Surf Forecasts:
Lacanau Ocean surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 10s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 10s period, WNW swell with 302 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 10s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Lacanau Ocean this week:
The surf forecast for Lacanau Ocean over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 10s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Lacanau Ocean in the next 16 days are 1.3m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Lacanau Ocean over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, surf is looking pretty grim for the next week or so. We've got a real flat spell settling in, and the ocean's gonna be pretty forgetful for a while. Water temp’s at 78° and that’s a solid 6° warmer than usual for this time of year, so it’s muggy out there, even if the waves aren’t doing much.
We’re looking at a stretch of several days, from the 17th through the 27th, where it’s just not worth paddling out. The swell is tiny, period is short, and the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore. A lot of these days the energy is weak too – the combined energy is in the low double digits, like 61, 57, 32, 30... just nothing to get excited about. The water might be warm, but the surf is flat, bumpy, or just plain poor. A couple of mornings, like Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd, have a bit of a glassy or cross-offshore look, but the swell is still too small – around 2ft to 3ft with a short period – so it’s not going to offer up anything memorable. It’s a tough stretch for anyone who isn't a total kook or just keen for a float.
Now, things start to get interesting as we roll into the final days of the month. There’s a pulse of energy coming in for Friday the 28th. The swell bumps up to 5ft from the WNW with a 12-second period, and the energy jumps right up to 725, which is a huge change from what we’ve seen. There’s also a sniff of it on Monday afternoon the 31st when the energy goes even higher – 946 – and we get some bigger, longer-period swell rolling in. These are the standouts, but they’re rough diamonds. The winds are still onshore or cross-onshore, making things choppy, and the quality is still marginal. So while the size and power are there, you're going to be fighting a bumpy ocean. This is more for the experienced crew who don’t mind a bit of a wrestle.
And then, we close the window with Tuesday, September 1st. There’s a proper push of swell – 6ft from the WNW, with a very long 14-second period. The energy is through the roof at 1262, which is some serious juice. But the wind is up, blowing 19-22 mph from the southwest and west-southwest, which is not our friend. It’s going to be lumpy and messy. This is a real shame because there’s a lot of raw power in the water, but the surface conditions are going to be wind-blown. For the average surfer, it'll be a messy day. For a kiter, on the other hand, this place could be an absolute playground.
All in all, the next 16 days are lean. Hold onto your hats for the end of the month but don't get your hopes up for a clean, classic day. The ocean’s full of energy but it's just not aligning with the wind for good surf. Forecasts can always change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, this is a good time to wax the longboard and work on your tan.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Mon afternoon, min 20°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sat afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Thu afternoon, min 16°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | NW 5 | NW 5 | NW 5 | W 8 | WNW 8 | NW 5 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
61 | 57 | 29 | 23 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 93 | 196 | 200 | 288 | 256 | 251 | 176 | 79 | 88 | 50 | 31 | 30 | 14 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 8:21AM3.68m | 8:38PM3.71m | 8:57AM3.44m | 9:16PM3.36m | 9:36AM3.18m | 10:01PM3.03m | 10:27AM2.93m | 11:09PM2.75m | 11:51AM2.76m | 00:51AM2.64m | 1:30PM2.77m | 2:16AM2.73m | 2:41PM2.94m | 3:14AM2.93m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:14PM0.35m | 2:37AM0.50m | 2:55PM0.64m | 3:17AM0.83m | 3:40PM0.96m | 4:03AM1.15m | 4:33PM1.25m | 4:59AM1.41m | 5:42PM1.46m | 6:16AM1.56m | 7:10PM1.50m | 7:43AM1.51m | 8:30PM1.34m | ||||||||
7:07 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:08 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:05 | — | — | 9:04 | — | — | 9:01 | — | — | 9:00 | — | 8:59 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 3 |
Temp °C | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 24 | 26 |
Feels °C | 22 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 22 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | W 10 | NW 5 | WNW 8 | W 8 | NW 4 | WNW 8 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | NW 9 | W 11 | NW 8 | NW 7 | W 9 | NW 7 |
61 | 57 | 2 | 23 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 11 | 93 | 196 | 200 | 288 | 256 | 251 | 176 | 79 | 21 | 50 | 31 | 25 | 13 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 10 | WNW 9 | — | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | W 11 | W 7 | — | — | W 9 | — | — | — | W 9 | W 8 | WNW 10 | W 9 | — | W 9 |
— | — | 2 | 8 | — | 4 | 12 | 2 | 4 | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | 13 | 6 | 32 | 26 | — | 14 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | W 7 | — | — | — | W 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 12 | W 8 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NW 5 | — | NW 5 | NW 4 | — | NW 5 | NW 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 8 | — | — | NW 7 | N 4 |
— | — | 29 | — | 18 | 8 | — | 10 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 88 | — | — | 30 | 14 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 97 | 211 | 129 | 197 | 592 | 387 | 387 | 533 | 54 | 11 | 116 | 54 | 11 | 209 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 286 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gironde | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in France | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Lacanau Ocean Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Lacanau Ocean provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Lacanau Ocean can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Lacanau Ocean 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 (Lacanau Ocean) 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 Lacanau Ocean 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.
Lacanau Ocean is 38 km (24 miles) from Arcachon. If you plan a holiday in Gironde, look for hotels and other accommodation in Arcachon. Arcachon has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











