Birling Gap surfForecast / South Coast / UK

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 6 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 1AM is: 0.9m 6s primary swell from a West-southwest direction and 0.4m 13s secondary swell from a Southwest direction (forecast issued at 06:00pm May 20). The wind direction is predicted to be onshore.

Time (BST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (21 May)2ft (0.6m)9s
Afternoon (21 May)1.5ft (0.5m)8s
Evening (21 May)1.5ft (0.4m)8s

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 22°C on Fri night, min 13°C on Wed afternoon). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Wed afternoon, calm by Thu afternoon).

Wed
20
Thursday
21
Friday
22
Sat
23
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
10 AM
1 PM
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
6
1.6
SW
6
1.2
SW
6
0.9
WSW
6
0.7
SW
6
0.3
SW
12
0.6
WSW
9
0.5
SW
8
0.5
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.2
WSW
9
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
11
0.4
SW
11
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
209
171
98
55
31
22
50
35
33
17
17
16
16
9
23
25
26
28
40
40
28
26
25
25
Wind (km/h)
35
WSW
30
WSW
25
WSW
15
WSW
15
WSW
15
SW
15
SW
15
SSW
10
S
5
ESE
10
E
15
E
10
ESE
10
SE
10
SSE
15
SE
10
SE
5
SE
5
E
10
E
10
SSE
10
SSE
5
SSW
10
SSE
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-on
glassy
cross
High Tide
2:33PM6.39m
2:54AM6.19m
3:24PM6.01m
3:46AM5.76m
4:19PM5.60m
4:44AM5.33m
Low Tide
9:05PM0.71m
9:32AM0.64m
10:02PM1.03m
10:30AM0.97m
11:04PM1.34m
11:32AM1.27m
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
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
14
15
16
17
18
19
18
17
17
18
20
21
22
22
21
21
19
21
7
8
9
10
11
10
12
13
15
16
17
18
17
16
16
17
20
22
22
22
21
21
20
20
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
SW
13
0.4
SW
13
0.3
SW
13
0.3
SW
9
0.3
SW
12
0.5
SW
8
0.5
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.4
SW
8
0.2
WSW
7
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
11
0.4
SW
11
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
Energy kJ
60
42
26
12
22
35
33
17
17
16
16
5
23
25
26
28
40
40
28
26
25
25
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
SW
12
0.1
SW
12
0.1
SW
12
0.1
SW
11
0.2
WSW
9
0.3
SSW
3
0.3
S
3
0.2
S
3
0.2
S
3
0.3
SSW
3
0.3
SSW
3
Energy kJ
22
5
5
5
9
2
2
1
1
2
2
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
Energy kJ
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
SW
6
1.6
SW
6
1.2
SW
6
0.9
WSW
6
0.7
SW
6
0.6
WSW
6
0.6
WSW
9
0.3
SE
2
0.3
SSE
3
0.3
SSE
3
0.4
S
3
0.3
S
4
0.2
SSE
3
0.2
ESE
2
0.2
S
3
0.3
S
3
0.3
S
3
Energy kJ
209
171
98
55
31
20
50
1
2
2
3
2
1
1
1
1
2
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
4
2
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Distance (km)
463
112
92
105
105
92
98
92
114
114
114
114
119
166
166
114
114
92
114
119
92
92
119
164
Best forecast wave conditions in South Coast of England
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom
Rating
(10 max)
2
4
4
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
5
7
8
7
6
5
5
5
5
6
8
9
  • 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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