Surf Forecasts:
Long Beach surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 13s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 4,881 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 31 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 11s 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 Monday (Aug 31) at 2PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Long Beach in the next 16 days are 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) 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 Thursday (Sep 03) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2PM (Mon 31st Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
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 cards for Long Beach over the next couple of weeks.
We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but hold onto your boards because things are about to fire up. The first few days are a write-off, but come Tuesday the 1st of September, we’re looking at a serious pulse of energy. The water temp is sitting right around average for the time of year, so nothing crazy there, just your typical late-season feel.
The standout window is hands down Tuesday the 1st of September. Long Beach is a sandbar setup, fairly consistent, and it’s open to a SW swell, which is exactly what we’re getting. Tuesday morning brings a solid 8ft swell from the SW with a long period of 13 seconds – that’s proper groundswell, lots of energy behind it. The combined swell energy is pumping at 2474, which is strong. The wind is a light breeze from the SSW, cross-off, so the face will be clean. This is for experienced surfers only; it’s too big for beginners. Tuesday afternoon holds even more promise: the swell jumps to 10ft from the SW, still with that long 13-second period, and the wind goes gentle offshore from the SSW. The energy jumps to 3174. That’s a serious afternoon session. Crowds are often around here, so expect some company.
Wednesday the 2nd keeps the size going. Morning sees a 12ft SW swell, period up to 14 seconds, and a massive combined energy of 4141. The wind is a moderate cross-off from the SSE, keeping it clean. This is expert territory. The afternoon eases slightly to 10ft but stays clean with a moderate offshore breeze from the SSE. This is still a very good day for anyone with the skills.
After Wednesday, things get messy. Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th are blown out by strong to gale-force SE winds, making the surf poor. The swell drops and the quality disappears. There’s a bit of a lull over the weekend of the 5th and 6th, with some onshore wind and choppy conditions.
The next real sniff of something decent comes around Friday the 11th of September. The morning brings a 8ft swell from the WSW with a 14-second period. The combined energy is 2359, so there’s plenty of push. The wind is a moderate cross-off from the SSE, so it’s clean. This is still a big wave for a sandbar, and it’s a long-period swell, so expect longer lulls between sets. The same pattern holds into Saturday the 12th with a 10ft WSW swell and a fresh offshore wind, keeping it clean. That’s a solid weekend option, but again, for the experienced crew. The long period means these waves will be better shaped and more powerful, but at a beach break, they might close out a bit. It’s a trade-off.
After that, the energy fades into the second week with smaller, less appealing swells and stronger winds, so make the most of that first week.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Sat night, min 12°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Sun morning, light winds from the S by Tue morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Thu morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue night, min 12°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Tue night, gales from the SE by Fri afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | ||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | S 8 | SSE 8 | WSW 11 | SSE 7 | SE 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
1206 | 2172 | 1769 | 1316 | 1103 | 932 | 1473 | 2474 | 3174 | 4881 | 4141 | 3180 | 1885 | 1081 | 675 | 604 | 694 | 543 | 509 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:15AM1.50m | 4:31PM1.63m | 4:48AM1.47m | 5:03PM1.59m | 5:22AM1.41m | 5:38PM1.52m | 6:01AM1.31m | 6:18PM1.41m | 6:48AM1.20m | 7:10PM1.28m | 7:55AM1.08m | 8:30PM1.15m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:14PM0.07m | 10:18AM0.07m | 10:45PM0.08m | 10:48AM0.11m | 11:18PM0.11m | 11:21AM0.18m | 11:55PM0.19m | 11:59AM0.28m | 00:39AM0.30m | 12:46PM0.40m | 1:38AM0.42m | 1:54PM0.53m | 3:14AM0.51m | ||||||
— | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | |
6:25 | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:29 | — | — | 6:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 |
Feels °C | 10 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 8 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 11 |
545 | 2172 | 1769 | 1316 | 1103 | 932 | 1473 | 2474 | 3174 | 4881 | 4141 | 3180 | 1885 | 1081 | 655 | 399 | 694 | 543 | 406 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 13 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 11 | SE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 10 | — | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 13 |
1206 | 22 | 19 | 10 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | — | 42 | 69 | 65 | 32 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | E 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 13 | — | — |
40 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 68 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 6 | S 7 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SE 7 |
— | — | — | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 139 | 481 | 675 | 604 | 493 | 531 | 509 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 52 | 52 | 349 | 46 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 465 | 675 | 1044 | 1246 | 2837 | 13 |
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.











