Surf Forecasts:
Croyde surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 9s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 7s period, W swell with 434 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 9s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Croyde this week:
The surf forecast for Croyde over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 4s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Croyde in the next 16 days are 2.0m 7s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Croyde over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for us over the next couple of weeks.
The honest truth is, this stretch looks pretty grim. We’re going to be sitting through a lot of blown-out, choppy, and downright messy conditions before we see anything worth getting wet for. There is a real dry spell to start, and even when a few small windows open up, it’s not going to be anything to write home about. The standout moment here is a very specific, very clean window on the morning of Friday the 21st of August, but don’t expect much else.
Looking at the week ahead, we’re dealing with a lot of onshore and cross-onshore wind. Monday afternoon through the whole of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday is all poor. The swell is coming from the west, with short 6-second periods, and the wind is just cooking it. We’re looking at moderate to fresh breezes from the west and northwest, ripping the surface apart. The wave energy stays weak to moderate, around 57 to 281, but it’s all junk. The water is much warmer than normal for the time of year, sitting at 66°F, which is about 4°F warmer than average for a spot like Croyde.
Now, Friday the 21st of August. That’s the one. The morning session is your only real shot. We’ve got a light offshore breeze from the east-southeast, around 6 mph, and a small west swell at 2 ft with an 8-second period. The combined energy is weak, only 56, but with that offshore wind and clean conditions, it’ll be glassy and workable for a log or a mid-length. It’s small, but it’s the cleanest surf of the entire run. The crowds are often here at Croyde, so expect company.
After that, things drop right off. Saturday the 22nd is tiny with a 1 ft swell, and while there’s a strong offshore from the east at 16 mph, it’s too small to be fun. The rest of that weekend and the whole of the following week are near enough flat or just plain blown out. We get a tiny bump of energy on Wednesday the 26th, with a 4 ft west-southwest swell and a light offshore from the northeast making for clean conditions, but the period is a short 8 seconds and the energy is only moderate at 154. It’s surfable but very ordinary.
The final days of the month and into September look bigger but terrible. By the 28th of August, we’re seeing 6 ft swells with fresh cross-shore winds, and by the 1st of September, we’re up to 10 ft with very strong combined energy over 1000, but it’s all with a fresh onshore or cross-onshore wind. For a beach break like Croyde, that’s just a washing machine. That kind of setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
So yeah, the one and only call is Friday morning, the 21st of August. Get out early for a clean, small session while it lasts. The rest? You can sleep in.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Wed morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon night, min 15°C on Thu morning). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat afternoon, min 14°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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) | W 6 | WSW 5 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | WSW 9 | WSW 10 | W 10 | WSW 15 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
33 | 45 | 166 | 95 | 176 | 148 | 184 | 434 | 246 | 104 | 130 | 49 | 34 | 25 | 31 | 16 | 21 | 14 | 8 | 8 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | off | cross | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 10:11PM8.10m | 10:29AM7.63m | 10:48PM7.45m | 11:07AM7.05m | 11:28PM6.77m | 11:50AM6.44m | 00:16AM6.13m | 12:46PM5.91m | 1:25AM5.65m | 2:09PM5.60m | 3:01AM5.52m | 3:45PM5.74m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:15AM1.05m | 4:30PM1.30m | 4:51AM1.63m | 5:09PM1.89m | 5:32AM2.23m | 5:56PM2.48m | 6:24AM2.78m | 7:02PM2.97m | 7:42AM3.16m | 8:37PM3.17m | 9:21AM3.15m | 10:08PM2.95m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | |
8:35 | — | — | 8:32 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:27 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:22 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | W 7 | W 6 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | WSW 9 | WSW 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 |
12 | 16 | 163 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 27 | 99 | 130 | 49 | 34 | 25 | 31 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 5 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | W 16 | SW 17 | W 17 | — | W 16 | W 16 | — | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | N 3 | NNW 5 | NW 4 | SW 15 | ENE 3 | WSW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
12 | 5 | 11 | 6 | — | 5 | 5 | — | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 21 | 8 | 8 | 8 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | N 5 | SW 15 | — | SW 14 | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 9 | — | 8 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | WSW 5 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | NNW 4 | — | — | NE 2 | E 3 | NW 6 | N 4 | N 3 | — | NW 3 |
33 | 45 | 166 | 95 | 176 | 148 | 184 | 434 | 246 | 104 | 10 | — | — | 1 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 2 | — | 3 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 311 | 364 | 189 | 274 | 68 | 274 | 274 | 189 | 68 | 48 | 47 | 0 | 45 | 36 | 0 | 92 | 309 | 36 | 140 | 237 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Devon | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Croyde Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Croyde provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Croyde can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Croyde 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 (Croyde) 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 Croyde 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.
Croyde is 9 km (6 miles) from Appledore. If you plan a holiday in North Devon, look for hotels and other accommodation in Appledore. Appledore has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











