Surf Forecasts:
Folkestone surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, SW swell with 299 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Folkestone this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Folkestone in the next 16 days are 1.6m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) 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 5s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 03) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Folkestone over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Righto, let’s get into it. It’s a tough stretch ahead for Folkestone. Looking at the whole 16-day window, the reality is there’s no good surf on offer at all. The swell just refuses to cooperate, and when there is a little bit of energy, the wind tends to mess things up. There’s a long, quiet gap from the start, and honestly, it’s going to feel like a blank run for a while.
The first recommendation doesn’t come until Saturday afternoon, the 29th of August, and even then, it’s not something to get excited about. We’ve got a 6ft swell from the SSW, but the wind is a strong cross-shore at 28 mph, making for messy cross-chop. The combined swell energy is moderate at 178, but the conditions are just too rough for a decent paddle. Not worth the effort.
The rest of the first week stays flat or junk. Sunday the 30th and Monday the 31st offer next to nothing. Tuesday morning the 1st of September has a tiny 0.3ft swell with light wind, but it’s basically flat. There is a small pulse on Thursday the 3rd with a 4ft SSW swell and a clean-looking cross-offshore breeze, but the wave comment still says “poor surf conditions.” The combined energy is low at 55. It’s a tease.
We roll into the second week. Wednesday morning the 9th of September brings a clean offshore wind from the NNW, but there’s no swell at all. Things get a little more interesting on Thursday afternoon the 10th. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the SW, the wind goes glassy from the east, and the combined energy reaches 98. The wave comment finally says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” That’s the closest we get to a highlight, but it’s nothing special.
Then Friday morning the 11th of September shows the biggest combined energy of the entire period at 240 (moderate energy), with a 5ft swell from the WSW and a light cross-shore wind. But again, the wave comment is “poor surf conditions.” The period is only 7 seconds, so it’s a weak, short-period windswell that won’t hold shape well at a beach-and-reef setup like Folkestone.
After that, it fades away to tiny, wind-affected dribble right through to Sunday the 13th of September.
Honestly, if you’re after something to ride, this isn’t the place right now. With the direction of the swell (mainly SW) and the way the wind is blowing, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on the days with any wind. The water temp is a very unusual 69°F, much warmer than normal for the time of year, but that’s about the only thing worth noting.
Stay patient, mate. Forecasts can change, but this one’s a stinker.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Mon afternoon, min 14°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the SW on Sat afternoon, light winds from the WNW by Mon night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 21°C on Thu afternoon, min 14°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WSW on Tue night, fresh winds from the SW by Wed night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 6 | SW 8 | SW 6 | SSW 4 | SW 5 | WSW 4 | SW 6 | SW 6 | SW 6 | SW 3 | WSW 3 | SW 2 | SW 4 | SW 4 | SW 5 | SW 6 | WSW 4 | WSW 4 | WSW 7 | WSW 4 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
215 | 299 | 46 | 34 | 73 | 0 | 54 | 14 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 37 | 83 | 197 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 0 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 1:06AM6.86m | 1:23PM7.08m | 1:41AM7.01m | 1:59PM7.16m | 2:18AM7.01m | 2:37PM7.09m | 2:58AM6.85m | 3:18PM6.84m | 3:41AM6.52m | 4:03PM6.45m | 4:30AM6.07m | 4:57PM5.95m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:56PM0.23m | 8:12AM0.22m | 8:31PM0.13m | 8:47AM0.21m | 9:07PM0.17m | 9:22AM0.34m | 9:43PM0.36m | 9:59AM0.59m | 10:22PM0.66m | 10:39AM0.93m | 11:05PM1.05m | 11:25AM1.34m | 11:57PM1.47m | |||||||
— | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | |
7:47 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:42 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:35 | — | |
mm | 3 | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 18 |
Feels °C | 14 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 7 | — | — | N 6 | N 6 | — | — | SW 6 | SW 6 | N 7 | — | N 6 | N 6 | — | — | — | — | — | N 5 | N 9 |
1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 14 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 7 | — | — | N 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 6 | SW 8 | SW 6 | SSW 4 | SW 5 | WSW 4 | SW 6 | NW 2 | — | SW 3 | WSW 3 | SW 2 | SW 4 | SW 4 | SW 5 | SW 6 | WSW 4 | WSW 4 | WSW 7 | WSW 4 |
215 | 299 | 46 | 34 | 73 | 54 | 54 | 1 | — | 9 | 4 | 1 | 43 | 37 | 83 | 197 | 53 | 47 | 68 | 18 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 414 | 161 | 636 | 738 | 414 | 521 | 290 | 183 | 305 | 246 | 436 | 936 | 416 | 399 | 558 | 497 | 521 | 537 | 342 | 32 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Coast of England | ||||||||||||||||||||
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 Folkestone Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Folkestone provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Folkestone can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Folkestone 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 (Folkestone) 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 Folkestone 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.
Folkestone is 1 km (1 miles) from Folkestone. If you plan a holiday in South Coast of England, look for hotels and other accommodation in Folkestone. Folkestone has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











