Surf Forecasts:
Gwithian surf forecast from 1 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 11s period, WNW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 14s period, W swell with 1,797 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 11s period with WNW 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 Saturday (Sep 05) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Gwithian in the next 16 days are 2.1m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 4AM. 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 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Gwithian over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. The outlook for Gwithian is a bit of a mixed bag, with a lot of wind to work through before we get a proper window of clean waves.
The pattern starts off rough. Tuesday afternoon has a 3ft west swell with a short 9-second period, but it’s blown out by a 12 mph cross-on shore. The water temp is sitting at 63°F, which is pretty much average for this time of year. We’re looking at weak wave energy (158) and choppy conditions. Not worth paddling out.
Wednesday the 2nd is a write-off as well. The swell builds to 5ft on Wednesday morning, but the wind is howling 22 mph cross-shore, making it a lumpy mess. The combined energy bumps up to 227 (moderate), but it’s still a no-go. By afternoon, it’s a 6ft WSW swell with 19 mph cross-on wind and energy jumping to 471. Still poor.
Thursday the 3rd stays onshore and lumpy. The swell is 5ft to 6ft, moderate energy, nothing to get excited about.
Friday morning the 4th is the first time we see offshore wind, a 9 mph NW breeze blowing clean across a 6ft west swell. The energy is strong (487), but the surf quality is still marked as poor. The afternoon is a bit smaller, 5ft, with 12 mph offshore wind. Still, the forecast doesn’t call it good surf.
Now, Saturday morning the 5th is the standout. The wind goes glassy, 3 mph from the SSE. The swell is a clean 4ft out of the WNW with a solid 11-second period – that’s proper groundswell. The energy is strong (410). This is the best on offer, and with glassy conditions, Gwithian will be smooth and fun. If you’re a beginner, the size is perfect. Keep in mind the long period could make it a bit walled-off at the beach, but with the cleanliness, it’ll be worth it. The afternoon drops off a bit to 4ft with a light cross-on.
Sunday the 6th is a drop-off. The swell fades to 2ft with 16 mph cross-off wind, energy is weak (97). Not much happening.
Monday the 7th brings a big jump in size. A 7ft west swell rolls in with a very long 13-second period, and the energy is massive (1604). The morning has 9 mph onshore wind, making it a marginal call. This is big, powerful, and with the long period, it’ll be a beast at the beach – strictly for experts. The afternoon is 7ft with a 12 mph cross-on, which chops it up. Only for the experienced.
Tuesday the 8th is still big, 7ft, but the wind is fresh and cross-shore. Lumpy. Not great.
Wednesday the 9th has a strong 28 mph onshore wind and a 4ft west swell. That’s a kite-surfing kind of day, not a paddle-surfing one.
The pattern stays messy through the second week. Thursday the 10th has a 6ft WSW swell with gentle cross-on wind, but the period is short (8 seconds) and energy is moderate (705). Still choppy.
Friday the 11th offers a bit of hope. A 5ft WSW swell with 12 mph cross-off wind from the SE, period is 8 seconds. The wave state is clean, but the energy is moderate (324). It’s a marginal call, but it could be rideable for those who don’t mind the shorter period.
The end of the second week, from the 12th onwards, drops off hard. The 13th Sunday has a strong 28 mph offshore wind from the E, blowing straight into a 4ft WSW swell. The energy is weak (148), and while it’s clean, it’ll be a battle to paddle into.
Monday the 14th is the last potential highlight. A 6ft WSW swell with 25 mph offshore wind from the ESE, energy is moderate (542). Because the wind is so strong, it’s only for the hardcore, as the waves will be clean but hard to get into. The afternoon is a bit lighter, 6ft, with 19 mph offshore wind.
The 15th and 16th see the swell hanging around 6ft to 7ft, but with light cross-on winds and moderate energy, the conditions are marginal.
So, to wrap it up: the real standout is the Saturday morning, the 5th of September. With 4ft of clean WNW groundswell and glassy offshores, it’s the pick of the fortnight. For the experienced crew, Monday morning the 7th offers a massive, powerful swell, but it’s for experts only. After that, it’s a waiting game for a solid window.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 20°C on Thu afternoon, min 16°C on Fri morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the SW on Tue night, fresh winds from the SW by Wed morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Sun morning, min 15°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | ||||||||||||||
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 8 | WSW 6 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | W 8 | W 9 | W 11 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 15 | W 13 | W 12 | W 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
146 | 105 | 202 | 411 | 310 | 300 | 300 | 394 | 454 | 328 | 516 | 392 | 270 | 154 | 81 | 55 | 786 | 1604 | 1227 | 1222 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | on | on | glassy | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 8:41PM6.16m | 9:01AM5.91m | 9:22PM5.83m | 9:44AM5.58m | 10:09PM5.40m | 10:36AM5.17m | 11:10PM4.93m | 11:46AM4.80m | 00:33AM4.60m | 1:19PM4.67m | 2:11AM4.62m | 2:50PM4.93m | 3:30AM4.98m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:58AM0.53m | 3:15PM0.67m | 3:38AM0.87m | 4:00PM1.03m | 4:26AM1.28m | 4:57PM1.45m | 5:33AM1.69m | 6:21PM1.77m | 7:08AM1.90m | 8:05PM1.76m | 8:46AM1.73m | 9:30PM1.39m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | |
8:07 | — | — | 8:05 | — | — | 8:01 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:53 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
Feels °C | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 8 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 15 | W 8 | W 9 | W 11 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 15 | W 13 | W 12 | W 10 |
146 | 105 | 25 | 37 | 21 | 36 | 60 | 47 | 454 | 328 | 516 | 392 | 270 | 154 | 81 | 55 | 786 | 1604 | 1227 | 1222 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | SW 16 | — | SSW 15 | — | — | — | — | SW 14 | WNW 11 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | N 4 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSE 4 | W 8 | S 12 | S 12 | — |
12 | 10 | — | 23 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 50 | 32 | 18 | 3 | 17 | 16 | 3 | 51 | 3 | 3 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 14 | — | S 5 | SSW 13 | N 4 | — | SW 12 | S 12 | — | — | — |
— | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 33 | — | 1 | 17 | 2 | — | 6 | 11 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | WSW 6 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | — | NNW 4 | — | — | — | — | SSE 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 202 | 411 | 310 | 300 | 300 | 394 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 5 | 1 | 277 | 211 | 5 | 5 | 210 | 230 | 14 | 115 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 31 | 31 |
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.











