Surf Forecasts:
Long Beach surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 22 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 13s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 22 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 13s period, SW swell with 6,767 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 12s period with WSW 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 Tuesday (Aug 18) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 1.6m and 13s. 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 13s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 20) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Long Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a mixed bag on the cards, but there are definitely some windows to get excited about.
The pattern kicks off with a solid run of clean, punchy surf from Tuesday the 18th right through to the start of the following week. The water is sitting at 57°, which is a bit colder than we’d normally expect for this time of year, so you might want an extra layer.
Tuesday morning, August 18th, sees a clean 7 ft swell from the WSW at 12 seconds rolling into Long Beach. It's not the biggest, but with light cross-offshore breezes, it’s a nice way to ease into the week. The surf really starts to build from Wednesday morning, August 19th. We’ve got a 8 ft SW groundswell (12 seconds) with gentle offshore winds. The combined energy is really kicking (2078), and conditions are going to be super clean. This is excellent for any experienced surfer.
Thursday morning, August 20th, is a standout. The swell pushes up to 12 ft from the SW with a 13-second period and moderate offshore winds. The energy reading is a massive 3675. This is powerful, well-shaped surf that will be firing for those who can handle it. It’s going to be a ripper of a morning.
We get a little drop-off in size and quality over Friday the 21st, but Saturday afternoon, August 22nd, things go nuts. Swell jumps to 15 ft from the SW (13 seconds), and the combined energy is an enormous 6290. This is a serious, heavy swell. While it’s clean with a cross-off breeze, this is only for the experienced crew. Beginners should stay well clear. Also, it’s a sandbar setup, so with that much power, it's more of a kite-surfing playground than a standard paddle session.
Sunday morning, August 23rd, is a gem. We’ve got a 8 ft WSW swell with almost no wind—just a slight air—making for glassy conditions. The energy is still solid at 2624. This will be super clean and fun for intermediate to advanced surfers.
The following week gets a bit more inconsistent. There’s a mix of good and average days. Sunday morning, August 30th, catches my eye, though it's a long way out. We're looking at a 12 ft SW swell (14 seconds) with a huge energy reading of 5078 and glassy conditions. It’s promising, but reliability for that date is lower. If it holds, it’ll be the best session of the second week.
Overall, the best bets are Thursday the 20th in the morning for the powerful, offshore swell, and Sunday the 23rd in the morning for the glassy, quality waves. Stay safe out there.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the S on Wed night, fresh winds from the SE by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Fri morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NW on Sat morning, calm by Sat night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 10 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1159 | 2859 | 2744 | 2078 | 1742 | 2218 | 3675 | 2412 | 1336 | 882 | 458 | 322 | 1991 | 6290 | 4595 | 1981 | 1886 | 1470 | 636 | 422 | 1279 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | on | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 6:47PM1.29m | 7:10AM1.09m | 7:28PM1.15m | 8:04AM0.99m | 8:30PM1.04m | 9:46AM0.92m | 10:24PM0.98m | 11:55AM0.96m | 00:06AM1.03m | 12:59PM1.06m | 1:02AM1.13m | 1:37PM1.18m | 1:41AM1.24m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:29PM0.38m | 1:08AM0.42m | 1:05PM0.51m | 1:54AM0.54m | 1:55PM0.63m | 3:17AM0.62m | 3:49PM0.70m | 5:32AM0.61m | 6:07PM0.66m | 6:46AM0.52m | 7:07PM0.56m | 7:27AM0.41m | 7:45PM0.45m | ||||||||
7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | |
— | 6:17 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:22 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 13 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 10 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 13 |
1159 | 2859 | 2744 | 2078 | 1742 | 2218 | 3675 | 2412 | 1336 | 882 | 458 | 322 | 1991 | 6290 | 4595 | 1981 | 1886 | 1470 | 636 | 422 | 1279 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 11 | WSW 11 | — | — | — | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | — | SW 10 | SSW 9 | SW 16 |
837 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 408 | 291 | — | — | — | 643 | 451 | — | 163 | 295 | 581 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 5 | ESE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 9 | SSW 14 | W 11 |
2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 136 | 125 | 154 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ESE 4 | — | — | — | — | SSE 3 | SE 5 | SE 5 | — | NW 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 3 |
— | — | 13 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 79 | 53 | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 15 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 349 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 32 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
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.











