Surf Forecasts:
Lookout Beach surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SSW swell with 4,936 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 12s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Lookout Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Lookout Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.3m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Lookout Beach in the next 16 days are 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 11AM. 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 11s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Lookout Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way.
We’ve got a serious run of swell on the cards for Lookout Beach, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The ocean is pumping energy, but the wind and size are going to be the real deciding factors. The first real sniff of something decent is on Wednesday afternoon, the 19th, with a solid 8ft SW groundswell at 12 seconds. The combined energy is a hefty 1817, so there’s plenty of grunt. The cross-off wind is cleaning it up nicely, making for some good, powerful waves. It’s going to be a bit much for the beginners though, as it’s over 5ft.
The real standout, and the one I’d be circling, is the morning of Thursday the 20th. The swell jumps up to 12ft from the SSW with a 14-second period, and the energy reading is a massive 4513. That’s serious power. The wind is a light cross-off, so the face will be clean. Now, a word of caution: this is big, heavy swell. At over 8ft, this is strictly for the experts. The beach break setup might make this one a bit of a washing machine, so pick your lineup wisely. The afternoon holds similar size, but the wind swings a little more cross-shore.
After that, Friday and Saturday look a bit average with onshore winds and dropping swell. Lookout Beach sees a few clean days return from Saturday afternoon, but the size drops. The real gem for the next week is the morning of Wednesday the 26th. The swell is a very manageable 6ft from the SW, with a 14-second period, and the wind is glassy. The energy is still a solid 1595, but the conditions will be flawless. That is a prime window for a long, clean session.
The tail end of the forecast gets a bit wild again. The 29th of August sees another massive pulse of 12ft swell, but with strong onshore wind, it’s going to be a messy, blown-out mess. The water temperature is a very unusual 56°, which is 8° colder than normal for this time of year. You’ll want a good 5/4 wetsuit, maybe booties. The final week is a bit of a lottery with a mix of clean conditions and onshore wind, but the consistency is there. The best bet for the first week of September looks like the morning of the 2nd, with glassy conditions and a more user-friendly 4ft SW swell.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun afternoon, min 12°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | ||||||||||||||
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 12 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1591 | 4936 | 3724 | 2034 | 1250 | 542 | 534 | 893 | 594 | 1214 | 1151 | 930 | 1182 | 747 | 617 | 2125 | 1962 | 2416 | 1452 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross | glassy | on | on | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | on | glassy | cross | cross-off | glassy | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 7:49AM1.10m | 8:20PM1.14m | 9:21AM0.98m | 10:45PM1.05m | 12:36PM1.02m | 00:51AM1.13m | 1:37PM1.16m | 1:41AM1.26m | 2:11PM1.31m | 2:15AM1.39m | 2:40PM1.46m | 2:44AM1.51m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:49AM0.61m | 1:48PM0.67m | 2:58AM0.73m | 3:17PM0.80m | 6:02AM0.75m | 6:37PM0.77m | 7:26AM0.62m | 7:40PM0.64m | 8:02AM0.48m | 8:15PM0.50m | 8:30AM0.34m | 8:44PM0.37m | |||||||
 |  | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — |
 | 5:59 | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 15 |
Feels °C | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
| kJ | 1591 | 4936 | 3724 | 2034 | 1250 | 542 | 534 | 893 | 594 | 1214 | 1151 | 930 | 1182 | 747 | 617 | 2125 | 1962 | 2416 | 1452 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SSW 11 | SW 11 | ESE 5 | E 8 | E 8 | SW 15 | SW 13 | E 8 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | E 10 | SSW 16 | — | — |
| kJ | 16 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 444 | 347 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 171 | 345 | 1 | 193 | 417 | 2 | 612 | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 5 | E 8 | E 8 | — | E 8 | — | — | E 9 | E 9 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 36 | 1 | 5 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 4 | E 5 | WSW 11 | SW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 6 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 64 | 494 | 189 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 91 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 55 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 55 | 4 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Lookout Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Lookout Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Lookout Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Lookout 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 (Lookout 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 Lookout 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.
Lookout Beach is 3 km (2 miles) from the city of Plettenberg Bay. If you plan a holiday in Garden Route, look for hotels and other accommodation in Plettenberg Bay. Plettenberg Bay has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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