Surf Forecasts:
Albatross surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 26 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SSW swell with 4,117 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 14s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Albatross this week:
The surf forecast for Albatross over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Albatross in the next 16 days are 3.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 8s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Mon 24th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Mon 24th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Wed 26th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Albatross over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking at Albatross. This is a sheltered beach and reef setup that’s consistent, so we’ve got something to work with across the whole 16 days. The water is sitting at 56°F right now, which is a massive 10°F colder than usual for this time of year – that’s a serious chill, so don’t even think about going without a thick wetsuit.
We’ve got a sweet run starting Monday afternoon, the 24th of August. Light offshore wind from the SSW, a clean 4ft swell from the same direction, and the combined energy is pumping at a solid 1378 (moderate). It’s a beginner-friendly size, glassy clean, and the crowds are only sometimes a problem. Honestly, this is about as good as it gets for a mellow, fun session.
Tuesday the 25th is the real standout for the experienced crew. Morning starts with a clean 8ft SW swell (15-second period – groundswell) and offshore wind, pushing the energy up to 3456 (strong). By the afternoon, it’s pumping 10ft SW with a 15-second period and still offshore, hitting 4085 (strong). This is proper, powerful groundswell that will wrap in nicely at this sheltered spot. If you’re not an expert, stay out of the water – it’s going to be a handful.
Wednesday the 26th gets messy. Cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions ruin the show. Thursday the 27th is touch and go with marginal conditions, and Friday the 28th is small and weak. Saturday the 29th is a complete write-off with strong cross-shore winds.
Sunday the 30th shows some life again. Clean, light wind, 4ft SW swell, and the energy ticks back up to 731 (moderate). A nice little session for the dawn patrol.
Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1st of September keep the good vibes going with clean offshore winds and consistent 5ft to 6ft SW swell. Nothing huge, but it’s clean and fun.
Now, here’s a long-range promise – Wednesday the 2nd of September. The afternoon brings a massive 12ft SW swell (13-second period) with clean offshore wind, and the energy is a roaring 3775 (strong). This is a big, powerful groundswell that will be a true test for experts only. Two days later, on the 4th, it gets absolutely giant – 20ft from the ESE with energy up to 9401 (very strong). But the wind goes cross-onshore, and it’s choppy and dangerous. That setup looks more like a kite surfer’s paradise than a paddle session. The same goes for the 5th and 6th of September – big waves but poor wind direction trashes the quality.
The best bet in the second week is still that Wednesday the 2nd. After that, it’s a lot of messy, blown-out, or just too big conditions. The 7th and 8th are small and poor again.
So, for the best of the best: grab Monday the 24th for a clean, fun beginner-to-intermediate session, and if you’re an expert, circle Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 2nd of September. The big late-season swell looks promising, but those cross-onshore winds are a real heartbreaker after the 3rd.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Warm (max 20°C on Thu morning, min 12°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, fresh winds from the E by Wed night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 34°C on Sat afternoon, min 19°C on Sun morning). Winds increasing (calm on Thu night, fresh winds from the NNW by Sat morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 11 | WSW 13 | WSW 7 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
508 | 2096 | 2305 | 3470 | 2928 | 3502 | 3612 | 1703 | 1177 | 563 | 650 | 418 | 284 | 338 | 202 | 454 | 180 | 463 | 649 | 1305 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | off | off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | off | off |
High Tide | 2:15PM1.24m | 2:18AM1.33m | 2:43PM1.39m | 2:47AM1.44m | 3:10PM1.52m | 3:15AM1.54m | 3:36PM1.63m | 3:42AM1.60m | 4:02PM1.72m | 4:10AM1.64m | 4:29PM1.77m | 4:39AM1.64m | 4:57PM1.78m | |||||||
Low Tide | 8:16PM0.49m | 8:32AM0.33m | 8:46PM0.36m | 8:58AM0.21m | 9:14PM0.25m | 9:23AM0.11m | 9:41PM0.15m | 9:49AM0.04m | 10:09PM0.09m | 10:15AM0.00m | 10:38PM0.05m | 10:42AM-0.00m | 11:07PM0.06m | |||||||
— | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | |
5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 17 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 33 | 31 | 32 | 34 | 32 | 22 | 19 | 16 |
Feels °C | 15 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 31 | 28 | 24 | 27 | 29 | 21 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 12 | E 10 | E 10 | S 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | WSW 13 | SW 12 |
491 | 2096 | 2305 | 3470 | 2928 | 3502 | 3612 | 1703 | 1177 | 563 | 1019 | 569 | 284 | 434 | 401 | 394 | 408 | 298 | 649 | 1305 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 11 | ESE 11 | SSW 16 | WSW 13 | SSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 13 | S 16 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 11 | SSE 14 | S 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | WSW 12 | SW 14 | E 11 | E 11 |
379 | 11 | 1151 | 615 | 1187 | 649 | 357 | 45 | 45 | 390 | 650 | 418 | 118 | 338 | 202 | 133 | 180 | 463 | 199 | 155 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | SSW 17 | — | — | — | S 16 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSE 11 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 |
508 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 482 | — | — | — | 45 | 81 | 77 | 71 | 47 | 89 | 183 | 133 | 61 | 22 | 10 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 5 | ESE 6 | E 7 | E 8 | E 9 | — | — | E 10 | — | NNW 4 | WSW 13 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 | SW 7 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | 83 | 173 | 711 | 891 | 1104 | — | — | 514 | — | 39 | 454 | 175 | 246 | 440 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 301 | 560 | 198 | 140 | 140 | 0 | 23 | 30 | 23 | 52 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 140 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape (South) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Albatross Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Albatross provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Albatross can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Albatross surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Albatross) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Albatross may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Albatross is 18 km (11 miles) from the city of Kruisfontein. If you plan a holiday in Eastern Cape (South), look for hotels and other accommodation in Kruisfontein. Kruisfontein has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











