Birling Gap surfForecast / South Coast / UK

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 12 am 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 1.9°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 6AM is: 1.7m 7s primary swell from a Southwest direction and 0.1m 16s secondary swell from a Southwest direction (forecast issued at 12:00am May 20). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-onshore.

Time (BST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (20 May)5ft (1.5m)6s
Afternoon (20 May)5ft (1.6m)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

Some drizzle, heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 20°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Tue night, light winds from the SSE by Thu afternoon).

Wednesday
20
Thursday
21
Friday
22
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
4 PM
7 PM
10 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
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
SW
6
1.9
SW
6
1.6
SW
7
1.5
SW
6
1.5
SW
5
1.6
SW
6
1.6
SW
6
1.2
WSW
6
0.9
WSW
6
0.7
SW
6
0.4
SW
12
0.4
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
0.2
WSW
7
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
239
306
230
175
129
154
159
87
55
32
36
22
35
17
16
16
16
20
5
25
25
25
26
28
Wind (km/h)
35
SW
35
WSW
35
WSW
30
WSW
35
WSW
35
WSW
30
WSW
20
WSW
15
WSW
15
WSW
10
SW
15
SW
15
S
5
SSE
10
ESE
10
E
10
E
10
ESE
10
SE
10
SE
15
SE
10
SE
5
ESE
5
E
on
on
cross-on
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
2:06AM6.54m
2:33PM6.39m
2:54AM6.19m
3:24PM6.01m
3:46AM5.76m
4:19PM5.60m
Low Tide
8:38AM0.34m
9:05PM0.71m
9:32AM0.64m
10:02PM1.03m
10:30AM0.97m
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:03
5:03
5:01
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:46
8:49
8:50
1
Temp °C
13
13
12
13
13
13
13
13
14
14
14
14
15
17
17
19
19
18
17
17
18
20
20
21
6
6
6
8
7
7
8
9
12
12
12
12
13
17
16
18
18
17
16
16
16
19
20
21
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
SW
16
0.3
SW
15
0.4
SW
14
0.4
SW
13
0.4
SW
13
0.3
SW
13
0.4
SW
12
0.4
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
0.2
WSW
7
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
0.4
SW
10
Energy kJ
10
37
51
60
42
26
36
19
35
17
16
16
16
20
5
25
25
25
26
28
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
SW
12
0.1
SW
12
0.1
SW
12
0.1
SW
11
0.1
SW
11
0.1
SW
10
0.3
SSW
3
0.2
SSW
3
0.2
S
3
Energy kJ
22
5
5
5
5
4
2
1
1
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
Energy kJ
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
SW
6
1.9
SW
6
1.6
SW
7
1.5
SW
6
1.5
SW
5
1.6
SW
6
1.6
SW
6
1.2
WSW
6
0.9
WSW
6
0.7
SW
6
0.6
WSW
6
0.5
SW
5
0.3
ESE
2
0.4
SE
3
0.3
SSE
3
0.3
SSE
3
0.3
S
3
0.3
S
3
0.2
S
3
Energy kJ
239
306
230
175
129
154
159
87
55
32
20
13
1
3
2
2
2
2
1
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
3
3
3
1
2
1
2
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Distance (km)
434
494
163
332
536
288
112
92
105
92
92
105
105
191
114
114
119
166
166
166
114
114
114
114
Best forecast wave conditions in South Coast of England
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
1
3
2
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
5
5
5
5
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
5
7
7
7
7
5
5
  • 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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