Surf Forecasts:
Gwithian surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 26 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period, W swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 9s period, WNW swell with 845 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 26 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Gwithian this week:
The surf forecast for Gwithian over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Gwithian in the next 16 days are 2.3m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Wed 26th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Wed 26th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Gwithian over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright mates, Rusty here. Let's break down what's happening at Gwithian.
Honestly, the next 16 days are a rough watch. We're stuck in a pattern where the wind is blowing right onshore from the west and northwest, trashing what little swell is around. It's just poor conditions, day after day.
From Wednesday the 19th all the way through to Monday the 24th, it's basically flat to tiny. The swell barely gets over a foot and a half (0.3m to 1.5m), and it's all being hammered by 15 to 19 mph winds onshore or cross-onshore. Monday the 24th has clean conditions, but the swell is less than a foot – it's a lake out there. That's about a week of nothing worth paddling for.
Moving into the end of August, from the 25th to the 30th, we get a bit more size, but the wind still screws us. We see some pulses of 6 to 8 feet (2.0m to 2.4m) on the 26th and 27th, but the onshore wind is still 15-19 mph, shredding the wave face. The combined energy hits moderate levels (881, 754), but it's ugly, raggy energy. There's a tiny window on the morning of the 28th with a clean cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is only a weak 4 feet (1.1m) with a short period, so maybe a log if you're feeling optimistic.
Now, looking way down the line, the big standout is Monday the 31st of August. The models are showing a proper dose of power: a solid 10-foot swell (3.0m) from the west with a 10-second period. The combined energy is screaming at 1539—that's serious, heavy water. But here's the huge catch: the wind is forecast to be a strong onshore from the northwest at 19 mph. That's going to turn Gwithian into a messy, churning beast. For that size, over 8 feet, it’s experts only, and even then, with that wind, this looks way more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The setup is too raw for a clean wave.
After that, into the first days of September, it's back to onshore slop. The 1st and 2nd have some size (6 to 8 feet / 1.8m to 2.3m), but with the wind cranking at 19 to 25 mph from the west, it'll be a battle. The long-range stuff is promising for size but much less certain for quality.
So the bottom line: don't bother waxing your board for Gwithian right now. There's no solid recommendation in the entire forecast. The one day that has the size, the 31st, gets ruined by the wind. It's a frustrating stretch, but for this part of the coast when the wind parks from the west, it can be a normal thing. Stay tuned and hope the charts flip.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Fri morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed morning, min 15°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon morning, min 15°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 9 | W 6 | W 8 | W 9 | WNW 9 | W 10 | W 8 | WNW 8 | SW 16 | N 6 | N 6 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | W 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
266 | 176 | 565 | 794 | 773 | 405 | 169 | 119 | 39 | 126 | 75 | 54 | 39 | 32 | 32 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 141 | 363 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 10:11AM5.16m | 10:33PM4.95m | 10:55AM4.73m | 11:23PM4.49m | 11:54AM4.34m | 00:34AM4.14m | 1:19PM4.14m | 2:09AM4.07m | 2:51PM4.25m | 3:28AM4.30m | 3:56PM4.59m | 4:22AM4.66m | 4:42PM5.02m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:26PM1.41m | 4:48AM1.66m | 5:13PM1.84m | 5:40AM2.06m | 6:18PM2.19m | 6:57AM2.32m | 7:53PM2.32m | 8:35AM2.30m | 9:23PM2.13m | 9:50AM2.01m | 10:22PM1.77m | 10:40AM1.61m | 11:05PM1.36m | ||||||||
6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | |
— | 8:32 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:27 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | |
mm | — | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 14 | WNW 9 | W 10 | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 6 | W 10 | WNW 6 | W 9 | W 9 | SW 14 | SW 14 | N 4 | W 9 | W 8 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | W 9 |
24 | 24 | 36 | 21 | 773 | 405 | 169 | 119 | 26 | 45 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 32 | 32 | 2 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 141 | 363 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 6 | — | — | SW 14 | N 5 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 9 | SSW 15 | W 9 | SW 15 | SW 14 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | SSW 14 | ESE 6 | W 8 | SSW 13 | SW 13 |
24 | 3 | — | — | 33 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 24 | 21 | 25 | 54 | 32 | 13 | 6 | 14 | 18 | 4 | 12 | 17 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | W 7 | SSW 15 | WNW 6 | SSW 14 | WNW 6 | SE 5 | SSW 14 | ESE 5 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
— | — | — | — | — | 19 | 25 | 25 | 39 | 1 | 21 | 3 | 39 | 3 | 1 | 19 | 2 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | W 6 | W 8 | W 9 | — | — | N 6 | N 5 | N 5 | N 6 | N 6 | N 5 | N 5 | N 4 | N 4 | E 4 | — | N 3 | — | SSW 2 | — |
266 | 176 | 565 | 794 | — | — | 74 | 35 | 30 | 126 | 75 | 41 | 22 | 14 | 8 | 9 | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 214 | 211 | 553 | 173 | 210 | 14 | 23 | 94 | 22 | 84 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 382 | 14 | 294 | 410 | 254 | 28 | 189 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Cornwall | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Gwithian Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Gwithian provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Gwithian can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Gwithian 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 (Gwithian) 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 Gwithian 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.
Gwithian is 6 km (4 miles) from Camborne. If you plan a holiday in North Cornwall, look for hotels and other accommodation in Camborne. Camborne has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











