Surf Forecasts:
Hobe Sound/The Refuge surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 4s period, SSE swell with 18 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 0.7m 4s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 4s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Hobe Sound/The Refuge over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, giving you the rundown for Hobe Sound/The Refuge.
First thing: the water is a warm 86°, which is a little toastier than usual for this time of year. Feels like a hot tub.
Now, the bad news. From today, Monday the 17th of August, all the way through to Friday the 28th of August, the surf is essentially dead. We’re talking swell heights of less than 1 foot, with periods so short and weak there’s nothing to push you around. The combined swell energy is in the weak single digits (6 to 20) for most of that stretch. The wind might be clean or glassy sometimes, but it doesn’t matter because there are no waves. It’s a long, flat stretch.
We finally get a tiny pulse of life on the morning of Saturday the 29th of August. The wind is offshore from the west at 10 km/h, keeping it clean. The swell is a tiny 2ft from the NNE, with a short period of 8 seconds and weak energy (97). It’s surfable in a very small, ordinary way, but that’s about it. The afternoon gets choppy, so it’s a morning-only thing.
The real standout, if you can call it that, is the morning of Sunday, the 30th of August. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the SSW, keeping the surface clean. We’ll have a 3ft swell from the NNE, still a short period of 8 seconds, but the combined energy bumps up to a weak 100. It’s not going to win any awards, but after a week-plus of flatness, it’s the best we’ve got. For a beginner looking for a safe, tiny wave, this is the window.
After that, it fades back into weakness for the first of September. That Sunday morning is your one and only chance.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 32°C on Mon afternoon, min 27°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 31°C on Thu afternoon, min 26°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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) | NE 10 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 6 | E 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 4 | S 4 | ENE 8 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 4 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 15 | 9 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | glassy | off | off | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 11:52AM1.03m | 00:01AM0.99m | 12:38PM0.97m | 00:44AM0.93m | 1:27PM0.91m | 1:32AM0.88m | 2:20PM0.87m | 2:25AM0.84m | 3:20PM0.84m | 3:24AM0.83m | 4:22PM0.85m | 4:25AM0.84m | 5:20PM0.88m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:07PM0.15m | 6:31AM0.06m | 6:57PM0.22m | 7:22AM0.12m | 7:50PM0.28m | 8:17AM0.17m | 8:47PM0.32m | 9:15AM0.20m | 9:46PM0.34m | 10:12AM0.21m | 10:42PM0.34m | 11:05AM0.19m | 11:34PM0.31m | ||||||||
 | |  | |  |  | | |  | |  | | |  | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — |
 | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:50 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | — | 3 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Temp °C | 30 | 32 | 32 | 29 | 32 | 32 | 29 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 29 |
Feels °C | 34 | 36 | 34 | 32 | 36 | 36 | 33 | 35 | 32 | 33 | 35 | 31 | 32 | 34 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 29 | 32 | 32 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 3 | ESE 8 | SSE 4 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | S 4 | N 4 | ENE 6 | SSE 3 | SSE 3 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 4 | ENE 8 | ENE 10 | S 4 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
| kJ | 2 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | S 4 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ENE 6 | ENE 9 | ENE 6 | E 8 | NE 6 | E 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | NE 7 | ESE 4 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 12 |
| kJ | 2 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 10 | NE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | N 4 | E 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 | NE 6 | E 8 | E 5 | E 8 | E 10 | E 9 | ENE 9 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 |
| kJ | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 3 | S 3 | — | — | SSW 3 | — | — | S 3 | — | SSE 3 | SSE 4 | S 4 | SE 3 | SSE 4 | — | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 |
| kJ | — | 2 | 6 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 3 | — | 5 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 7 | — | 4 | 8 | 14 | 15 | 9 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 301 | 301 | 301 | 219 | 301 | 219 | 308 | 321 | 420 | 455 | 413 | 875 | 643 | 1495 | 308 | 301 | 281 | 92 | 92 | 1343 | 94 |
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.
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