Surf Forecasts:
Fistral-South surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 25 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 10s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period, W swell with 816 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 25 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 10s 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 Tuesday (Aug 25) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. 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 2.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Tue 25th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Tue 25th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fistral-South over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right then, let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Fistral-South. To be straight with you, the next couple of weeks are a proper mixed bag, and honestly, there’s a big dry spell at the start. We’ve got a bit of a wait on our hands before anything really gets going.
The water’s sitting at about 65°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you can get away with a thinner suit.
We kick off on Sunday the 23rd, but it’s barely a whisper. Tiny 0.7ft swell with a weak energy reading of just 32. The wind is a light cross-offshore, so it’s clean, but there’s simply nothing to ride. The whole of Sunday and Monday is like this – tiny, weak swells and no real power. Tuesday the 25th sees a little bump to 2ft and 2ft, with a fresh offshore wind on Tuesday afternoon making it look glassy, but the wave energy is still pitiful (81). Honestly, you’d be wasting your time.
Wednesday the 26th is more of the same small stuff. It isn’t until Thursday the 27th that we see a real change. The swell picks up to 4ft from the SSW with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 206 – that’s moderate energy now. It’s a cross-offshore wind, so it should be reasonably clean, but the conditions are still being described as poor. It’s a step up, but not the one we’re waiting for.
Friday the 28th is messy with a lumpy cross-shore chop, and then things get proper chunky on Saturday the 29th. We’re looking at 8ft of swell from the west, with a period of 8 seconds. The energy rockets up to 816, which is strong. But here’s the catch – the wind is a fresh cross-onshore, making it lumpy as hell. That size with that wind is only for the experts, and even then, it’s going to be a battle. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle surfer’s dream.
Sunday the 30th calms down a bit to 3ft, with a light cross-offshore wind on the afternoon session, giving us a clean 5ft wave. It’s not perfect, but it’s the most surfable we’ve seen in a while.
Monday the 31st brings another jump, with 6ft in the morning and 8ft in the afternoon from the NW. The energy is strong (493), but the wind is onshore and choppy. Again, expert territory only, and not very inviting.
The first week of September is a real mixed bag of onshore winds and lumpy conditions. There’s a notable window on Sunday the 6th of September. The morning brings a 5ft swell from the west with a fresh offshore wind from the SSE. The energy is a solid 336, making it clean and powerful. This is the one that stands out as the best on offer. It’s still a week and a half away, so treat it with a bit of caution, but if the forecast holds, that Sunday morning is your ticket.
After that, we trail off again into small, weak swells and messy winds. So, to sum it up: the next week is mostly a write-off with small, clean but useless surf. The big, lumpy stuff on the 29th and 31st is for experts or kiters. Your best bet, and the one to circle in the calendar, is the morning of Sunday the 6th of September. It’s got the size, the energy, and that beautiful offshore wind. Fingers crossed it comes together.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Mon afternoon, min 16°C on Sun morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Sun morning, fresh winds from the E by Mon morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 21°C on Wed morning, min 15°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SW on Thu night, fresh winds from the W by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | SW 13 | WSW 10 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | SW 6 | SSW 8 | SW 9 | SW 8 | W 9 | WSW 7 | W 6 | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
19 | 43 | 38 | 19 | 17 | 12 | 52 | 70 | 59 | 50 | 31 | 34 | 184 | 164 | 91 | 42 | 82 | 181 | 816 | 681 | 405 | |
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 | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 2:52PM4.47m | 3:30AM4.52m | 3:57PM4.83m | 4:24AM4.90m | 4:44PM5.27m | 5:04AM5.32m | 5:21PM5.72m | 5:40AM5.72m | 5:55PM6.12m | 6:12AM6.07m | 6:27PM6.44m | 6:44AM6.33m | 7:00PM6.66m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:24PM2.25m | 9:51AM2.12m | 10:24PM1.87m | 10:41AM1.71m | 11:07PM1.44m | 11:20AM1.28m | 11:43PM1.03m | 11:54AM0.90m | 00:16AM0.67m | 12:27PM0.58m | 00:48AM0.40m | 12:59PM0.37m | 1:19AM0.25m | ||||||||
6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | |
— | 8:24 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:12 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 5 | SW 13 | WSW 10 | N 4 | W 9 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | SW 6 | W 8 | SW 9 | SW 8 | W 7 | WNW 8 | W 11 | — | — | — |
10 | 43 | 38 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 52 | 70 | 59 | 50 | 31 | 34 | 11 | 164 | 91 | 36 | 24 | 2 | — | — | — | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 10 | WSW 14 | WSW 9 | WSW 13 | W 9 | SSW 8 | NNE 5 | SW 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 7 | W 8 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | SW 11 | W 11 | — | — | — |
13 | 8 | 19 | 8 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 17 | 6 | 5 | 18 | 11 | 51 | 51 | 42 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | WSW 10 | — | WSW 14 | SW 9 | SW 13 | W 8 | SW 8 | SW 13 | N 6 | N 6 | SW 12 | — | — | — | SSW 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
19 | 9 | — | 19 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | — | — | — | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NNW 4 | N 4 | E 3 | ENE 4 | NE 4 | NE 5 | — | SSE 3 | SW 4 | SSW 4 | — | SSW 8 | — | — | — | WSW 7 | W 6 | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 |
— | 6 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 10 | — | 3 | 6 | 7 | — | 184 | — | — | — | 82 | 181 | 816 | 681 | 405 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 15 | 4 | 8 | 386 | 233 | 205 | 4 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 29 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 96 | 239 | 543 | 565 | 217 | 205 |
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.











