
Surf Forecasts:
Long Beach surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 6 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 6 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 15s period, SW swell with 8,431 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 30 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 13s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Long Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Long Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 13s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Long Beach in the next 16 days are 4.5m 15s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 06) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 7s period and expected on Friday (Jul 31) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Thu 30th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Thu 6th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Thu 6th Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Long Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks.
First up, we've got a bit of a slow start. The first real sniff of surf comes in on Thursday the 30th of July. The swell is a solid 5 ft from the SW with a period of 13 seconds – that's some proper groundswell energy. The water is sitting at 59°, which is about average for this time of year. The wind is a cross-offshore breeze, so the waves will be clean. The combined energy is moderate (732). It’s a decent start, but not a standout.
Friday the 31st keeps the vibe going with a slightly smaller 4 ft SW swell, still clean with light cross-off winds. The energy drops a bit (542), but it's still surfable.
Now, Saturday the 1st of August is where it gets interesting. The morning is absolute gold – glassy conditions with a 4 ft swell from the WSW. That 14-second period is a proper groundswell, and the energy is solid (716). For a sandbar setup like Long Beach, that long period will mean the waves are a bit more lined up and powerful, with good gaps between sets. The afternoon stays clean, but the morning glass is the pick.
Sunday the 2nd is a write-off. The wind swings onshore and the surf quality is poor – don't bother.
The Standout comes on Monday the 3rd of August. This is the best on offer in the first week. The swell jumps to 6 ft in the morning and 7 ft in the afternoon, both from the SW. The wind is glassy all day. The energy is moderate to strong (1533 in the morning, 1617 in the afternoon). This is a big, clean, powerful swell. The 6 ft is a bit big for beginners, but the 7 ft in the afternoon is pushing into expert territory. If you're comfortable with that size, it’s going to be epic.
Tuesday the 4th drops off with a weaker swell and cross-onshore winds. Not great.
Things get wild from Wednesday the 5th of August. The swell absolutely pumps up to 12 ft with a 15-second period, but the wind is howling onshore. The energy is huge (5970), but it's a mess. This is a kite-surfing setup, not a paddle one.
Thursday the 6th of August is the second true standout. The morning is still too blown out, but the afternoon turns glassy again with a massive 15 ft SW swell and a 15-second period. The energy is very strong (8431). This is for experts only. Huge, clean, powerful groundswell. If you've got the skill, it's a once-in-a-while session.
The rest of the second week is a mixed bag. Friday the 7th is messy. Saturday the 8th brings another 13 ft SW swell, but the wind is strong, making it only for the brave. Sunday the 9th is a total washout with gale-force winds and a 20 ft swell. Monday the 10th has a glassy window in the afternoon with a 12 ft SSE swell, but the wind is light. The quality is there, but it's a long way out.
The outlook from the 11th to the 14th of August is a real rollercoaster. There are some solid 13 ft swells, but the wind is rarely cooperating. The 12th of August afternoon has a massive 13 ft SW swell with cross-shore winds, and the energy is off the charts (9672). It's a marginal forecast, but if the wind plays ball, it's a monster.
So, to sum it up: Monday the 3rd of August is your best bet in the first week – clean, solid, and glassy. For the big-wave crew, Thursday the 6th of August afternoon is the one to circle. After that, it's a lot of wind and swell, so keep an eye on the forecasts.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Fri afternoon, min 16°C on Thu afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun afternoon, min 13°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | ||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 15 | SW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
732 | 600 | 471 | 355 | 255 | 663 | 486 | 543 | 594 | 428 | 744 | 1533 | 1599 | 1082 | 638 | 445 | 1832 | 5948 | 5767 | 5305 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 4:03PM1.48m | 4:09AM1.43m | 4:33PM1.52m | 4:40AM1.42m | 5:03PM1.53m | 5:13AM1.39m | 5:34PM1.52m | 5:47AM1.34m | 6:08PM1.48m | 6:27AM1.27m | 6:48PM1.41m | 7:14AM1.18m | 7:38PM1.32m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:11PM0.22m | 10:18AM0.12m | 10:42PM0.20m | 10:47AM0.12m | 11:13PM0.20m | 11:16AM0.16m | 11:47PM0.22m | 11:48AM0.21m | 00:24AM0.26m | 12:25PM0.29m | 1:09AM0.32m | 1:10PM0.38m | 2:07AM0.39m | |||||||
— | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | |
6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 15 | SW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 |
732 | 600 | 471 | 355 | 255 | 663 | 486 | 543 | 594 | 428 | 744 | 1533 | 1599 | 1082 | 638 | 445 | 1832 | 5948 | 5767 | 5305 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 6 | SE 8 | SW 18 | WSW 16 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SW 15 | WSW 17 | SE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | WSW 11 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | WSW 14 |
— | 66 | 58 | 78 | 212 | 53 | 57 | 49 | 53 | 229 | 117 | 31 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 24 | 4 | 19 | 18 | 1513 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 18 | SE 8 | SE 9 | — | — | S 9 | S 9 | SE 10 | SE 12 | — | — | — | — | ESE 10 | W 13 | — | — | ESE 10 |
— | — | 13 | 10 | 73 | — | — | 7 | 6 | 28 | 34 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 3 | — | — | 18 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 5 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | SE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 3 | — | NNW 4 | NW 5 | — |
25 | 192 | 183 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 22 | 117 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 186 | 9 | 37 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Long Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Long Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Long Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Long Beach 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 (Long Beach) 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 Long Beach 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 Cape Town? If you are looking for accommodation near Long Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Cape Town, consider staying in Cape Town which is 26 km (16 miles) away. Other places in and around Cape Town where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Robben Island which is 37 km (23 miles) away, Bellville, Stellenbosch and Kayamnandi.











