the winds die down until Monday bringing some excellent surfing conditions to the west coast for all next week.

East Coast

With the incoming Storm Darragh there will be some strong to very strong wind conditions over the coming days with waves coming from two directions with a small southerly ground swell up to 14 seconds but this is too small for waves but may bring punch to some of the winds swell waves coming down the channel for a change. The waves coming down the channel are going to be coming after the storm with the conditions after the winds have died down to a a still very high 50mph plus so first thing in the morning may be just to dangerous . It should be noted that this is a strong storm and has been classed as a Red Weather warning and care should be exercised if going in the water as the conditions are going to be big and unruly and only very experienced surfers should go in the water. Waves from the north do not offer as much shelter from winds so there will be a lot of water moving around. It may necessitate getting out of the water to reposition as paddling against the current may not be available. Waves could be in the 3-4ft plus range bending into the beach from the north. Waves on Sunday will look like more of the same however it looks like there is more north in the wind meaning that conditions should be a little more cross shore turning onshore later on as the swell drops.

South Coast

Tramore will be blown out on Saturday and Sunday with the winds blowing direct offshore making for dangerous conditions.

South West

Garretstown is looking like it will be maxed out first thing Saturday and the winds don’t look to drop below 50mph cross shore so I would air on the side of caution and suggest giving it a miss. Sunday sees the winds continue with the northerly direction making it cross offshore but the swell is dropping from 3ft to flat later in the day as the winds blow the swell out to sea. Inch Beach in Kerry is a total avoid Saturday and the winds will not make for fun surfing Sunday as the north winds are cross shore with only a small hope of shelter at the north end of the beach under the cliff with 3ft bumpy conditions expected.

West Coast

Lahinch is looking maxed out Saturday so avoid with Sunday showing a swell coming in from the north which will struggle to get into the bay with moderate to strong offshore winds with the best chance for waves early on Sunday but the tide is looking to hamper this with the high not dropping off the rocks until before 12 so it could be too late and the swell too small at that point. Lovely clean waves all week after the storm if you’re in the area!

North West

Strandhill is looking maxed out until well into Sunday as the storm needs time to pass until Sunday evening when the swell calms down but the winds are moderate from the north at all times offering no shelter. Streedagh would have a wave on Sunday after the storm but the north winds will make for messy onshore conditions. In the Bundoran area, everywhere will be maxed out with Sunday offering the best chance of a wave at Rossnowlagh where it will be cross offshore but the winds will be moderate to strong so care should be taken with your board and when crossing the sand. It also looks like the north west will have some excellent conditions all week from Monday onwards.

North Coast

Portrush has had some nice waves Thursday and Friday but it looks like the winds from the north will leave all spots too strong onshore and with big swells making it one to skip.

Surf Safe and Enjoy,

Col,

Surf Improvers