
Surf Forecasts:
Hobe Sound/The Refuge surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 9s period, ENE swell with 84 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Hobe Sound/The Refuge this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Hobe Sound/The Refuge in the next 16 days are 0.8m 9s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Sat 8th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Hobe Sound/The Refuge over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get real about the next couple of weeks. It’s a tough stretch for us right now. The surf is looking pretty gutless and messy for at least the first week, and it's going to test your patience more than your paddle. We’re not seeing anything that gets the heart racing for a while, but there’s a flicker of something better by the end of the run. It’s about being in the right place at the right time, and maybe leaving the board on the car for a bit.
The first few days are a write-off. Through Sunday the 10th, we’ve got tiny, weak swell mixing with onshore breezes. It’s the kind of stuff that’s barely a ripple. You’ll see a bit of cross-onshore chop at Hobe Sound/The Refuge (Hobe-Sound) that’ll have you shaking your head. The energy is weak, maxing out at a moderate 113, but with 2.6ft of junky, short-period swell, it’s not worth getting wet for. It’s a flat spell, plain and simple.
The middle of next week keeps that theme going. Morning glass-offs on the 12th and 13th offer clean conditions, but with nothing behind them. We're talking ankle-biters at 0.3ft. The moderate energy readings around 4 to 10 tell you all you need to know. It's a frustrating tease – clean and pretty but completely unsurfable. Come the 15th and 16th, a little more swell tries to show, but it’s short-period and cross-on, making a mess of things.
Now, looking further out, things get a bit more promising, but it’s still a slow grind. The morning of Sunday the 17th has a glassy surface, but the swell is still tiny. By Tuesday the 19th, we see the period start to climb into the 12-13 second range from the ENE, but it’s still small. The real glimmer comes on Sunday the 23rd. We’ve got a clean, glassy morning and a more defined groundswell pushing in. The energy finally jumps to a strong 87, with a 1.6ft swell from the ENE at a solid 11 seconds. It’s not going to blow your mind, but after this flat spell, it will feel like a gift. The conditions look pure, and that’s a huge positive. It's still small enough for beginners, but the clean lines will make it feel better than it is. It’s the standout, the one to keep an eye on, though I wouldn't book the week off for it. Given how small it’s been, the glassy conditions are the real win here.
It’s a long, barren stretch, but this run of small, messy surf is normal for this time of year. We're not talking about a drought – it's just the usual summer pattern. Keep the hopes up, check back in, and don’t sell your board just yet.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Warm (max 30°C on Sat afternoon, min 28°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Tue afternoon, min 27°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 7 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | SE 4 | ENE 8 | SE 4 | SE 4 | ENE 8 | SE 4 | NE 9 | SE 5 | SSE 3 | NE 8 | SE 3 | SE 3 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
36 | 84 | 30 | 22 | 25 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 7 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross | glassy | on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 3:36AM0.90m | 4:46PM0.96m | 4:48AM0.94m | 5:51PM1.01m | 5:56AM0.99m | 6:48PM1.07m | 6:57AM1.05m | 7:40PM1.12m | 7:53AM1.10m | 8:27PM1.15m | 8:45AM1.13m | 9:12PM1.16m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:46PM0.21m | 10:16AM-0.02m | 10:52PM0.19m | 11:21AM-0.06m | 11:54PM0.14m | 12:20PM-0.09m | 00:51AM0.08m | 1:15PM-0.12m | 1:45AM0.02m | 2:07PM-0.12m | 2:35AM-0.03m | 2:57PM-0.10m | 3:23AM-0.06m | ||||||
— | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | |
8:04 | — | 8:04 | — | — | 8:02 | — | — | 8:01 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:59 | — | |
mm | 6 | 3 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 |
Feels °C | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 32 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 34 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 5 | ENE 9 | ENE 7 | NE 9 | ENE 7 | ENE 9 | E 7 | E 7 | SSE 5 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | SSE 4 | NE 8 | SSE 6 | NE 8 | SE 7 | SSE 3 | E 7 | E 7 |
19 | 84 | 30 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | E 8 | NE 9 | S 5 | NE 9 | E 7 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 8 | E 6 | ESE 3 | SE 7 | NE 8 | E 7 | NE 8 | NE 8 |
36 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 10 | E 8 | E 8 | NE 9 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 8 | NE 9 | E 7 | E 6 | E 7 | NE 9 | E 7 | E 7 | NE 8 | E 7 | E 8 |
9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | SE 4 | ESE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | ESE 4 | SE 4 | — | SE 5 | SSE 3 | — | SE 3 | SE 3 |
24 | 23 | 9 | 22 | 25 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 6 | 14 | 11 | 3 | 10 | — | 4 | 4 | — | 2 | 5 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 784 | 130 | 875 | 130 | 372 | 1536 | 184 | 308 | 380 | 91 | 697 | 1758 | 751 | 821 | 1501 | 697 | 817 | 1637 | 547 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Florida | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Hobe Sound/The Refuge Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Hobe Sound/The Refuge provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Hobe Sound/The Refuge can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Hobe Sound/The Refuge 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 (Hobe Sound/The Refuge) 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 Hobe Sound/The Refuge 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.
Hobe Sound/The Refuge is 14 km (9 miles) from Palm City. If you plan a vacation in South Florida, look for hotels and other accommodation in Palm City. Palm City has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











