
Surf Forecasts:
Chinamans surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 28 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 15s period, SW swell with 5,807 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 13s 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 Tuesday (Jul 21) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 13s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Chinamans in the next 16 days are 3.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 26) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Chinamans over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a look at Chinamans, a solid reef break, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag for the next two weeks. Let’s get into it.
The first bit of decent surf hits us on Tuesday, July 21. We’re looking at a clean 5ft swell from the SW, with a nice long 13-second period. The wind is light and offshore from the NNW, so it’s going to be glassy. The water is sitting at 60°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year. The energy is moderate (821), so there’s some push in the water. It’s a reef break, so that long period groundswell will wrap in nicely. Tuesday afternoon holds up with a similar 5ft swell and clean conditions.
Then things get ugly for a stretch. Wednesday the 22nd through to Sunday the 26th is a write-off. Strong onshore winds, lumpy, choppy, and just poor conditions. The swell gets big, up to 8ft, but it’s all ruined by the wind. You’d be better off staying home.
We get a glimmer on Monday the 27th, but it’s only marginal with a cross-shore wind and that big 8ft swell. It’s not the one.
Now, the standout. Circle Tuesday, July 28. This is the one we’ve been waiting for. The morning is looking absolutely perfect. We’ve got a 10ft SW groundswell with a 16-second period, and the wind is glassy, absolutely dead calm from the ENE. The energy is very strong (5541). This is heavy, expert-level surf. That massive swell and that long period means it’s going to be big, powerful, and walled up. For a reef like Chinamans, this is a dream scenario. Get there early, and be ready. The afternoon stays glassy with a 10ft swell, but it might be a bit more manageable.
The week following has some good options. Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th both offer clean 7ft and 6ft SW swells with offshore or cross-off winds. These are excellent for experienced surfers. The 30th has a particularly nice 17-second period swell in the afternoon, which is a treat.
The surf starts to fade into the first week of August. Friday the 31st and Saturday the 1st are small and marginal. Sunday the 2nd is a write-off with strong winds. But then we get another solid run kicking off Monday, August 3rd. The 3rd brings a clean 6ft to 6ft SW swell with offshore winds, and the 4th is looking even better. Tuesday, August 4th, has a massive 8ft SW groundswell with an 18-second period, and it’s clean. The afternoon session is the pick, with a lighter wind and that same huge, long-period energy (3681). This is another one for the experts only.
To wrap it up: the absolute best of the bunch is Tuesday, July 28, with that glassy, heavy, 10ft swell. The second-pick has to be Tuesday, August 4th, for that big, clean, long-period groundswell. The rest of the time, you’ll have to pick your windows.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue morning, min 11°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Tue afternoon, fresh winds from the SW by Wed night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun night, min 12°C on Fri morning). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 10 | WSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
821 | 688 | 463 | 1036 | 805 | 2295 | 2509 | 2933 | 2796 | 2450 | 1914 | 1325 | 961 | 784 | 634 | 537 | 298 | 763 | 2148 | 2172 | 3557 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 4:58PM0.66m | 6:59AM0.76m | 4:25PM0.58m | 8:11AM0.76m | 10:19AM0.78m | 11:59AM0.84m | 12:49PM0.90m | 1:24PM0.96m | 2:45AM0.37m | ||||||||||||
Low Tide | 11:50AM0.45m | 11:38PM0.21m | 1:03PM0.53m | 11:42PM0.22m | 11:35PM0.23m | 11:03PM0.24m | 10:07PM0.23m | 9:39PM0.22m | 9:34PM0.20m | ||||||||||||
7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | |
— | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | |
mm | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 11 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 13 | — | SW 14 |
821 | 688 | 463 | 70 | 108 | 1016 | 2509 | 2822 | 2796 | 2450 | 869 | 1325 | 961 | 784 | 634 | 537 | 298 | 109 | 1099 | — | 3419 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 15 | — | SW 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 18 | SW 18 | WSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | — | — | — |
— | — | 34 | — | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 12 | 26 | 10 | 8 | 76 | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | WNW 4 | SW 14 | SW 12 | SW 15 | — | SW 15 | — | — | SW 15 | WSW 14 | — | — | — | W 3 | W 5 | WSW 10 | WSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 15 |
— | — | 10 | 1036 | 805 | 2295 | — | 2933 | — | — | 1914 | 545 | — | — | — | 6 | 87 | 763 | 2148 | 2172 | 3557 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 7 | 726 | 546 | 32 | 738 | 1200 | 32 | 32 | 506 | 506 | 729 | 717 | 46 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 46 | 32 | 7 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Yorke Peninsula | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










