Surf Forecasts:
Gwithian surf forecast from 28 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, WSW swell with 1,852 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Gwithian this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Gwithian in the next 16 days are 3.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 29) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Gwithian over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, g’day, Rusty here with the score for Gwithian.
Look, I’m not gonna sugarcoat it – this is a brutal 16-day stretch. You’ll be waiting a long, long time for anything that’s even close to decent. The wind is a constant, nasty problem, and the quality just isn’t there.
The first bit of swell pushes in on Friday, the 28th of August – a 1.7m swell from the WSW with a short, dumpy 6-second period, and a cross-on wind howling at 22 mph. It’s lumpy, choppy, and a total write-off. The water is at 64°F, just about average for the time of year.
Saturday the 29th brings a bigger 2.5m swell from the SW, but the wind is still all over the place, fresh and cross-shore. This messy pattern just keeps going. You get a 2.5m W swell on the 31st, but the wind is onshore, and the period is short – it’s just blown-out slop. The whole first week is a saga of fresh cross-onshore winds and lumpy, crummy surf.
The one moment that gets a bit of a whisper is Monday the 7th of September. The afternoon has a 3.5m SW swell with an 8-second period, and the wind is offshore from the WNW at 12 mph. But the forecast is clear: this swell is too big for this break. It’s a 12-foot monster, and the combined energy is a massive 1489. Only for the most experienced, and honestly, it’s still a raw, heavy day even for them.
The 8th and 9th are even worse – a 4.5m W swell with a long 11-second period, but the wind is a fresh 22 mph onshore. That’s a day for the kite surfers, not the paddle surfers. The energy readings are huge – over 4000.
The final few days from the 10th to the 12th of September are a mix of weak, small swells and strong, messy winds. There’s a brief clean window with cross-offshore winds, but the swell is tiny and weak.
So, the cold hard truth: there’s nothing to get excited about. The best day is the 7th, and it’s a beast for experts only. For everyone else, it’s a long, quiet blank run. The forecast can change, but right now, it’s a tough one. Keep the board in the shed.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 33mm), heaviest during Fri night. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat morning, min 16°C on Sun night). Mainly strong winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Wed morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed morning, min 16°C on Mon afternoon). Winds increasing (light winds from the WSW on Mon night, strong winds from the SW by Wed morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 6 | SW 6 | SW 8 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | WSW 6 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | WSW 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
197 | 131 | 741 | 1852 | 826 | 512 | 751 | 1708 | 1108 | 787 | 408 | 225 | 199 | 125 | 131 | 254 | 413 | 290 | 302 | 385 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 6:25PM6.13m | 6:42AM6.01m | 6:57PM6.33m | 7:14AM6.17m | 7:30PM6.41m | 7:48AM6.22m | 8:04PM6.36m | 8:23AM6.13m | 8:41PM6.16m | 9:01AM5.91m | 9:22PM5.83m | 9:44AM5.58m | 10:09PM5.40m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:46AM0.37m | 12:57PM0.34m | 1:18AM0.22m | 1:29PM0.24m | 1:50AM0.20m | 2:02PM0.26m | 2:22AM0.30m | 2:37PM0.41m | 2:58AM0.53m | 3:15PM0.67m | 3:38AM0.87m | 4:00PM1.03m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | |
8:15 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:10 | — | — | 8:08 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:05 | — | — | 8:01 | — | |
mm | 1 | 14 | 4 | — | — | 6 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 13 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | WNW 8 | — | — | WSW 9 | W 9 | — | — | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | N 5 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | — | SSW 6 | W 8 | SW 15 | SSW 15 |
5 | 6 | — | — | 826 | 355 | — | — | 1108 | 787 | 408 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 25 | — | 51 | 290 | 60 | 22 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 11 | — | — | NNW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 5 | SW 18 | — | SW 11 | S 10 | — | SSW 15 | SSW 6 | SSW 15 | — |
— | 5 | — | — | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 12 | — | 5 | 2 | — | 21 | 29 | 45 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 18 | — | — | S 11 | S 10 | — | SSW 9 | SW 15 | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | 8 | 35 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 6 | SW 6 | SW 8 | WSW 9 | — | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | W 9 | — | NNW 5 | — | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | WSW 6 | W 8 | — | W 8 | WSW 8 |
197 | 131 | 741 | 1852 | — | 512 | 751 | 1708 | — | 21 | — | 225 | 199 | 125 | 131 | 254 | 413 | — | 302 | 385 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 191 | 571 | 571 | 158 | 69 | 68 | 69 | 163 | 25 | 158 | 4 | 5 | 189 | 5 | 500 | 753 | 257 | 737 | 214 | 211 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Cornwall | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











