Surf Forecasts:
Etang-Sale surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 22 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 16s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 23 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 15s period, SSW swell with 3,464 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 12s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Etang-Sale this week:
The surf forecast for Etang-Sale over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 1PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 15s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Etang-Sale in the next 16 days are 2.5m 15s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) 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 1.6m 8s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (+04) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Etang-Sale over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s get right into it. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a slow burn, but there's a serious pulse of energy coming through that’ll have the west coast firing. We've got one standout window, and a few other solid sessions if you pick your moments. Patience will be key.
The good news is, the water’s running a little warmer than average for this time of year, so you can get away with a slightly thinner suit out there at Etang-Sale.
First up, the early part of this run is pretty quiet. Tuesday the 18th through Thursday the 20th are looking marginal, with small, weak swells. The energy in the water is pretty anemic, with readings around 1013, 514, and 388. Waves will be in the 2ft to 4ft range, and while there are a couple of glassy moments—like Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning—it's just not enough push to get you excited. These are days for the longboard or a funboard at best.
We finally see a little more life on Friday the 21st. The swell bumps up to a 4ft southwest groundswell (14-second period), and the energy is climbing to 805 and 700. Friday afternoon looks like the pick of that day—the wind turns cross-offshore, cleaning up the lines nicely. The waves will be better shaped, with more energy behind them. Still, it’s not huge, but there’s fun to be had.
The weekend builds a bit more. Saturday the 22nd has some size, pushing to 5ft to 6ft, and the energy is starting to get solid (1111 and 1235). The issue is the cross-onshore wind making things a little lumpy. Then Sunday the 23rd is when the real swell starts to arrive. We're talking 8ft southwest swell with a moderate 14 seconds, and the energy jumps to 2760. There’s a window Sunday afternoon when the wind goes offshore and the surf becomes excellent for experienced surfers. This is where it starts to get good.
But the real standout, the one you circle on the calendar, is Tuesday the 25th. That’s when a proper pulse of swell hits. The size jumps to 11ft to 13ft from the SSW, with a long 16-second period. Combined energy readings of 6750 and 8157 show this is a strong, powerful swell. Tuesday afternoon with the light cross-onshore wind, the quality is actually pretty good despite the wind, and the raw power is huge. This is serious, expert-level surf. Same for Wednesday the 26th—the swell stays around 10ft with good energy, and the offshore wind on Wednesday morning will have it absolutely glassy. This is big, powerful surf that will be too much for beginners and only for proficient surfers.
The days after that stay chunky and good. Thursday the 27th is another standout, with 11ft SSW groundswell and a massive energy kick of 6910. The morning looks exceptional for experts with a gentle offshore wind. Just be aware that the wind picks up into the afternoon, getting gusty.
The following week sees the swell slowly easing but staying fun. From Friday the 28th through to the end of the run, we’re still looking at rideable 5ft to 8ft surf, with cleaner conditions and moderate offshore winds. The energy falls back into the 1000-3500 range, but there’s still plenty of push. The pick of this back half is probably Saturday the 29th, with clean, head-high-plus surf and light offshore winds.
So there you have it. A couple of small days to start, a building weekend, and then a proper, powerful swell from the 25th onward. The standout windows are Tuesday the 25th afternoon and Thursday the 27th morning. Get your big-wave board ready for that.
Stay stoked.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Tue morning, min 22°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Fri morning, min 22°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 11 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
603 | 411 | 264 | 242 | 191 | 240 | 191 | 248 | 212 | 355 | 746 | 659 | 813 | 1052 | 1200 | 3464 | 2760 | 2064 | 1599 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | off | glassy | off | on | cross | cross-off | off | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-on | off | glassy |
High Tide | 3:11AM0.44m | 3:23PM0.47m | 3:30AM0.38m | 3:36PM0.43m | 3:45AM0.32m | 3:49PM0.40m | 3:20PM0.36m | 12:20PM0.36m | 10:19PM0.37m | 12:04PM0.39m | 10:49PM0.42m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:12AM0.20m | 9:54PM0.22m | 9:05AM0.24m | 10:30PM0.25m | 8:22AM0.26m | 6:32AM0.26m | 4:49AM0.21m | 4:45PM0.31m | 5:04AM0.16m | 5:00PM0.27m | |||||||||
— | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
— | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:06 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 |
Feels °C | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 11 | SW 16 | SSE 10 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 13 |
603 | 411 | 264 | 242 | 191 | 240 | 191 | 248 | 96 | 355 | 746 | 659 | 813 | 1052 | 1200 | 3464 | 2760 | 2064 | 1599 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSE 10 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 17 | SSE 15 | SSE 13 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 |
301 | 301 | 206 | 162 | 147 | 119 | 144 | 100 | 212 | 264 | 28 | 15 | 12 | 21 | 35 | 46 | 32 | 30 | 29 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | SW 15 | SE 7 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SW 17 | SW 12 | SW 12 | S 8 | S 20 | S 18 | S 16 | S 15 | E 8 | — | — | — | — |
17 | 301 | 44 | 11 | 50 | 22 | 45 | 95 | 95 | 34 | 31 | 26 | 5 | 38 | 64 | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | E 7 | — | — | — | E 8 | E 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
206 | 211 | — | — | — | 309 | 200 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 86 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Réunion Island | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Reunion | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Etang-Sale Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Etang-Sale provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Etang-Sale can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Etang-Sale 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 (Etang-Sale) 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 Etang-Sale 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.
Etang-Sale is 8 km (5 miles) from Saint-Louis. If you plan a holiday in Réunion Island, look for hotels and other accommodation in Saint-Louis. Saint-Louis has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











