Surf Forecasts:
J-Bay surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 25 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 26 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SSW swell with 4,396 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 25 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 12s period with SW 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 Tuesday (Aug 25) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at J-Bay in the next 16 days are 3.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 9s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Wed 26th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for J-Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, surfers, this is Rusty. Let's talk about what's on the menu for J-Bay over the next couple of weeks.
It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but we’ve got some real gems to look forward to, especially if you’re an experienced surfer. The water temp is running about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.
The action kicks off this Tuesday, the 25th of August. Tuesday morning is the real standout. We’ve got a solid 8ft SW groundswell, with a nice 13-second period, and the wind is a clean cross-off from the WSW. The energy is pumping at (3463), and the conditions are dialed in for experienced surfers. This is the one to circle.
Tuesday afternoon sees the swell hold at 8ft from the SW, but the wind swings around to a cross-shore, taking a little bit of the shine off. It’s still rideable, but the morning is far superior.
Wednesday the 26th is a write-off. Strong cross-onshore winds from the East will ruin the 10ft SSW swell, creating choppy, lumpy conditions. Definitely give it a miss.
Thursday the 27th is a bit of a limbo day. The swell drops to 7ft SSW with a 12-second period, but the wind is light and variable. It’s looking marginal, with some tide concerns.
Friday the 28th offers a real treat. The swell drops to a clean 5ft from the South, but the wind is dead flat, glassy. Conditions will be excellent for a session, even if the swell is smaller. The energy is moderate (987).
Saturday the 29th is another good one. The wind goes offshore from the NW, grooming a 3ft S swell into clean lines. It’s a moderate breeze, so the surf will be clean and fun.
Sunday the 30th is a bit of a mixed bag. The morning is clean with a cross-off wind and a 4ft SW swell, but it’s still marginal. The afternoon picks up a bit to 5ft SW, but the wind ramps up.
We then hit a dry spell from Monday the 31st through to Tuesday the 1st of September, with poor conditions and onshore winds. The energy is weak to moderate.
The next pulse of swell arrives on Wednesday the 2nd of September. The morning sees a 8ft SW groundswell with clean cross-off winds. The energy is strong (2268). This is a promising window for experienced surfers, but it’s a week out, so keep an eye on it.
The swell peaks on Wednesday afternoon, hitting 10ft SW, but it remains clean. Thursday the 3rd of September is a write-off again with a massive 12ft to 13ft WSW swell, heavy rain, and strong winds. The energy is very strong (3762), but it’s a mess for anything but the most experienced, and even then, the conditions are poor.
Friday the 4th of September stays big with a 15ft SSW swell, but the wind is cross-off, keeping it clean. The energy is massive (4893). This is only for experts.
The real standout in the second week is Saturday the 5th of September. The morning session is epic. We’ve got a 8ft S groundswell with a 13-second period, and a light cross-off breeze from the WSW. The energy is very strong (2670), and the conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to chase.
The rest of the outlook remains solid for experienced surfers, with a series of clean, cross-off swells through the 7th and 8th. The 9th of September winds down with a smaller, onshore chop.
So, to sum it up: Tuesday morning, the 25th of August, and Saturday morning, the 5th of September, are your two best bets. The long-range call on the 5th is promising but a little less certain, so keep your fingers crossed for the forecast to hold.
This is Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, fresh winds from the ENE by Wed night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 34°C on Fri afternoon, min 16°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | ||||||||||||||
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 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | E 9 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
2096 | 2305 | 2350 | 1556 | 4081 | 4075 | 1731 | 1310 | 593 | 736 | 483 | 338 | 390 | 279 | 224 | 292 | 424 | 880 | 513 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 2:18AM1.33m | 2:43PM1.39m | 2:47AM1.44m | 3:10PM1.52m | 3:15AM1.54m | 3:36PM1.63m | 3:42AM1.60m | 4:02PM1.72m | 4:10AM1.64m | 4:29PM1.77m | 4:39AM1.64m | 4:57PM1.78m | |||||||
Low Tide | 8:16PM0.49m | 8:32AM0.33m | 8:46PM0.36m | 8:58AM0.21m | 9:14PM0.25m | 9:23AM0.11m | 9:41PM0.15m | 9:49AM0.04m | 10:09PM0.09m | 10:15AM0.00m | 10:38PM0.05m | 10:42AM-0.00m | 11:07PM0.06m | ||||||
— | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | |
5:55 | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 34 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 16 |
Feels °C | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 21 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 30 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 19 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSE 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 12 |
2096 | 2305 | 2350 | 1556 | 4081 | 4075 | 1731 | 708 | 593 | 625 | 434 | 327 | 390 | 274 | 224 | 292 | 424 | 880 | 513 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 11 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 12 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | E 10 | S 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 |
11 | 1151 | 679 | 836 | 572 | 357 | 45 | 1310 | 563 | 736 | 483 | 338 | 252 | 279 | 199 | 222 | 289 | 184 | 146 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | — | S 18 | — | — | — | WSW 12 | SSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SSE 14 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | SSE 11 | S 11 | SSE 10 | — | — |
7 | 7 | — | 504 | — | — | — | 133 | 390 | 77 | 70 | 213 | 116 | 229 | 170 | 59 | 34 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | E 5 | E 6 | E 7 | ENE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | NW 5 | W 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | S 5 | S 7 |
— | — | — | — | 52 | 157 | 784 | 1351 | — | — | — | — | — | 84 | 21 | 107 | 51 | 97 | 467 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 197 | 559 | 140 | 31 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape (South) | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











