Surf Forecasts:
Fall Bay Reef surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 26 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 7s period, WSW swell with 276 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 9s period with WSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Fall Bay Reef this week:
The surf forecast for Fall Bay Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Fall Bay Reef in the next 16 days are 1.6m 7s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) 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 0.9m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 20) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 4PM (Wed 26th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fall Bay Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the options for this stretch of coast.
First up, we have a single spot to talk about – Fall Bay Reef. It’s a reef break, fairly exposed to the swell, and it likes a good southwest groundswell. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is a whopping 8° warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s very unusual, so you’re basically getting tropical bathwater conditions right now.
Right out of the gate, Wednesday morning is a write-off. You’ve got a tiny 3ft swell from the WSW with a short period of 6 seconds. The combined energy is weak at 62, and while the wind is cross-off, the size just isn’t there. Wednesday afternoon is worse – wind swings onshore and goes to 18 mph, making everything lumpy. No go.
Thursday the 20th, morning brings a bump up to 5ft from the WSW, period stretching to 8 seconds, and energy jumps to 282 – that’s moderate energy. The wind is cross-off, so it’ll be clean. It’s flagged as marginal due to tide, so you’d need to pick the right window. Thursday afternoon fades. Friday the 21st has glassy offshore winds, but the swell drops right back to 2ft and smaller. It’s just a puppy.
We then hit a real dry spell. From Saturday the 22nd all the way through to Tuesday the 26th morning, it’s flat or near-flat. You’re looking at swells under 1ft, with energy scraping the bottom. The wind does anything it wants, but there’s nothing to ride.
The real standout pops up on Wednesday the 26th. The morning starts with a glassy 3ft from the WSW. Period is a standard 8 seconds, and the energy is a moderate 131. But it’s the afternoon that’s the pick of the whole forecast. The swell builds to 5ft from the WSW, period holds at 7 seconds, but the energy nearly triples to 349. The wind is a clean cross-off from the WNW at just 9 mph. This is the best session on offer. The reef break should handle the short-ish period well, and with that glassy window in the morning too, you’ve got a solid wedge of clean surf for a few hours.
Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th are messy with onshore winds and the swell fading again. Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th have onshore and cross-onshore winds, with the swell struggling to hit 4ft. It’s choppy and not worth your time.
Towards the end, Monday the 31st shows another pulse. The morning has 5ft from the WSW at 9 seconds with an energy of 311, and clean cross-off winds. Promising but not as clean as the 26th. Monday afternoon jumps to 6ft, period 10 seconds, energy 640 – that’s strong energy. But the wind is a lumpy cross-shore at 18 mph. That will ruin the face. Tuesday the 1st and Wednesday the 2nd are marginal again.
Overall, there is really only one true standout: Wednesday the 26th of August, afternoon session. That’s where you’ll find the best combination of size, clean wind, and moderate energy. The morning is also worth a paddle. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or too messy. Expect a nasty flat spell from the 22nd to the 25th.
Stay sharp.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Mon afternoon, min 13°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 6 | WSW 5 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | W 8 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | W 8 | WSW 8 | W 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
45 | 61 | 276 | 269 | 181 | 132 | 53 | 22 | 23 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 43 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:13AM6.91m | 11:35PM6.64m | 11:56AM6.32m | 00:23AM6.02m | 12:52PM5.80m | 1:31AM5.54m | 2:16PM5.50m | 3:07AM5.42m | 3:51PM5.63m | 4:30AM5.72m | 4:59PM6.09m | 5:25AM6.23m | 5:45PM6.67m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:17PM1.85m | 5:39AM2.19m | 6:04PM2.43m | 6:31AM2.73m | 7:09PM2.91m | 7:50AM3.10m | 8:44PM3.11m | 9:29AM3.09m | 10:16PM2.89m | 10:45AM2.71m | 11:17PM2.42m | 11:36AM2.19m | 00:01AM1.88m | ||||||||
6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | |
— | 8:31 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:28 | — | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:23 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:20 | — | |
mm | — | — | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 |
Temp °C | 17 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 17 |
Feels °C | 16 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 6 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 6 | WSW 8 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | NNW 3 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | W 8 | WSW 8 | W 9 |
45 | 10 | 10 | 252 | 181 | 132 | 53 | 12 | 23 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 43 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | — | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 8 | WNW 4 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | W 8 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
7 | — | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 22 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | — | — | W 15 | — | W 9 | SW 16 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 15 | — | SW 12 | SW 14 | — | SW 14 | — | — | SW 13 | SW 13 | W 11 | — |
10 | — | — | 4 | — | 59 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 9 | — | 6 | 8 | — | 8 | — | — | 7 | 7 | 2 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WSW 5 | WSW 7 | W 7 | NW 4 | N 4 | NNW 4 | NW 3 | N 3 | N 4 | NW 4 | N 3 | — | — | — | — | ESE 3 | N 3 | — | — | SW 2 |
— | 61 | 276 | 269 | 16 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 358 | 322 | 444 | 33 | 214 | 0 | 0 | 139 | 4 | 57 | 180 | 48 | 78 | 395 | 180 | 326 | 418 | 299 | 195 | 319 | 13 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Wales - Gower | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the Fall Bay Reef Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Fall Bay Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Fall Bay Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Fall Bay Reef 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 (Fall Bay Reef) 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 Fall Bay Reef 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.
Fall Bay Reef is 25 km (16 miles) from Swansea. If you plan a holiday in Wales - Gower, look for hotels and other accommodation in Swansea. Swansea has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











