
Surf Forecasts:
Fistral-South surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 12 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 13 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 11s period, W swell with 317 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Fistral-South this week:
The surf forecast for Fistral-South over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Fistral-South in the next 16 days are 1.2m 11s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 13) at 10AM. 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 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Wed 12th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Wed 12th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fistral-South over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here, taking a good hard look at what the next couple of weeks have in store for us down at Fistral South.
Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it; this is a grim stretch for surf. We’re staring down the barrel of a long, flat spell with nothing really doing. The first recommendation for a proper wave doesn't show up for days, so don't rush to wax up your board just yet.
The water is sitting at 65°F; that’s a touch warmer than normal for the time of year – a bit of a surprise, but with no waves to enjoy it in, it’s a bit of a tease.
Right through until the end of the first week, it’s all tiny dribble. We’re looking at ankle-snappers and knee-high slop, mostly under 2ft, with winds all over the shop. It’s “poor surf conditions” all the way – you’d be wasting your time. The combined energy is pitiful, barely hitting double figures, so it’s dead flat.
We get a tiny glimmer mid-week, on the Wednesday morning and afternoon of the 12th of August. A little pulse of 3ft to 3ft from the west shows up with clean offshore winds from the southeast. The combined energy climbs a bit to 126 (moderate), and the period is a reasonable 9 to 10 seconds. It’s surfable, but it’s not going to blow your mind. It’s just a couple of days of ordinary, small waves before the next front moves in.
After that, it’s back to onshore junk and confused, choppy conditions. The second week gets bigger but uglier. By the 22nd and 23rd of August, the swell really cranks up – we’re talking 6ft to 10ft from the west with strong cross-onshore winds. The energy figures are massive, over 1000 in some cases, but the wind is just munting the place out. For a beach like Fistral with that onshore mess, this setup looks far more interesting for kite surfing than a clean paddle session. It's big, it's rough, and it's only for expert surfers who don't mind a fight. Beginners, stay well clear, that 10ft is heavy, angry water.
So that’s the sad truth lads. The only true standout, and I use the term loosely, is that small, clean window on the 12th of August. It won’t be big, but it’ll be clean. Other than that, it’s a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Sat morning, min 17°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Wed afternoon, min 18°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | |||||||||||||||
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 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 5 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 13 | W 11 | W 10 | W 9 | WSW 9 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
14 | 9 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 13 | 85 | 125 | 136 | 138 | 317 | 282 | 184 | 129 | 93 | 63 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | glassy | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:31PM5.06m | 2:14AM5.08m | 2:54PM5.26m | 3:33AM5.35m | 4:05PM5.69m | 4:37AM5.77m | 5:03PM6.19m | 5:30AM6.18m | 5:52PM6.64m | 6:17AM6.50m | 6:37PM6.94m | 7:00AM6.68m | 7:19PM7.04m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:03PM1.75m | 8:46AM1.70m | 9:29PM1.47m | 10:02AM1.35m | 10:38PM1.02m | 11:03AM0.90m | 11:34PM0.54m | 11:53AM0.48m | 00:21AM0.17m | 12:37PM0.18m | 1:04AM-0.04m | 1:19PM0.04m | 1:44AM-0.06m | ||||||||
5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | |
— | 8:52 | — | — | 8:51 | — | — | 8:50 | — | — | 8:47 | — | — | 8:45 | — | — | 8:44 | — | — | 8:42 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 26 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | N 4 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | W 11 | W 10 | W 9 | WSW 9 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 |
14 | 6 | 15 | 7 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 11 | 85 | 125 | 136 | 138 | 317 | 282 | 184 | 129 | 93 | 63 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 11 | WNW 9 | SW 7 | W 9 | SW 6 | SW 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | N 4 | W 9 | WNW 7 | W 6 | — | W 12 | — | — | — | — | — | W 13 |
4 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 14 | 23 | 22 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 1 | — | 75 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | SW 7 | W 9 | SW 6 | SW 12 | — | SW 6 | SW 6 | SW 7 | W 10 | W 13 | SW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | — | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | NW 3 | — | N 3 | — | SE 2 | SSE 3 | SE 2 | SE 3 | SSE 3 | — | — | — | WNW 3 | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 3 | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 206 | 40 | 40 | 402 | 231 | 58 | 40 | 232 | 40 | 388 | 232 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 58 | 1 | 1 | 217 | 35 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Cornwall | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Fistral-South Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Fistral-South provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Fistral-South can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Fistral-South 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-South) 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-South 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-South is 1 km (1 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.











