
Surf Forecasts:
Long Beach surf forecast from 5 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 6 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 13s period, SW swell with 5,721 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 6 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s 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 Thursday (Aug 06) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m 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 4.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) 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 2.2m 8s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Thu 6th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Thu 6th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Long Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a mixed bag coming our way down at Long Beach, so let’s break it down.
The first week kicks off with a bit of a wait. We’ve got a solid pulse of swell from the southwest pushing through, but darn it, the wind is just howling for the first few days. That big 8ft SW groundswell with a 15-second period on Wednesday afternoon is promising, but with a 25 mph wind slamming straight onshore, it’s a write-off. The energy is massive (2808), but it’s just not surfable for a paddle board.
The real juice starts to show on Thursday the 6th. The swell bumps up to 12ft from the WSW, still a long-period groundswell (13 seconds). The wind swings offshore and goes light, and that’s the ticket. The wave energy is pumping (3920), and for an experienced surfer, this is going to be excellent. The sets will be powerful but clean, with those long gaps between them making it easier to get out the back. The water is a bit colder than normal at 58°. This is the standout of the whole forecast. Friday afternoon the 7th is also a beauty: 12ft SW swell, 14-second period, and a light offshore wind. The energy is even higher (5363). It’s a perfect window for the experienced crew.
The weekend holds up nicely. Saturday the 8th is clean all day, with 10ft to 12ft SW swell, solid periods, and light wind. Perfect for a long session. Sunday the 9th brings a jump in size to 13ft, but the wind is howling again at 31-34 mph, so while the wave energy is through the roof (7295), it’s not a paddle-friendly day. That’s kite territory, not surfable.
After that, the surf drops off dramatically. Monday through to the middle of the second week is a write-off. The swell gets small, the wind is all over the place, and the wave energy plummets. We’re looking at 5ft or less, with short periods and messy wind. There’s a gap of about four days with nothing really worth mentioning.
But hold on. The 12th of August has a ripper in the afternoon. A clean 6ft SW groundswell with a very long 17-second period and light offshore wind. The energy is still good (2171). That’s a sneaky good session if you’re patient. The 18th of August is another strong contender. We’re back to 12ft SW swell with a 12-second period, light offshore winds, and excellent conditions. The energy is right up there (3038). This one is a long-range promise, so keep an eye on it, but it looks like a real cracker for those who can wait.
Overall, the best wave is Thursday the 6th and Friday the 7th of August, with the 18th of August as a promising long-range target. For the rest, it’s a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Wed night. Very mild (max 15°C on Sat afternoon, min 11°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the N on Wed night, light winds from the W by Fri afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSE on Sun afternoon, light winds from the SSE by Tue afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | ||||||||||||||
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 14 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SW 21 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
5182 | 3920 | 3716 | 3502 | 4684 | 5438 | 3720 | 2639 | 5568 | 4988 | 3404 | 3030 | 2491 | 688 | 414 | 1557 | 793 | 455 | 2348 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 8:18AM1.10m | 8:47PM1.23m | 9:50AM1.05m | 10:22PM1.20m | 11:32AM1.09m | 11:55PM1.25m | 12:49PM1.22m | 1:05AM1.35m | 1:45PM1.37m | 2:00AM1.45m | 2:32PM1.51m | 2:47AM1.53m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:07AM0.39m | 2:12PM0.48m | 3:28AM0.45m | 3:46PM0.55m | 5:10AM0.43m | 5:36PM0.51m | 6:33AM0.34m | 6:57PM0.39m | 7:32AM0.21m | 7:55PM0.25m | 8:20AM0.10m | 8:44PM0.13m | |||||||
— | 7:35 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | |
6:08 | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:13 | — | |
mm | 11 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 17 |
Feels °C | 7 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | — | SSW 12 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SW 21 |
5182 | 3920 | 3716 | 3502 | 4684 | 5438 | 3720 | 2639 | 5568 | 4988 | 3404 | — | 2491 | 600 | 384 | 1557 | 793 | 455 | 2348 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 6 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | — | ESE 9 | — | — | — | W 18 | — | — | — | S 13 | SW 11 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | SW 24 | SE 8 |
108 | 19 | 9 | — | 8 | — | — | — | 25 | — | — | — | 32 | 688 | 414 | 75 | 40 | 287 | 244 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 13 | SSW 13 | SSE 13 | SW 26 | WSW 10 | SSW 11 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 32 | 378 | 35 | 28 | 38 | 218 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 5 | — | — | SE 5 | ESE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | — | ESE 5 | SE 6 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 |
78 | — | — | 58 | 67 | — | — | — | — | — | 2672 | 3030 | — | 90 | 247 | 382 | 318 | 316 | 620 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 25 | 0 | 52 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 349 | 349 | 2859 | 47 | 35 | 45 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
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.











