
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, 6PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 21s period, SW swell with 11,485 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 21s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 6PM. 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 Sunday (Aug 09) at 3AM.
| 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 | 6PM (Sun 9th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 21s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Chinamans over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for the next couple of weeks.
We’ve got a fairly consistent run of swell heading our way, with a solid SW groundswell pulse building through the period. The water temp is sitting at a pretty average 59°F, so nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year.
It kicks off on Tuesday afternoon, the 4th of August, at Chinamans. The wind is glassy, with a clean 5ft SW swell pushing in with a very long 15-second period. The energy is moderate (944), but that extra-long period means the waves will have serious shape and power – perfect for a reef break like this. It’s a standout session for the start of the week, with the light air and clean conditions making it a real treat.
Wednesday the 5th is where it gets interesting. The morning sees a bit of a drop in height to 3ft but the wind goes offshore from the NNW and the period jumps to a massive 19 seconds. The energy is still moderate (796), but that offshore wind and long period will be producing some beautifully lined-up waves. The afternoon gets even better – the swell jumps back up to 4ft with an 18-second period, the wind stays offshore, and the energy ramps up to 1140. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers, with very clean, powerful waves. This is the highlight of the early week.
Thursday the 6th is a bit of a letdown. The wind goes cross-onshore in the morning and the waves get choppy. The afternoon sees a bit more size at 5ft, but the wind is cross-shore, making it look less appealing. The energy is solid (1374) but the quality isn’t there.
Friday the 7th brings a bigger swell, hitting 8ft in the morning with a 16-second period. The wind is cross-offshore from the NNE, keeping things clean. The energy is getting strong (2634). This is getting into the expert-only zone, and the crowd is sometimes a factor here, but for those who can handle it, the waves will be powerful. The afternoon is similar with 7ft and clean conditions.
Saturday the 8th is a write-off. The wind is howling from the N at 25 mph, making it a messy, blown-out affair. The swell is still there, but the quality is gone. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session.
Sunday the 9th is a no-go. The wind is up to 31-37 mph from the W and WSW, with wave heights of 8ft to 12ft and a combined energy of 5713. The conditions are poor, with heavy rain and strong cross-shore winds. Stay on the beach.
Now, looking into the second week, things get very big. Monday the 10th sees an 12ft SW swell with a 16-second period. The wind is strong from the W and WNW, but it’s cross-offshore, keeping it clean. The energy is through the roof at 11707. This is only for the most experienced, and it’s a challenging, powerful wave. The best of the big stuff looks like it might be on Thursday the 13th, where the 12ft swell is accompanied by a clean cross-offshore wind and a 17-18 second period, with energy around 7284. That’s a proper groundswell event.
The tail end of the period, from the 17th of August, looks promising. Monday the 17th morning is a potential standout: the wind is glassy, the swell is 8ft with a 16-second period, and the energy is strong (3808). That’s a big, clean, powerful day for the experts.
The 18th and 19th see the swell dropping back to a more manageable 5ft to 7ft, with clean offshore winds from the N. This will be a fantastic end to the run, with great conditions for experienced surfers, especially on the 18th afternoon.
So, overall, the standout sessions are the opening Tuesday afternoon, the Wednesday afternoon, and the big, clean groundswell on the 13th. The glassy morning on the 17th is also a real gem. The weekend of the 8th and 9th is a write-off, so plan around that.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Wed night. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri afternoon, min 10°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 38mm), heaviest during Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri night, min 12°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Fri night, near gales from the WSW by Sun afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | ||||||||||||||
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 20 | 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 | WSW 16 | WSW 19 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
483 | 436 | 1019 | 865 | 803 | 1364 | 2350 | 2601 | 2641 | 1925 | 1742 | 1432 | 1290 | 3750 | 5601 | 9974 | 7129 | 5720 | 4584 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 5:18AM0.80m | 4:29PM0.65m | 5:59AM0.83m | 4:19PM0.55m | 6:55AM0.84m | 8:33AM0.83m | 11:06AM0.88m | 12:25PM0.97m | 2:55AM0.27m | ||||||||||
Low Tide | 10:42PM0.14m | 11:17AM0.35m | 10:51PM0.12m | 12:14PM0.44m | 11:00PM0.11m | 11:08PM0.10m | 11:05PM0.12m | 10:18PM0.14m | 9:24PM0.14m | ||||||||||
— | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
Temp °C | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 9 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | — | — | — | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
440 | 360 | 1019 | 865 | 803 | 1364 | 2350 | 2601 | 2641 | 1925 | 1742 | 1432 | 1290 | — | — | — | 4566 | 5720 | 4584 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 20 | SW 19 | SSW 13 | — | WSW 4 | WSW 5 | — | SW 18 | — | — | — | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
483 | 436 | 120 | — | 13 | 18 | — | 1312 | — | — | — | 6 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | W 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 4 | NNW 4 | WNW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 5 | NNW 5 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 19 | SW 17 | — | NNW 6 |
— | 11 | 7 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | 91 | 91 | 67 | 129 | 3750 | 5601 | 9974 | 7129 | — | 155 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 81 | 74 | 74 | 81 | 645 | 728 | 472 | 607 | 1055 | 162 | 726 | 729 |
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.











