Surf Forecasts:
Jailbreaks surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 16s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 16s period, SSW swell with 974 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 22 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 10s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Jailbreaks this week:
The surf forecast for Jailbreaks over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Jailbreaks in the next 16 days are 1.4m 16s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 10s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (+05) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Jailbreaks over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Jails over the next couple of weeks.
We're starting off with a bit of a slow burn, but there's a serious pulse of energy building for the end of the month and into early September. The water is sitting at a warm 84°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The first few days are pretty lackluster. Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd have some small, weak swell around 3ft to 4ft from the south, but the wind is a cross-off, making it look okay but not really worth getting excited about. The energy is moderate, with combined energy sitting around 462. Nothing to write home about.
Sunday the 23rd sees a drop in size, with 2ft to 3ft SSW swell, but the period stretches out to 13 seconds, which is a nice long groundswell. The energy drops to 233, and it's clean. It's surfable, but you'll be hunting for the set waves.
The real story starts to build from Thursday the 27th of August. We see a jump to 5ft SSW swell with a very long 16-second period. The combined energy hits 1049, which is a solid moderate-to-strong pulse. The wind is a clean cross-off. This is the first real standout of the window – it's an excellent window for experienced surfers. The long period means the waves will have real shape and power, but at a reef setup like Jails, that long period will focus the energy nicely.
That pulse drops off a little into Friday the 28th, but then Saturday the 30th of August kicks off a proper run of bigger surf. Sunday the 30th sees 5ft to 6ft SSW swell with a 19-second period – that's a very long period groundswell. The combined energy skyrockets to 1807 and then 2606. This is strong wave energy. The wind is a cross-off, but it's a moderate breeze. This is for advanced surfers only; anything over 5ft at Jails with that kind of period is a serious handful.
The peak of this run looks to be Monday the 31st of August and Tuesday the 1st of September, with 7ft to 6ft SSW swell and a 16 to 18-second period. The combined energy is massive: 3902 and 3651. This is very strong, expert-only territory. It's a clean cross-off, but the sheer power and size will make it a heavy day. The best two days of the whole 16-day window are Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1st, without a doubt.
After that, the swell eases but remains solid through the first few days of September. Thursday the 3rd of September is a nice one to watch, with 5ft to 5ft SSE swell and a 10 to 11-second period, but the wind turns offshore (SSW). That's a clean, glassy morning, which is a rare treat. The energy is still moderate to strong at 669 and 733.
The final few days of the forecast, around the 4th and 5th of September, see the swell drop back to 4ft to 4ft with a shorter period, so it's back to being a bit ordinary. The crowds at Jails are listed as "sometimes", so on the clear, clean days, don't be surprised to see a few others out.
So, to sum it up: the first week is a slow grind, but the standouts are clearly Monday the 31st of August and Tuesday the 1st of September for the big, powerful groundswell, and Thursday the 3rd of September for the clean offshore conditions. The long-range stuff for the 30th and 31st looks promising, but as always, keep an eye on it as it gets closer.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 28°C on Fri afternoon, min 27°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 28°C on Mon afternoon, min 27°C on Mon afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 11 | S 10 | S 14 | S 10 | SSE 9 | SSW 13 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
275 | 250 | 261 | 231 | 189 | 131 | 102 | 64 | 162 | 162 | 162 | 162 | 162 | 487 | 349 | 305 | 763 | 974 | 856 | 687 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:42PM0.60m | 10:01AM0.59m | 11:37AM0.66m | 10:04PM0.43m | 12:04PM0.74m | 11:30PM0.50m | 12:28PM0.81m | 00:10AM0.58m | 12:49PM0.87m | 00:42AM0.67m | 1:10PM0.92m | 1:12AM0.75m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:48PM0.26m | 1:32AM0.31m | 7:50PM0.42m | 4:20AM0.29m | 7:00PM0.38m | 5:20AM0.24m | 7:00PM0.33m | 5:59AM0.19m | 7:10PM0.28m | 6:32AM0.16m | 7:25PM0.22m | |||||||||
— | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | |
6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:13 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 |
Feels °C | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 16 | SSE 9 | SW 14 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 |
275 | 250 | 240 | 231 | 189 | 102 | 102 | 58 | 162 | 162 | 162 | 162 | 162 | 487 | 132 | 305 | 763 | 974 | 856 | 687 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | NW 7 | S 14 | SSW 13 | NW 7 | SSW 13 | SE 9 | NW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | S 9 | SW 16 | SSE 8 | WNW 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 |
87 | 44 | 261 | 187 | 28 | 131 | 71 | 96 | 125 | 120 | 103 | 99 | 120 | 162 | 349 | 103 | 110 | 75 | 75 | 96 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SSW 14 | NW 7 | NW 7 | S 12 | NW 9 | NW 10 | SE 9 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SW 15 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | SSE 8 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 8 |
87 | 123 | 39 | 29 | 74 | 70 | 61 | 64 | 100 | 122 | 142 | 102 | 104 | 113 | 106 | 120 | 78 | 81 | 75 | 72 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 5 | — | — | NNW 5 | — | — | WSW 2 | SW 2 | — | — | — | SW 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 3 |
13 | — | — | 9 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 254 | 11 | 254 | 254 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 254 | 0 | 254 | 7 | 254 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Male Atoll | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Maldives | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Jailbreaks Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Jailbreaks provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Jailbreaks can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Jailbreaks 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 (Jailbreaks) 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 Jailbreaks 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.
Are you planning a holiday in North Male Atoll? If you are looking for accommodation near Jailbreaks, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in North Male Atoll, consider staying in Male which is 40 km (25 miles) away.











