
Surf Forecasts:
J-Bay surf forecast from 5 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 9 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 14s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 5,338 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 5 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 15s 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 Wednesday (Aug 05) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 10s. 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 4.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Wed 5th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for J-Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for J-Bay.
The next week and a half is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got some solid swell on the way, but the wind is going to be the main player. For the experienced crew, there’s a couple of absolute gems in there, but you’ll need to pick your moments.
We kick things off on Wednesday the 5th of August. The water’s sitting at a very unusual 59°F, which is 7°F colder than normal for this time of year. That’s a serious chill, so you’ll want the thickest rubber you’ve got.
Wednesday afternoon is a write-off – a 6ft SW swell with a 16-second period is a nice pulse of energy (1782), but that 9 mph south wind has it all chopped up. Not worth it.
Thursday the 6th looks a lot better. A solid 12ft SW groundswell (13-second period) rolls in, with a combined energy of 4627. The wind is a clean cross-off from the southwest, so the morning session is on. This is big, powerful stuff – definitely for the experienced only.
Friday the 7th of August is the real standout. Morning brings a 10ft SW groundswell with that same long period (13 seconds). The combined energy is still pumping at 2847. But the best part? The wind is glassy. Dead calm from the northeast. This is an excellent session for experienced surfers. The afternoon turns to rubbish with a 12 mph cross-on, so get it done early.
The weekend is a bit of a washout. Saturday the 8th has a clean 8ft swell, but it’s windy. Sunday the 9th gets messy with rain and strong onshores. Monday and Tuesday the 10th and 11th are the same story – poor conditions with onshore winds. We’ve got a gap here of a few days with nothing worthwhile.
Wednesday the 12th is no good either – a long-period 21-second swell (4ft) but it’s being torn apart by a fresh onshore breeze. The energy is still decent at 2153, but the wind ruins it.
Things start looking up again on Friday the 14th of August. Another glassy morning! A 4ft SW groundswell (14 seconds) with a combined energy of 1026. The wind is calm from the north. This is another excellent session for those who know what they’re doing. The afternoon is just okay.
Saturday the 15th is clean and small, with a 3ft WSW swell. Sunday the 16th is a no-go.
Monday the 17th of August is a nice surprise. Clean conditions with a light offshore wind from the west and a 3ft WSW swell. This will be a fun, clean session for all levels.
Then we get a big pulse to finish the run. Tuesday the 18th of August sees a massive 13ft SW swell (4971 energy) roll in, but the wind is onshore from the east-southeast. That’s a big, ugly beast – only for the most experienced and not looking great.
Wednesday the 19th of August is your last true standout. An 8ft SW swell (11 seconds) with glassy conditions and a calm wind. This is an excellent session for experienced surfers. The combined energy is still a solid 1535.
Thursday the 20th finishes clean and small, with a 4ft WSW swell and a light cross-off breeze.
So, the pick of the bunch is Friday morning the 7th of August and Friday morning the 14th of August. The 7th has the size and the glass, the 14th is smaller but just as clean. Wednesday the 19th is also a cracker for the bigger wave crew.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Wed afternoon, min 14°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 34mm), heaviest during Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Sun afternoon). Mainly strong winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | ESE 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1412 | 2247 | 4512 | 3718 | 2536 | 2736 | 2708 | 3517 | 2462 | 1919 | 4899 | 4549 | 2483 | 2153 | 1919 | 1438 | 2821 | 1847 | 1125 | 931 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 7:53PM1.41m | 8:17AM1.16m | 8:59PM1.29m | 9:50AM1.06m | 10:46PM1.22m | 11:59AM1.09m | 00:33AM1.28m | 1:24PM1.24m | 1:44AM1.41m | 2:20PM1.42m | 2:35AM1.53m | 3:04PM1.59m | 3:18AM1.63m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:18AM0.45m | 2:21PM0.48m | 3:39AM0.54m | 3:54PM0.59m | 5:36AM0.55m | 6:00PM0.57m | 7:09AM0.43m | 7:29PM0.44m | 8:08AM0.28m | 8:27PM0.28m | 8:52AM0.14m | 9:13PM0.15m | ||||||||
— | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | |
5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 29 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 |
Feels °C | 26 | 13 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | E 10 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 |
1412 | 2247 | 4512 | 3718 | 2536 | 2736 | 2708 | 3517 | 2462 | 1919 | 4899 | 47 | 2483 | 2153 | 1919 | 1438 | 2821 | 1847 | 1125 | 581 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | ESE 6 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | — | E 10 | — | S 13 | SSW 14 | — | — | SSE 9 | SSW 24 |
231 | 148 | 115 | 92 | 66 | 45 | 45 | 68 | 177 | 72 | 36 | — | 30 | — | 14 | 173 | — | — | 320 | 189 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 10 | — | — | — | — | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 13 | — | — | — | — | — |
139 | — | — | — | — | 66 | 65 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 6 | — | — | — | — | SE 6 | — | W 4 | WSW 6 | — | SW 13 | S 8 | SSE 9 | ESE 9 | SSE 9 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 |
— | 72 | — | — | — | — | 91 | — | 17 | 122 | — | 4549 | 1067 | 1206 | 486 | 1119 | 392 | 1136 | 809 | 931 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 0 | 140 | 4 | 0 | 142 | 325 | 521 | 1606 | 3048 | 197 | 197 | 561 | 197 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape (South) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











