Surf Forecasts:
Long Beach surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 23 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 14s period, WSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 25 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 2,557 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 22 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period with SSW 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 Saturday (Aug 22) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m 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 2.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.1m 8s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Long Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, let’s have a good look at what’s on the cards for our little stretch of sand. It’s been a bit of a slow start, but there’s some real sparkle waiting for us if we’re patient.
The first few days are a write-off, I’m sorry to say. We’re looking at a bit of a gap until Sunday the 23rd before anything worthwhile shows up. Friday afternoon the 21st and Saturday the 22nd are just one big “don’t bother” – poor surf, messy winds, and the swell’s all over the shop. Trust me, it’s not worth wetting a wetsuit.
But then, Sunday the 23rd rolls in and it’s a beautiful change of pace. Long Beach is the spot to be. Come Sunday morning, we’ve got a clean 7ft swell from the WSW, with a period of 13 seconds (that’s got some proper groundswell energy behind it), and a light cross-offshore breeze from the SSE making the surface buttery. The combined energy is sitting at 1824, so there’s a solid, moderate power in the water. The water’s a bit colder than normal for this time of year, sitting at 58°, so you’ll want a decent suit. Sunday afternoon only gets better – the wind goes fully offshore from the south, still gentle, and the swell holds at 8ft from the WSW with a 12-second period. It’s a standout day, no doubt.
Monday morning the 24th is still clean with 6ft from the WSW, but the wind gets a bit stiff and the quality drops – it’s only marginal. The marine layer seems to be holding off, and the following days look mixed. Tuesday the 25th has a building swell, up to 8ft from the SW with a 14-second period and a big energy reading of 2436, but the wind is a fresh cross-off from the SE, steering it toward a more powerful, expert-only zone. By Wednesday the 26th, we get a bit of a weird one – a 8ft swell from the SE but with a short 8-second period, so it’s all muscle and no shape. Still, the morning and afternoon both have clean conditions and a moderate breeze, so it’s rideable for the keen.
Now, here’s the real gem for the patient surfer. Friday the 28th is looking like a treat. The swell drops a touch to 4-5ft from the WSW, but the period is a dreamy 14 seconds, and the wind is barely a whisper from the SE and ESE. Clean lines, glassy conditions, and solid energy in the 1299-1333 range. That’s a session for the log or the step-up, and crowds are always possible at Long Beach, so get in early.
The second week gets a bit wild. Saturday the 29th is a write-off – strong winds, and by the afternoon we’ve got an 12ft swell from the west with a short 9-second period and a huge energy reading of 2500, but it’s blowing hard and looking messy. That’s more kite-surf territory than paddle-surf, honestly. Sunday the 30th though, hold on to your board. The morning brings an 12ft swell from the WSW, 12-second period, and a gorgeous offshore wind from the south. The energy is a whopping 4430. That’s big, powerful, and clean – but this is for experienced surfers only. It’s a standout session for the crew who can handle it. The afternoon’s still good but a bit more mellow.
The rest of the window in early September is a bit of a mixed bag. Monday the 1st of September has a clean afternoon with 7ft from the SW and a 13-second period, with a light offshore breeze, but the week following gets lumpy and windy again. Wednesday the 3rd and Thursday the 4th have some glimmers, with Friday the 4th afternoon offering a clean 7ft from the SSE with a 9-second period and a light offshore. It’s not the standout of the first week, but it’s a solid session.
So, bottom line: Sunday the 23rd is your best bet for a clean, powerful, fun day. Sunday the 30th is for the big-wave chargers. Everything else is a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri night, min 12°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SE on Tue afternoon, light winds from the E by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 10 | SSW 12 | SW 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
392 | 501 | 756 | 2121 | 1703 | 1631 | 1280 | 801 | 376 | 2457 | 2436 | 2037 | 987 | 659 | 655 | 344 | 345 | 345 | 387 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 10:24PM0.98m | 11:55AM0.96m | 00:06AM1.03m | 12:59PM1.06m | 1:02AM1.13m | 1:37PM1.18m | 1:41AM1.24m | 2:08PM1.31m | 2:13AM1.33m | 2:37PM1.42m | 2:44AM1.41m | 3:05PM1.51m | 3:14AM1.47m | ||||||
Low Tide | 5:32AM0.61m | 6:07PM0.66m | 6:46AM0.52m | 7:07PM0.56m | 7:27AM0.41m | 7:45PM0.45m | 7:59AM0.31m | 8:17PM0.34m | 8:27AM0.21m | 8:46PM0.25m | 8:54AM0.14m | 9:15PM0.17m | |||||||
— | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | |
6:20 | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:23 | — | — | 6:23 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 18 | 16 |
Feels °C | 13 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 11 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 10 | SSW 12 | SW 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 |
392 | 501 | 756 | 2121 | 1703 | 1631 | 1280 | 801 | 376 | 2457 | 2436 | 2037 | 987 | 659 | 447 | 259 | 345 | 345 | 387 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | — | — | SSW 13 | SW 10 | W 11 | W 18 | — | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | S 14 |
291 | 198 | 26 | 131 | 109 | — | — | 68 | 310 | 191 | 6 | — | 193 | 247 | 285 | 269 | 260 | 189 | 253 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | — | — | SW 11 | — | — | — | — | SW 14 | — | — | — | — | S 16 | S 15 | S 14 | SE 7 | S 14 | WSW 11 |
81 | — | — | 189 | — | — | — | — | 206 | — | — | — | — | 126 | 161 | 150 | 65 | 202 | 173 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NW 2 | NNW 3 | — | — | — | — | SSE 3 | SSE 4 | SE 5 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | N 3 | NNW 4 | — |
— | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 16 | 85 | 186 | 360 | 656 | 535 | 655 | 344 | 5 | 8 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 79 | 24 | 24 | 411 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 9 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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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.











