Surf Forecasts:
Freshwater West surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 8s period, WSW swell with 644 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Freshwater West this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Freshwater West in the next 16 days are 2.4m 8s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Freshwater West over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s talk about Freshwater West. It’s a classic exposed beach-and-reef setup on the Welsh coast, a consistent spot that can handle a good punch of swell, but it doesn’t give you an easy ride. The water temp is about average for the year, so nothing unusual.
This outlook is a tough one for the next week. The swell is there, but the wind is a real problem. We’ve got a stretch of days from Monday the 17th through the weekend with cross-shore and cross-onshore winds that are just chopping everything up. Wave heights are between 3 ft and 6 ft, but the quality is poor. The combined swell energy is moderate, hitting 141 on Tuesday morning, but the 6-second period is too short to build any real shape. The wind is gusty and messy, and the conditions are lumpy and choppy. It’s not surfable in any good way.
Wednesday the 19th sees a bit more size, with 6 ft to 6 ft, and the energy jumps to 258 and 308, but the wind is onshore, and there’s rain. Not a day to get excited about. Thursday the 20th is similar, with 6 ft in the morning and 4 ft in the afternoon, but the wind is still cross, and the energy is high but wasted. The water is chopped up.
The weekend of the 22nd and 23rd drops right off. The swell is tiny, 1 ft down to 1 ft, with a very long 14-second period. That’s a groundswell, but there’s no power in it. The combined energy is below 80, so it’s weak. You’d be looking at clean, glassy water, but there’s nothing to ride. It’s a flat spell.
Then, a blank run. From Monday the 24th all the way through to Saturday the 29th, the swell is almost non-existent, with heights under 0.7 ft. The energy is pitiful, dropping to 15. The wind is a mix of cross-off and onshore, but with no wave, it doesn’t matter. The water is flat. That’s a solid gap of about six days with no real surf on offer.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on Sunday the 30th of August. The morning brings a jump in swell to 6 ft from the WSW, with a 7-second period and a combined energy of 249. The wind is a clean cross-off from the north, and the conditions are clean. It’s a marginal call, but it’s the first time the wind is friendly. The afternoon turns messy again, but that morning window is a legitimate shot.
Monday the 31st is a bit of a mixed bag. The morning has 7 ft swell from the west, with a 7-second period, and the energy is strong at 493. The wind is light and cross from the SSE, leaving a gentle cross-shore and slight chop. It’s marginal, but not terrible. The afternoon, however, gets trashed by a fresh onshore wind. That morning could be worth a look if you’re desperate.
The standout for the whole 16-day window is the morning of Sunday the 30th of August. It’s the only time where the wind is clean and the swell is of a decent size. The 6 ft from the WSW is a good direction for the spot, and the energy is moderate. It’s not a world-class day, but it’s the best on offer. The break is consistent, so you know it’ll be breaking, but crowds are sometimes a problem, so expect company. The water is about average for the time of year, so a wetsuit is a must.
For the end of the run, the first of September starts the same story: wind onshore, swell dropping, and energy fading. The long-range stuff is unreliable, but the pattern looks like it’s trying to build again. Keep an eye on the charts, but for now, that Sunday morning is the one to circle.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon night, min 14°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NW on Mon morning, strong winds from the WSW by Wed afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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 6 | W 7 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | WSW 7 | W 9 | WSW 9 | W 8 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | SW 15 | WSW 10 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
40 | 50 | 64 | 112 | 94 | 212 | 289 | 427 | 603 | 203 | 158 | 59 | 37 | 25 | 17 | 34 | 31 | 34 | 32 | 31 | 32 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:01AM6.60m | 10:17PM6.62m | 10:36AM6.23m | 10:51PM6.16m | 11:10AM5.81m | 11:27PM5.66m | 11:51AM5.39m | 00:12AM5.18m | 12:47PM5.01m | 1:23AM4.80m | 2:22PM4.84m | 3:13AM4.75m | 3:59PM5.06m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:14PM1.10m | 4:37AM1.33m | 4:47PM1.51m | 5:08AM1.78m | 5:21PM1.96m | 5:42AM2.23m | 6:02PM2.40m | 6:30AM2.64m | 7:07PM2.79m | 7:52AM2.92m | 8:50PM2.91m | 9:39AM2.86m | 10:23PM2.65m | ||||||||
6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | |
— | 8:39 | — | — | 8:37 | — | — | 8:36 | — | — | 8:34 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:27 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 15 |
Feels °C | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | SW 18 | SW 16 | W 6 | SW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | WSW 7 | W 9 | WSW 9 | W 8 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WNW 4 |
40 | 12 | 10 | 112 | 11 | 29 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 203 | 158 | 59 | 37 | 25 | 15 | 33 | 31 | 28 | 16 | 16 | 3 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | S 11 | S 19 | SW 17 | — | SW 17 | — | — | — | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 11 | SW 15 | SSW 15 | NNW 4 | SW 14 | N 4 | WSW 9 |
12 | 2 | 7 | 11 | — | 12 | — | — | — | 21 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 9 | 34 | 21 | 6 | 32 | 2 | 16 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 13 | — | SW 12 | SW 15 | — | SW 14 | SW 14 |
2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 10 | 17 | — | 6 | 34 | — | 31 | 32 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 3 | W 7 | W 5 | — | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | N 5 | N 5 | NNW 4 | N 5 | N 5 | NNW 4 | NNW 3 | NW 4 | WNW 4 | — |
2 | 50 | 64 | — | 94 | 212 | 289 | 427 | 603 | 25 | 135 | 42 | 34 | 32 | 71 | 65 | 34 | 1 | 10 | 5 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 354 | 394 | 368 | 136 | 699 | 409 | 409 | 376 | 10 | 10 | 54 | 51 | 51 | 246 | 246 | 246 | 234 | 81 | 92 | 343 | 246 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Wales - Pembrokeshire | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Freshwater West Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Freshwater West provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Freshwater West can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Freshwater West 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 West) 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 West 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Wales - Pembrokeshire? If you are looking for accommodation near Freshwater West, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Wales - Pembrokeshire, consider staying in Milford Haven which is 3 km (2 miles) away. Other places in and around Wales - Pembrokeshire where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Pembroke which is 11 km (7 miles) away, Fishguard, Carmarthen and Aberporth.











