
Surf Forecasts:
Jacobs Bay surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 22 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 12s period, SW swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 17s period, SW swell with 8,744 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Jacobs Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Jacobs Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Jacobs Bay in the next 16 days are 4.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sat 18th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Jacobs Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Righto, grab your wetsuit, let's have a look at what's coming up for Jacobs Bay. It's a beginner-friendly spot, exposed to the swell, and it's fairly consistent, so it's usually worth a look. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so nothing too wild there.
The first surf window we've got kicks off Saturday morning, July 18th. It's small, with a 3ft swell from the SW, but the wind is glassy, light out of the SSE at 3 mph. That's clean, and the wave energy is moderate (454). It's small, but it'll be worth a paddle for the beginners.
Sunday morning, July 19th looks like the best of the early week. The swell bumps up to 4ft from the SW, with a solid 12-second period. The wind is glassy again, WSW at 3 mph, and the wave energy is strong (716). The forecast says "very good surf conditions." This is your standout. Get on it.
Monday morning, July 20th sees the swell push to 6ft from the SSW with a short 9-second period. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the SSE at 6 mph, keeping it tidy. Wave energy is still moderate (636). A solid option for a Monday morning session.
Tuesday morning, July 21st is another cracker. The swell is 5ft from the SSW, but look at that period: 14 seconds. That's a proper groundswell. Combine that with a light cross-offshore breeze (SSE, 6 mph) and you've got very good wave energy (936). This is the other standout – clean, powerful, and long-period lines.
The rest of the week gets a bit more serious. From Wednesday and Thursday, the swell jumps up over 7ft, and by Friday, July 24th it's hitting 12ft from the SW with a very long 15-second period. The wave energy is massive (5850). But it's too big for this beginner-friendly break, really only for the experts. The wind stays clean though, cross-offshore on the Friday morning. That's a big, powerful, dangerous swell.
The weekend of July 25th-26th still has plenty of size, with 10ft dropping to 6ft, but the wind turns a bit stronger and cross-offshore. It's still clean, but the size is intimidating for the average surfer.
Then we get a nice reset on Monday, July 27th. The swell is 8ft from the SW with a 15-second period, and the wind goes offshore from the E at 9 mph. The wave energy is strong (2818), and the forecast calls it "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." That's a big call. It's a bit too big for beginners, but for the confident crew, that’s a session to circle.
After that, the swell drops away through the end of the month and into the start of August, with smaller, weaker, and more onshore winds. There's a gap of several days of not much to recommend, with the surf dropping below 5ft and the wind turning messy. The last real mention is Sunday, August 2nd morning, with a 5ft SW swell, but it's a moderate cross-shore wind at 12 mph, so it'll be choppy.
So, to cut it short: Sunday morning, July 19th and Tuesday morning, July 21st are your absolute best bets for clean, fun waves. The big stuff from July 24th is for the hardcore crew. After that, it's a bit of a flat spell.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 10 | SW 9 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SW 16 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
416 | 166 | 374 | 528 | 450 | 406 | 957 | 519 | 257 | 371 | 785 | 1547 | 1783 | 2272 | 2358 | 1706 | 1280 | 1213 | 8744 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 5:56AM1.41m | 6:19PM1.54m | 6:39AM1.30m | 7:01PM1.44m | 7:25AM1.19m | 7:46PM1.32m | 8:18AM1.09m | 8:38PM1.21m | 9:25AM1.02m | 9:45PM1.12m | 10:49AM1.00m | 11:06PM1.09m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:55PM0.15m | 12:00PM0.17m | 00:39AM0.23m | 12:40PM0.28m | 1:25AM0.33m | 1:22PM0.40m | 2:14AM0.43m | 2:11PM0.52m | 3:15AM0.51m | 3:17PM0.61m | 4:35AM0.55m | 4:51PM0.64m | |||||||
— | 7:48 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | |
6:00 | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 15 |
Feels °C | 14 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 10 | SW 9 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SW 16 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 17 |
416 | 166 | 374 | 528 | 450 | 406 | 957 | 519 | 257 | 371 | 785 | 1547 | 1783 | 2272 | 2358 | 1706 | 1280 | 1213 | 8744 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | WSW 10 | SW 9 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | SW 11 | SW 8 | SW 11 | W 9 | W 8 | — | — | — | — | SW 18 | WSW 13 |
55 | 128 | 132 | 242 | 184 | 133 | 94 | 92 | 165 | 73 | 126 | 24 | 12 | — | — | — | — | 392 | 135 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 14 | WSW 12 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | SSE 10 | WSW 16 | W 10 | SW 12 | SW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 18 | — |
10 | 160 | 179 | 100 | 82 | 51 | 9 | 25 | 89 | 175 | 25 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 621 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 31 | 17 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 18 | 142 | 127 | 17 | 17 | 28 | 30 |
Best forecast wave conditions in West Coast | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Jacobs Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Jacobs Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Jacobs Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Jacobs 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 (Jacobs 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 Jacobs 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.
Jacobs Bay is 8 km (5 miles) from the city of Saldanha. If you plan a holiday in West Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in Saldanha. Saldanha has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










