Surf Forecasts:
Cintsa West surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 16 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 10s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 14s period, SSW swell with 913 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 15 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 10s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cintsa West this week:
The surf forecast for Cintsa West over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 3s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cintsa West in the next 16 days are 1.6m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sat 15th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cintsa West over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Cintsa West over the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, the first week is a bit of a write-off for quality waves. There’s surf coming through, sure, but it’s mostly messy, cross-shore or onshore winds, and the swell is small or poorly shaped. You’ll see some energy, but the conditions just aren’t there for a decent session. The water is sitting at 62.8°, which is a much colder than normal 5° below average for this time of year – you’ll want a thick wetsuit. That persistent cross-chop and wind ripple makes everything look pretty average.
The real standout in this outlook is Wednesday the 19th of August. After a few days of mediocrity, that Wednesday afternoon shows a small window of perfection. We’ve got a 3.9ft groundswell from the SSW (which is the ideal direction for this break) with a very long 13-second period – that’s proper energy and shape. But the real magic is the wind: it’s glassy. Dead calm. That means silky smooth conditions. The combined swell energy is strong at 577, so there’s plenty of push for a point break. This is the session to circle. It’s not huge, but it’ll be clean, lined-up, and uncrowded – though crowds here can show up sometimes.
The other date that gets the pulse going is Saturday the 22nd of August. That afternoon sees a 9.8ft swell from the SSW with moderate energy (1785), but the period drops to 9 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpier. Still, if you want size, that’s your window. Sunday the 23rd is a monster, with 16.4ft swell and a 15-second period, but the combined energy is a ridiculous 18985 – that’s huge, and the finder itself flags it as too big for this break. That’s experts only, and even then, caution is the word.
After the 25th, the surf fades back into small, weak, and windy, so the story really is: a slow start, a golden window mid-week, a brief blast of size on the weekend, then back to nothing. For the best surf, aim for Wednesday afternoon the 19th – it’s the cleanest you’ll get.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Sun afternoon, min 15°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 15°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 8 | E 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 7 | E 7 | E 11 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 198 | 96 | 370 | 204 | 209 | 229 | 382 | 308 | 194 | 120 | 115 | 427 | 482 | 515 | 398 | 323 | 651 | 913 | 424 | 254 | 167 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | off |
High Tide | 5:31PM1.73m | 5:40AM1.53m | 6:02PM1.64m | 6:09AM1.44m | 6:31PM1.52m | 6:38AM1.32m | 6:59PM1.38m | 7:07AM1.19m | 7:30PM1.23m | 7:39AM1.06m | 8:10PM1.08m | 8:39AM0.93m | 10:07PM0.97m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:13AM-0.02m | 11:40PM0.11m | 11:43AM0.05m | 00:10AM0.19m | 12:12PM0.16m | 00:40AM0.30m | 12:40PM0.29m | 1:10AM0.42m | 1:09PM0.43m | 1:44AM0.55m | 1:44PM0.58m | 2:39AM0.67m | 2:48PM0.72m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | | | | |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — |
 | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:42 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 20 | 17 | 25 | 27 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 22 | 25 | 23 |
Feels °C | 19 | 20 | 17 | 21 | 24 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 24 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 7 | E 10 | E 7 | E 11 | E 8 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | E 7 | E 7 |
| kJ | 198 | 88 | 242 | 143 | 112 | 172 | 382 | 308 | 194 | 120 | 115 | 427 | 482 | 515 | 398 | 323 | 651 | 913 | 424 | 111 | 79 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 4 | E 10 | SSW 13 | E 11 | SW 13 | E 11 | SW 11 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | — | E 8 | E 6 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 |
| kJ | 4 | 96 | 17 | 110 | 44 | 229 | 19 | 133 | 136 | 87 | 85 | 81 | 57 | 56 | 38 | 34 | — | 11 | 81 | 254 | 167 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SW 5 | S 11 | SSW 12 | S 11 | SW 11 | SSW 15 | — | SSW 18 | — | — | — | — | — | E 3 | — | — | — | — | — | S 15 |
| kJ | 41 | 4 | 10 | 15 | 2 | 32 | 22 | — | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 116 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 4 | — | ENE 10 | ENE 7 | E 7 | SW 3 | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | — | SSW 8 | SSW 5 | — | — | ESE 3 | — | — | E 8 | E 5 | ENE 6 | — | SW 3 |
| kJ | 11 | — | 370 | 204 | 209 | 1 | 7 | 10 | — | 43 | 32 | — | — | 6 | — | — | 86 | 25 | 129 | — | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 100 | 0 | 78 | 123 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 43 | 262 | 278 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape - Wild Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Cintsa West Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Cintsa West provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cintsa West can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cintsa West 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 (Cintsa West) 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 Cintsa West 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 Eastern Cape - Wild Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near Cintsa West, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Eastern Cape - Wild Coast, consider staying in East London which is 28 km (17 miles) away. Other places in and around Eastern Cape - Wild Coast where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Butterworth which is 56 km (35 miles) away, Stutterheim and Bisho.
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