Surf Forecasts:
J-Bay surf forecast from 11 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 16 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 16 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 3,709 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 12 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 12s period with WSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for J-Bay this week:
The surf forecast for J-Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 1.2m and 6s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at J-Bay in the next 16 days are 3.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 9s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Sat 12th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Wed 16th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Wed 16th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for J-Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, checking in on the local lineup for the next couple of weeks. Let's get into it.
We've got a bit of a slow start before things really fire up. The first decent window shows up on Tuesday the 15th. Tuesday morning is looking clean with a NW cross-offshore wind and a 5-foot swell from the East. The water is running at 59°, which is a full 7° colder than average for this time of year – that's a proper chilly anomaly, so you'll want the thickest steamer you've got. The waves won't be huge, but it's clean and rideable.
The real standout is shaping up for Wednesday the 16th. We've got a solid SW groundswell building through the day, with the morning seeing 10-foot and the afternoon jumping to 12-foot. The period is a long 12 to 14 seconds, which means proper power and shape. The wind is cross-offshore, keeping the faces clean. This is big, powerful surf – over 8-foot, so it's for experienced surfers only. The energy is strong, hitting 5887 by the afternoon. For the crew who can handle it, J-Bay will be absolutely pumping.
Another one to circle on the calendar is Saturday the 19th morning. The wind goes glassy, and we have an 8-foot SW groundswell with a long 14-second period. That's prime J-Bay conditions – big, clean, and lined up. Again, this is expert territory.
There are a few other windows, like the 22nd with a glassy morning and 5-foot swell, or the 26th with some cleanish conditions, but the two clear winners are the 16th and the 19th. The second week has some action, but it's less certain and the winds get messy. For now, the middle of the month is where it's at.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Sat night. Warm (max 23°C on Mon morning, min 16°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Sat morning, fresh winds from the E by Sun night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 33mm), heaviest during Wed afternoon. Warm (max 20°C on Tue morning, min 14°C on Wed afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 15 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 11 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 678 | 365 | 1308 | 2727 | 2307 | 1935 | 1271 | 1043 | 896 | 774 | 588 | 424 | 828 | 1952 | 3570 | 1777 | 1374 | 1269 | 1107 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 4:07AM1.67m | 4:24PM1.83m | 4:37AM1.64m | 4:53PM1.77m | 5:06AM1.58m | 5:20PM1.67m | 5:33AM1.48m | 5:46PM1.53m | 5:59AM1.37m | 6:12PM1.39m | 6:25AM1.24m | 6:38PM1.24m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:07PM-0.00m | 10:10AM-0.03m | 10:36PM0.01m | 10:39AM0.02m | 11:04PM0.07m | 11:06AM0.10m | 11:30PM0.16m | 11:33AM0.21m | 11:56PM0.27m | 11:59AM0.34m | 00:22AM0.40m | 12:25PM0.48m | 00:53AM0.54m | ||||||
 |  |  |  |  |  |  | | | |  |  |  | | |  | | | | |
 | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — |
 | 6:07 | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:12 | — |
mm | 1 | 1 | — | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | 1 | 8 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 10 | 12 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 16 |
Feels °C | 18 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | SW 10 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
| kJ | 678 | 365 | 1308 | 2727 | 2307 | 1649 | 1271 | 1043 | 896 | 774 | 588 | 424 | 828 | 1952 | 3570 | 1777 | 1374 | 1269 | 1107 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 7 | SW 14 | SSW 10 | — | — | S 10 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 10 | E 11 | E 10 | SW 15 | E 10 | E 10 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 |
| kJ | 92 | 301 | 102 | — | — | 2 | 961 | 669 | 502 | 349 | 477 | 382 | 311 | 936 | 162 | 128 | 195 | 100 | 63 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 10 | SE 7 | ENE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 6 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SW 16 | E 10 | — | — | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 |
| kJ | 31 | 54 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 31 | 57 | 152 | 595 | 204 | — | — | 98 | 74 | 69 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 5 | E 6 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | E 9 | E 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 7 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 29 | 123 | 163 | 1150 | 2214 | 1935 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 253 | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 31 | 0 | 3 | 197 | 197 | 197 | 141 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 67 | 2 | 140 | 3 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape (South) | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the J-Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for J-Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at J-Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our J-Bay 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 (J-Bay) 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 J-Bay 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.
J-Bay is 19 km (12 miles) from the city of Kruisfontein. If you plan a holiday in Eastern Cape (South), look for hotels and other accommodation in Kruisfontein. Kruisfontein has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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