Birling Gap surfForecast / South Coast / UK

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 12 pm Wednesday 20 May 2026 BST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Birling Gap surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Birling Gap sea temperature is
13.1° C
(Which is 1.8°C warmer than normal for this time of year)

How big are the waves at Birling Gap today?

The current surf forecast for Birling Gap at 8PM is: 1.4m 6s primary swell from a Southwest direction (forecast issued at 12:00pm May 20). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-onshore.

Time (BST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (20 May)6ft (1.8m)7s
Afternoon (20 May)5.5ft (1.7m)6s
Evening (20 May)4.5ft (1.3m)6s

Table - waves today at Birling Gap. (Swell directed towards the surf break)


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Wed morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Wed morning, calm by Fri night).

Wed
20
Thursday
21
Friday
22
Sat
23
10 AM
1 PM
4 PM
7 PM
10 PM
1 AM
4 AM
7 AM
10 AM
1 PM
4 PM
7 PM
10 PM
1 AM
4 AM
7 AM
10 AM
1 PM
4 PM
7 PM
10 PM
1 AM
4 AM
7 AM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
SW
7
1.8
SW
6
1.6
SW
6
1.5
SW
6
1.2
WSW
6
0.9
WSW
6
0.7
SW
6
0.6
SW
6
0.3
SW
12
0.5
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.4
SW
9
0.4
SW
9
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
11
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
253
216
190
154
90
57
32
24
22
35
17
17
17
17
20
21
23
24
26
28
28
29
28
26
Wind (km/h)
35
WSW
35
WSW
35
WSW
30
WSW
20
WSW
15
WSW
15
WSW
15
SW
15
SW
10
SSW
10
SSE
5
ESE
10
E
15
E
10
ESE
10
SE
10
SE
10
SE
10
SE
5
ESE
5
E
10
E
5
ESE
5
NNE
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
glassy
off
High Tide
2:33PM6.39m
2:54AM6.19m
3:24PM6.01m
3:46AM5.76m
4:19PM5.60m
4:44AM5.33m
Low Tide
8:38AM0.34m
9:05PM0.71m
9:32AM0.64m
10:02PM1.03m
10:30AM0.97m
11:04PM1.34m
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:03
5:03
5:01
5:00
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:46
8:49
8:50
8:51
Temp °C
13
13
13
13
13
13
13
14
14
15
16
17
18
19
18
17
17
18
20
21
21
21
21
20
7
7
7
8
9
10
11
12
12
13
15
16
17
18
17
16
16
17
19
21
21
21
22
20
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
WSW
15
0.4
SW
14
0.4
SW
13
0.4
SW
13
0.7
SW
6
0.6
SW
6
0.3
SW
9
0.5
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.4
SW
9
0.4
SW
9
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
11
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
Energy kJ
45
51
60
42
32
24
12
35
17
17
17
17
20
21
23
24
26
28
28
29
28
26
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
SW
13
0.3
SW
12
0.3
SW
12
0.1
SW
12
0.1
SW
12
0.1
SW
11
0.1
SW
11
0.3
SSW
3
0.2
SSW
3
0.2
S
3
0.2
S
3
Energy kJ
26
22
22
5
5
5
5
2
1
1
1
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
Energy kJ
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
SW
7
1.8
SW
6
1.6
SW
6
1.5
SW
6
1.2
WSW
6
0.9
WSW
6
0.5
SW
5
0.3
SE
2
0.4
SE
3
0.4
SSE
3
0.4
SSE
3
0.3
S
4
0.3
S
4
0.2
ESE
3
0.2
S
3
0.2
S
3
0.2
S
3
Energy kJ
253
216
190
154
90
57
14
1
2
4
4
2
2
1
1
1
1
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
5
2
4
2
1
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Distance (km)
359
536
368
112
109
105
92
92
92
105
154
114
114
114
119
166
166
114
114
114
92
119
92
100
Best forecast wave conditions in South Coast of England
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
1
1
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
4
4
4
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
2
2
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
7
7
7
6
5
5
5
5
6
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder

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