
Surf Forecasts:
Chinamans surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 5 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 18s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 20s period, SW swell with 9,846 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 5 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 19s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Chinamans this week:
The surf forecast for Chinamans over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 19s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 15s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Chinamans in the next 16 days are 3.5m 20s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Wed 5th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 19s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Wed 5th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Sun 9th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 20s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Chinamans over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the menu at Chinamans.
We’ve got a solid run of surf stretching out over the next couple of weeks. This is a reef break that needs a good SW swell and a clean offshore wind, and for the most part, the forecast is serving that up. The water temp is sitting at 59°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The action kicks off Wednesday morning, August 5th. It’s not big, with a 3 ft SW swell, but the period is a juicy 19 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. The wind is from the N at 12 mph, blowing offshore, keeping things clean. The energy is moderate (796). It’s a slow start, but for a surfer who knows this reef, those long-period lines will be a treat.
Wednesday afternoon sees things pick up. The swell bumps to 4 ft from the SW, still with a long 18-second period, and the wind shifts to the NNW at 12 mph, still offshore. The energy jumps to 1163, and the conditions are looking excellent for experienced surfers. This is a standout session – clean, lined up, and that reef will be working.
Thursday morning, August 6th, is a write-off. The wind swings onshore and the conditions go marginal. Don’t bother. But Thursday afternoon redeems it: the swell holds at 5 ft from the SW, 16-second period, and the wind goes light and cross-offshore. It cleans up nicely, and the energy is strong at 1373. That’s another good window.
Friday, August 7th, is a mixed bag. The morning sees a 8 ft SW swell, but the wind is cross-off, and the forecast is touchy. The afternoon, however, is a standout. The swell is 7 ft from the SW, 17-second period, and the wind is back to offshore from the N at 12 mph. The energy is strong at 2641. This is the kind of day you’d call in sick for – big, clean, powerful reef waves for the experienced crew.
Saturday, August 8th, and Sunday, August 9th, get messy. The swell stays up, but the wind is strong, and the conditions get lumpy. Sunday afternoon is a mess with a 10 ft swell and 22 mph cross-shore winds. The energy is huge (8943), but it’s a washing machine. Not worth it unless you’re a masochist.
Monday, August 10th, is a big day. The swell is 12 ft from the SW, 17-second period, and the wind is cross-offshore. The energy is massive at 11141. This is for experts only – over 8 ft, it’s a serious reef. The morning has a decent score, but the afternoon drops off a bit. Still, if you’re charging, Monday morning is the pick.
The rest of that week stays jumbo. Tuesday, August 11th, has 12 ft surf and strong winds, making it a wild, choppy affair. Wednesday, August 12th, is similar – 12 ft but cross-shore winds, messy. Thursday, August 13th, is a bit better, with a lighter cross-off breeze and a 12 ft SW swell at 18 seconds. The energy is strong (7789), and the conditions are clean. That’s a solid day for the brave.
Friday, August 14th, and Saturday, August 15th, are poor. Onshore winds and choppy conditions ruin the potential.
The best on offer, and the true standout of the whole outlook, is Sunday, August 16th. The morning is glassy – wind from the WSW at just 3 mph, glassy conditions. The swell is a clean 7 ft from the SW, 16-second period. The energy is solid (1847). This is a classic, clean, lined-up day at Chinamans. The afternoon stays clean with a light cross-off wind. This is the one to circle on the calendar.
After that, the last week of the outlook is smaller but still surfable. Monday, August 17th, has 5 ft clean surf. Tuesday, August 18th, kicks back up to 10 ft with offshore winds, but it’s a bit more raw. Wednesday, August 19th, is a 8 ft day with a light onshore breeze, a bit bumpy. Thursday, August 20th, drops back to 6 ft with clean conditions.
Overall, there’s a lot of swell here, but you need to pick your windows. The real gems are Wednesday afternoon (Aug 5th), Friday afternoon (Aug 7th), Monday morning (Aug 10th), and that glassy Sunday (Aug 16th). Expect crowds at Chinamans on the good days – it’s a popular spot when it’s working.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Wed morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the E on Thu night, fresh winds from the NW by Fri night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 35mm), heaviest during Sun morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Sat morning, min 10°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Sun afternoon, moderate winds from the NW by Mon afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 16 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
436 | 1019 | 865 | 803 | 1364 | 2350 | 2567 | 2641 | 1761 | 1613 | 1547 | 1171 | 2359 | 6918 | 9526 | 6990 | 4780 | 3090 | 2886 | 5581 | 6702 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:29PM0.65m | 5:59AM0.83m | 4:19PM0.55m | 6:55AM0.84m | 8:33AM0.83m | 11:06AM0.88m | 12:25PM0.97m | 2:55AM0.27m | 1:14PM1.05m | 2:11AM0.35m | |||||||||||
Low Tide | 11:17AM0.35m | 10:51PM0.12m | 12:14PM0.44m | 11:00PM0.11m | 11:08PM0.10m | 11:05PM0.12m | 10:18PM0.14m | 9:24PM0.14m | 4:16AM0.27m | 9:11PM0.13m | |||||||||||
7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | |
— | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 5 | 4 | 11 | 5 | 1 | — | 1 | 8 | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
Feels °C | 8 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | N 5 | SW 22 | — | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | NNW 6 | — |
360 | 1019 | 865 | 803 | 1364 | 2350 | 2567 | 2641 | 1761 | 1613 | 1547 | 1171 | 13 | 1178 | — | 4151 | 4780 | 3090 | 2886 | 45 | — | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 19 | SW 13 | — | WSW 4 | WSW 5 | — | SW 18 | — | — | ENE 4 | WNW 7 | ENE 5 | — | SW 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
436 | 144 | — | 13 | 9 | — | 1312 | — | — | 4 | 45 | 2 | — | 847 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | WSW 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 152 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 4 | N 4 | WNW 4 | — | — | — | — | N 4 | NNW 5 | NNW 5 | N 4 | NNW 6 | WSW 16 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 17 | — | NW 6 | NNW 5 | SW 15 | SW 16 |
7 | 6 | 11 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 78 | 47 | 32 | 130 | 2359 | 6918 | 9526 | 6990 | — | 198 | 42 | 5581 | 6702 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 0 | 81 | 81 | 726 | 112 | 160 | 463 | 729 | 7 | 11 | 540 | 1034 | 1186 | 1186 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Yorke Peninsula | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Latest Updates
Information about the Chinamans Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Chinamans provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Chinamans can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Chinamans 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 (Chinamans) 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 Chinamans 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Yorke Peninsula? If you are looking for accommodation near Chinamans, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Yorke Peninsula, consider staying in Kingscote which is 80 km (50 miles) away.











