Surf Forecasts:
Freshwater Bay surf forecast from 25 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period, SW swell with 860 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Freshwater Bay this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Freshwater Bay in the next 16 days are 2.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Freshwater Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab a coffee and listen up. Rusty here.
This is a tough stretch for us at Freshwater Bay. I’m looking at the next 16 days and honestly, for the vast majority of it, the surf is a mess. The wind is going to be our enemy for a long time, and we’ve got a big gap of days with nothing to get excited about. From now, right through the end of August and into early September, it’s a write-off. We’re looking at a solid 10-day stretch of poor to marginal conditions. The wind is just too strong and from the wrong angles, turning what little swell we get into a lumpy, choppy mess. It’s the kind of period where you don’t even bother waxing the board.
The water is currently sitting at 69°F which is a full 7°F warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s a very unusual spike, so you can ditch the steamer.
Now, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The only real standout, the one you need to circle on your calendar, is Saturday the 5th of September. The morning session is looking like the best we’ve got. We’ll see a solid 8ft swell rolling in from the WSW. The wind finally cooperates, turning gentle offshore from the NW. That’s a recipe for clean, lined-up waves, though at that size it’s going to be best for the experienced crew. The energy is strong at 832, so there’s plenty of push. The break is a reef and point setup, so it should handle the size well. The afternoon is a bit of a downgrade as the wind picks up, but the morning is the window.
Before that, the only other flicker of something is Monday the 31st of August, where a 7ft WSW swell meets a clean cross-off wind, but the wind is a strong breeze, making it a bit of a fight. The 2nd of September is similar, with clean conditions but strong winds again.
So, to sum it up: the next week and a half is a dust-off. The only real day to get keen on is the morning of Saturday the 5th of September. Everything else is a pass.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Thu morning. Warm (max 21°C on Tue afternoon, min 17°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Sat morning. Warm (max 20°C on Sun afternoon, min 14°C on Mon morning). Mainly strong winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 5 | SW 8 | W 10 | SW 7 | E 4 | SE 4 | SSW 4 | WSW 8 | SW 4 | SW 4 | WSW 6 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SW 8 | SW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | SW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 7 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
50 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 98 | 36 | 46 | 179 | 677 | 645 | 682 | 382 | 274 | 59 | 35 | 37 | 37 | |
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 | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:16PM2.18m | 10:53AM2.21m | 10:53PM2.32m | 11:28AM2.36m | 11:28PM2.43m | 12:02PM2.47m | 00:02AM2.49m | 12:35PM2.54m | 00:37AM2.52m | 1:09PM2.56m | 1:12AM2.49m | 1:44PM2.53m | 1:48AM2.43m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:48AM0.39m | 4:00PM0.52m | 4:20AM0.22m | 4:34PM0.39m | 4:52AM0.07m | 5:06PM0.27m | 5:24AM-0.04m | 5:39PM0.19m | 5:57AM-0.10m | 6:14PM0.14m | 6:32AM-0.10m | 6:50PM0.14m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | |
8:07 | — | — | 8:05 | — | — | 8:02 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:53 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | — | — | 4 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 5 | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 17 |
Feels °C | 17 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 8 | E 5 | E 4 | E 4 | SW 4 | SE 4 | ESE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | SW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 7 |
3 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 382 | 274 | 59 | 35 | 37 | 37 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 8 | SW 8 | SW 7 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 3 | SSE 3 | — |
— | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | — | W 10 | — | SW 7 | — | W 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 3 | W 11 | — |
1 | — | 2 | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 5 | — | — | — | E 4 | SW 3 | SSW 4 | WSW 8 | SW 4 | SW 4 | WSW 6 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SW 8 | — | SW 9 | — | — | — | — |
50 | — | — | — | 9 | 2 | 14 | 98 | 36 | 46 | 179 | 677 | 645 | 682 | — | 186 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 249 | 216 | 198 | 261 | 249 | 282 | 268 | 110 | 152 | 182 | 40 | 436 | 377 | 171 | 32 | 604 | 611 | 515 | 347 | 268 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Isle of Wight | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Freshwater Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Freshwater Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Freshwater Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Freshwater Bay 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 (Freshwater Bay) 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 Freshwater Bay 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.
Freshwater Bay is 16 km (10 miles) from Newport. If you plan a holiday in Isle of Wight, look for hotels and other accommodation in Newport. Newport has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











