Surf Forecasts:
Folkestone surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 8s period, SW swell with 373 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Folkestone this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Folkestone in the next 16 days are 1.8m 8s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 30) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Folkestone over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, looking at the stretch ahead. It’s going to be a lean one, folks. Most of the next week and a half is flat, onshore, or a mess of lumpy chop. The only real session that has a chance is Saturday, August 29th, and it’s not for beginners.
The break to focus on is Folkestone. The best look we get is the morning of Saturday, August 29th. There’s a 5ft swell from the SW with moderate energy (244). The wind will be blowing from the WSW, which is a cross-offshore condition, so it will clean things up nicely. The period is a slow 8 seconds, so the sets will have some power but won’t be a long wait between them. That 5ft height means it’s expert territory for Folkestone, and it’s an inconsistent spot that can get crowded when it works. This is a session for the strong intermediate or expert.
The days before that, from Sunday, August 23rd, all the way through to Wednesday, August 27th, are a write-off. The swell is tiny or non-existent, and the wind is coming from the east or northeast onshore, making the surface choppy and messy. Nothing worth paddling out for.
A change comes on Friday, September 4th. The swell builds to a 5.2ft from the SSW, with moderate energy (154). The wind turns cross-offshore from the west, so it should be clean. The period is a weak 6 seconds though, so the wave shape will be a bit fat and crumbling. It’s another one for the experienced surfer on a beach-and-reef break, as 5.2ft can get pushy.
Then Monday, September 7th, we see the biggest energy pulse of the whole two weeks: a 6ft SW swell with strong energy (385), driven by a stiff 40 km/h cross-offshore wind. Again, the period is just 8 seconds. That combo makes for powerful but very messy conditions. That’s more of a kite or windsurf day than a standard paddle session, as it’ll be raw and unruly.
In short, there is only one day that looks truly surfable: Saturday, August 29th. The rest is a lot of waiting for a better forecast. Stay patient, as those September dates have a little more grunt, even if the quality is struggling.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 20°C on Mon night, min 16°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NE on Sun morning, strong winds from the NE by Mon afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Fri night. Warm (max 21°C on Wed morning, min 15°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed afternoon, fresh winds from the SSW by Fri morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
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) | W 9 | W 6 | ENE 4 | E 4 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | SSW 3 | SE 3 | SW 4 | SSW 4 | SSW 3 | S 5 | SSW 5 | SW 4 | SW 8 | SW 6 | WSW 4 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2 | 1 | 16 | 36 | 83 | 93 | 93 | 52 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 17 | 7 | 27 | 17 | 25 | 244 | 134 | 0 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:52PM4.78m | 9:26AM4.87m | 9:52PM5.05m | 10:18AM5.23m | 10:39PM5.42m | 11:01AM5.67m | 11:19PM5.83m | 11:38AM6.11m | 11:56PM6.23m | 12:14PM6.51m | 00:31AM6.59m | 12:48PM6.85m | 1:06AM6.86m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:47PM2.47m | 3:47AM2.31m | 4:27PM2.20m | 4:58AM1.93m | 5:25PM1.75m | 5:46AM1.46m | 6:07PM1.26m | 6:25AM1.02m | 6:45PM0.82m | 7:02AM0.64m | 7:21PM0.47m | 7:37AM0.37m | 7:56PM0.23m | ||||||||
5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | |
— | 8:00 | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:47 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | — | 1 | 3 |
Temp °C | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 18 |
Feels °C | 16 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 22 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | W 9 | — | — | NNE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NNE 6 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 6 | N 6 | S 4 | NE 6 | N 7 | NE 6 | NE 7 |
8 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 34 | 21 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 6 | — | W 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 5 | — | — | N 6 | — | — | — | — |
1 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 5 | N 6 | — | — | — | — |
2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | ENE 2 | ENE 4 | E 4 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | — | — | SSW 3 | SE 3 | SW 4 | SSW 4 | SSW 3 | S 5 | SSW 5 | SW 4 | SW 8 | SW 6 | WSW 4 |
— | 1 | 16 | 36 | 83 | 93 | 93 | 52 | — | — | 7 | 2 | 15 | 17 | 7 | 27 | 17 | 25 | 244 | 134 | 67 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 181 | 433 | 216 | 291 | 542 | 291 | 281 | 483 | 207 | 398 | 438 | 398 | 327 | 167 | 243 | 368 | 176 | 227 | 305 | 410 | 669 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Coast of England | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











