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Big Bay Surf Forecast
/ Cape Town (70 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Big Bay surfForecast / Cape Town / South Africa
48hr Weather and Surf, issued 1 pm Monday 18 May 2026 SASTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Big Bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Big Bay sea temperature is
16.3° C
(Which is slightly cooler than normal)How big are the waves at Big Bay today?
The current surf forecast for Big Bay at 7PM is: 1.5m 13s primary swell from a West-southwest direction and 1.7m 8s secondary swell from a South direction, 2.1m 8s secondary swell from a South-southeast direction (forecast issued at 01:00pm May 18). The wind direction is predicted to be offshore and the swell rating is 4.
| Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (18 May) | 5ft (1.6m) | 14s |
| Afternoon (18 May) | 5ft (1.6m) | 14s |
| Evening (18 May) | 5ft (1.5m) | 13s |
Table - waves today at Big Bay. (Swell directed towards the surf break)
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Wed afternoon. Warm (max 22°C on Tue afternoon, min 17°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mon 18 | Tuesday 19 | Wednesday 20 | Thu 21 | |||||||||||||||||||||
11 AM | 2 PM | 5 PM | 8 PM | 11 PM | 2 AM | 5 AM | 8 AM | 11 AM | 2 PM | 5 PM | 8 PM | 11 PM | 2 AM | 5 AM | 8 AM | 11 AM | 2 PM | 5 PM | 8 PM | 11 PM | 2 AM | 5 AM | 8 AM | |
Swell Height Map |    |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | WSW 13 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | |
969 | 1042 | 929 | 796 | 640 | 740 | 953 | 969 | 721 | 414 | 433 | 701 | 402 | 578 | 235 | 188 | 180 | 184 | 188 | 146 | 74 | 70 | 114 | 111 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-on | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross | cross | |
High Tide | 4:28PM1.52m | 4:43AM1.54m | 5:17PM1.46m | 5:35AM1.43m | 6:11PM1.39m | 6:32AM1.30m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 10:15AM-0.00m | 10:34PM0.14m | 11:02AM0.07m | 11:26PM0.21m | 11:52AM0.18m | 00:25AM0.31m | ||||||||||||||||||
 |  | |  |  | | | | | | |  | | | | | | |  | | | | | | |
 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:35 | — |
 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | — | — | 5:50 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 17 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 |
15 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 17 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 8 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 |
 kJ | 969 | 1042 | 929 | 372 | 454 | 476 | 575 | 627 | 505 | 332 | 268 | 326 | 402 | 290 | 235 | 188 | 179 | 184 | 188 | 146 | 58 | 50 | 33 | 38 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 6 | S 8 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
| kJ | 50 | 100 | 277 | 796 | 640 | 649 | 659 | 536 | 528 | 414 | 414 | 408 | 330 | 260 | 230 | 184 | 180 | 125 | 121 | 82 | 68 | 47 | 114 | 111 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | — | — | S 12 | — | — | S 16 | — | S 15 | S 15 | — | S 10 | — | SW 19 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 |
| kJ | 17 | 33 | — | — | 12 | — | — | 5 | — | 4 | 4 | — | 2 | — | 14 | 11 | 10 | 38 | 35 | 55 | 74 | 70 | 47 | 45 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | — | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | — | SSE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 94 | 175 | 404 | 569 | 630 | 740 | 953 | 969 | 721 | — | 433 | 701 | — | 578 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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