Surf Forecasts:
Eastbourne surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 6s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 7s period, SW swell with 662 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 6s period with WSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Eastbourne this week:
The surf forecast for Eastbourne over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 6s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Eastbourne in the next 16 days are 2.5m 7s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Monday (Aug 31) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Eastbourne over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright mate, let's talk about Eastbourne.
It’s a long, quiet spell we’ve got on our hands here. For the next few days, it’s basically flat and not worth wetting your wetsuit. Honestly, there isn’t anything decent on offer for surfing until the very end of the first week of September, and even then, it’s a tough call.
Right now, through this week and into the start of next, we’re looking at tiny swells, mostly under 2 feet, with periods too short to get a decent ride. The wind is all over the shop, mostly side-shore or onshore, keeping things choppy and messy. The water temp is just average for this time of year, nothing special.
We start to see a bit of a pulse around the 29th of August (Saturday), where the swell bumps up to about 6 feet in the morning from the SW. But the wind is a fresh side-shore, making a lumpy mess of it, and the combined energy climbs to a moderate 221. Not a day to get worked up about. It gets worse in the afternoon with 8 feet of swell and a strong side-shore wind pushing the energy to 466 (strong wave energy). That’s too big for a beginner, and with all that wind, it’s only going to appeal to the experts, or honestly, the kitesurfers. The beach setup here will be more fun on a kite than a paddle board.
Monday the 31st of August cleans up a bit. Winds turn side-offshore from the W, offering clean conditions. The swell sits around 4 to 5 feet from the WSW, with moderate energy up to 196. It’s clean, but the surf quality is still poor and the wave comment says it all – not happening.
Finally, on Tuesday the 1st of September, we get “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” The swell picks up to about 5 feet in the morning from the SW, with a period of 6 seconds – a short period swell that won’t have much shape. Combined energy is 182, moderate. The wind is a gentle side-offshore breeze, so it’s clean. By the afternoon, the swell hits about 7 feet from the SW (energy 434, strong) but the wave comment says it’s marginal. For an experienced surfer, the afternoon on the 1st of September is the only time in the whole run that’s even worth a look, and it’s still a gamble. The water temp is still ordinary.
After that, it drops back to tiny again for days. There is a little bump on Monday the 7th of September with a 7 foot Westerly swell, but the wind is a moderate side-shore producing a cross-chop and the surf is still described as poor.
So what’s the verdict? The standout, if you can call it that, is the afternoon of Tuesday the 1st of September. You’ll find 7 feet of SW swell with clean conditions from a side-offshore breeze. It’s still described as marginal, so don’t expect perfection. Crowds at Eastbourne are sometimes a problem, so you might have company. If you’re an experienced surfer and you’re desperate, that’s your window. For everyone else, maybe check back later in the month.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 18°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Tue night, fresh winds from the WSW by Fri afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Sun afternoon, min 16°C on Sun night). Mainly strong winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | |||||||||||||||
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) | W 8 | SSW 4 | — | SSW 4 | SW 4 | SW 8 | WSW 7 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | SW 6 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SW 6 | SW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 | SW 6 | SW 7 | SW 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 221 | 466 | 662 | 149 | 42 | 0 | 91 | 196 | 190 | 182 | 434 | 127 | |
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 | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:10AM5.32m | 11:23PM5.53m | 11:45AM5.73m | 11:58PM5.90m | 12:18PM6.10m | 00:31AM6.21m | 12:51PM6.39m | 1:04AM6.42m | 1:24PM6.57m | 1:39AM6.52m | 1:58PM6.61m | 2:14AM6.49m | 2:34PM6.52m | 2:52AM6.32m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:03AM1.37m | 5:24PM1.36m | 5:44AM0.98m | 6:03PM1.01m | 6:20AM0.65m | 6:39PM0.71m | 6:54AM0.40m | 7:13PM0.51m | 7:27AM0.27m | 7:46PM0.41m | 8:01AM0.25m | 8:20PM0.42m | 8:35AM0.36m | 8:56PM0.55m | |||||||
6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | |
— | 7:58 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | |
mm | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | 5 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Feels °C | 20 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SSW 4 | SW 4 | SW 8 | WSW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 9 | SW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 7 |
— | — | — | 5 | 7 | 3 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | 94 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 127 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | E 4 | — | — | N 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 5 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | W 9 | — | W 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
1 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 3 | SSW 4 | — | — | — | SW 4 | WSW 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | SW 6 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SW 6 | SW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 | SW 6 | SW 7 | — |
1 | 2 | — | — | — | 9 | 22 | 54 | 37 | 221 | 466 | 662 | 149 | 42 | 143 | 91 | 196 | 190 | 182 | 434 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 340 | 715 | 430 | 413 | 345 | 339 | 383 | 176 | 479 | 705 | 114 | 168 | 353 | 591 | 313 | 450 | 160 | 99 | 99 | 108 | 99 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Coast of England | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Eastbourne Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Eastbourne provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Eastbourne can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Eastbourne 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 (Eastbourne) 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 Eastbourne 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.
Eastbourne is 11 km (7 miles) from Hailsham. If you plan a holiday in South Coast of England, look for hotels and other accommodation in Hailsham. Hailsham has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











