Surf Forecasts:
Chinamans surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 17s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 21 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 17s period, SW swell with 3,731 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 17s 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 Thursday (Aug 20) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Chinamans in the next 16 days are 2.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 17s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Fri 21st Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Chinamans over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here with a look at the 16-day window for Chinamans. The start of the run is a bit of a washout, so don't rush to the beach just yet.
Sunday the 16th kicks off with a lumpy 1.6m SW swell and a stiff 25 km/h onshore wind from the east – it's all choppy and poor. Water temp is 59°, pretty much average for the season.
Monday the 17th is still touch and go. The swell hangs in there at 1.6m from the SW, but the wind shifts around by the afternoon giving us cleaner conditions with a cross-off breeze. Still, it's not really on. Tuesday is clean but the swell starts to shrink a bit.
Wednesday the 19th gets interesting. The morning is a no-go with a strong 35 km/h cross-off, but the afternoon brings a bigger 1.9m swell from the WSW with some serious energy (1766). The wind is still fresh, making it a handful.
The real standout is Thursday the 20th. Mark it down. Clean, glassy conditions with a light offshore breeze, a solid 1.6m SW groundswell with a 16-second period, and moderate wave energy (1628). The light offshore wind will have the waves looking perfect. This is for experienced surfers – the swell is a bit much for beginners. The crowd factor is 'sometimes', so you might see a few other folks out.
Friday the 21st the swell builds to 2.1m, and by the afternoon it's a chunky 2.5m from the WSW with massive energy (7186), but the wind goes lumpy and cross-shore. Saturday the 22nd is the better call if you want the size, with a clean 2.5m SW swell and light winds – expert territory, but the conditions are pristine.
After that, it gets rough. Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th are blown out with strong onshore winds and a big, messy 3.0m swell. That's kite-surfing country, not paddle surfing.
Wednesday the 26th offers a nice window. Morning is small at 0.9m, but the afternoon turns glassy with a 1.6m SW swell – a beautiful combo for a late session. Thursday the 27th is clean but lacks punch.
Looking into the second week, Friday the 28th is a real treat. A glassy morning with a 1.1m SW swell, then the afternoon goes off with a clean offshore breeze and a very long-period 19-second groundswell. At that period, the waves will be long and lined up at this reef, but the sets will be spaced out. Energy is moderate (1273). It's a promising call, but with it being so far out, keep an eye on the forecasts.
Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th keep the good vibes going with clean, light offshore winds and consistent 1.5m to 1.8m SW swell. This spot is fairly consistent, so you'll get your share.
Alright, bottom line: Thursday the 20th is your top pick – excellent quality, decent size, and clean. For a long-range bet, Friday the 28th afternoon looks like a glassy, long-period dream. Get after it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Mon morning, strong winds from the N by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Wed morning, light winds from the W by Thu afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1092 | 1077 | 874 | 1230 | 1297 | 800 | 1174 | 834 | 480 | 438 | 1559 | 1235 | 875 | 1317 | 1581 | 2021 | 3731 | 3725 | 3022 | 2741 | 2437 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | on | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 3:46PM0.86m | 4:14AM0.81m | 4:04PM0.76m | 4:43AM0.83m | 4:16PM0.66m | 5:12AM0.83m | 4:16PM0.57m | 5:43AM0.79m | 3:52PM0.52m | 6:19AM0.74m | 1:59PM0.52m | 7:29AM0.68m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 9:36AM0.13m | 10:03PM0.08m | 10:14AM0.18m | 10:15PM0.08m | 10:49AM0.25m | 10:25PM0.09m | 11:23AM0.34m | 10:31PM0.11m | 12:00PM0.43m | 10:32PM0.12m | 1:14PM0.52m | 10:26PM0.13m | 10:07PM0.15m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | |  |  | |  | | | |  | | | | |  | |
 | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — |
 | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 |
Feels °C | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 20 | WSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | WSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 |
| kJ | 1092 | 1077 | 874 | 1230 | 1297 | 668 | 1174 | 834 | 480 | 438 | 143 | 1235 | 875 | 1317 | 1581 | 2021 | 3731 | 3725 | 3022 | 2741 | 2437 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 26 | SW 23 | SW 21 | SW 19 | — | — | — | N 5 | SW 20 | SW 18 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | SW 19 | SW 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | 26 | 86 | 368 | 800 | — | — | — | 8 | 64 | 321 | 251 | 248 | 925 | 1018 | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | S 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 502 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | E 4 | E 4 | NE 4 | NNE 4 | NNE 4 | N 5 | WNW 5 | WSW 15 | — | — | — | — | W 5 | SW 17 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 11 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 25 | 22 | 32 | 86 | 102 | 1559 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 3455 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 81 | 116 | 163 | 540 | 160 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 726 | 32 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
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.
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