Surf Forecasts:
Fistral-North surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 22 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 9s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 8s period, W swell with 545 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 22 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 9s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Fistral-North this week:
The surf forecast for Fistral-North over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 5s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Fistral-North in the next 16 days are 2.1m 8s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 5s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fistral-North over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right then, me ’ansome. Rusty here. Let’s have a gander at what’s shaking at Fistral-North.
Alright, I’ll level with you straight up – this is one of those stretches where the ocean looks better for kite surfing than paddle surfing for a good, long while. We’ve got a proper run of sloppy conditions that goes from the 17th of August all the way through to the 25th of August. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, just putting a chop on everything. The swell and wind are fighting, and the waves are gonna be a mess – lumpy, choppy, and not much fun. The water is sitting at about 66°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s small comfort when you’re fighting a moderate breeze. I wouldn’t bother paddling out for that week; you’d just be getting a workout.
Now, things start to get a bit more interesting around the 26th of August. Wednesday morning (26 Aug) we see a shift. The wind goes light and cross-shore with a 5ft swell from the west, period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is a moderate 317. The forecast is still only giving it a marginal call. It’s a glimmer, but not the real deal yet.
You’ll want to circle Sunday the 30th of August on your calendar. That afternoon is the standout. We’re looking at an 8ft swell out of the west, with a period of 9 seconds. The wind goes glassy – completely off, from the southwest at just 3 mph. That’s the dream ticket. The combined energy is a strong 908, so there’s plenty of grunt. This is the session to aim for. It’s going to be a classic Fistral line-up, with clean, proper waves rolling in. That 8ft is right up there for experienced surfers, so if you’re not solid on your board, it’s better to watch from the sand. The swell direction from the west matches up nicely with the optimum south-west, so the banks should be working well.
Things get messy again after that. Monday the 31st of August gets ugly with strong winds and junk surf, and into September the onshore flow comes back.
So, to keep it simple: the first week is a right-off. Keep the board in the shed. The one true standout is Sunday afternoon, the 30th of August. That’s your window. Get there early, it’s likely to be packed.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 20°C on Mon morning, min 16°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat afternoon, min 14°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 6 | W 8 | W 6 | WNW 6 | W 6 | WNW 7 | W 6 | W 7 | W 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 9 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 60 | 118 | 72 | 139 | 130 | 175 | 94 | 212 | 545 | 245 | 506 | 246 | 108 | 80 | 37 | 45 | 40 | 25 | 33 | 28 | 33 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 9:15PM6.25m | 9:33AM5.88m | 9:53PM5.75m | 10:13AM5.43m | 10:34PM5.22m | 10:57AM4.97m | 11:25PM4.73m | 11:55AM4.57m | 00:36AM4.36m | 1:20PM4.36m | 2:10AM4.29m | 2:52PM4.47m | 3:30AM4.52m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:11PM0.60m | 3:33AM0.81m | 3:48PM1.02m | 4:08AM1.28m | 4:27PM1.49m | 4:48AM1.75m | 5:13PM1.94m | 5:40AM2.17m | 6:19PM2.31m | 6:58AM2.45m | 7:54PM2.45m | 8:37AM2.43m | 9:24PM2.25m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  | | | | | | |  | | | | |  | | | | |
 | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — |
 | — | 8:37 | — | — | 8:35 | — | — | 8:32 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:27 | — | — | 8:24 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 18 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | SW 18 | W 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 17 | W 8 | SW 16 | WSW 15 | W 9 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 9 | W 10 | NNW 5 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 |
| kJ | 40 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 78 | 10 | 23 | 169 | 506 | 246 | 108 | 80 | 37 | 45 | 16 | 25 | 14 | 14 | 6 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 18 | — | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | — | — | SW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | N 5 | SW 13 | SW 16 | N 4 | W 9 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 |
| kJ | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | — | 8 | 20 | 19 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 40 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 20 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 13 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 21 | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 6 | W 8 | W 6 | WNW 6 | W 6 | WNW 7 | W 6 | W 7 | W 8 | WNW 7 | — | N 4 | — | NNW 5 | NNW 5 | — | — | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 |
| kJ | 60 | 118 | 72 | 139 | 130 | 175 | 94 | 212 | 545 | 245 | — | 6 | — | 22 | 23 | — | — | 11 | 33 | 28 | 33 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 404 | 504 | 232 | 271 | 832 | 274 | 293 | 240 | 133 | 133 | 42 | 42 | 8 | 232 | 231 | 206 | 274 | 0 | 41 | 391 | 281 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Cornwall | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Fistral-North Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Fistral-North provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Fistral-North can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Fistral-North 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 (Fistral-North) 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 Fistral-North 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.
Fistral-North is 0 km (0 miles) from Newquay. If you plan a holiday in North Cornwall, look for hotels and other accommodation in Newquay. Newquay has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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