
Surf Forecasts:
Lucien surf forecast from 14 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, SSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 13s period, S swell with 5,549 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 14 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s period with SE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Lucien this week:
The surf forecast for Lucien over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Lucien in the next 16 days are 4.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Tue 14th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Lucien over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s shaping up at Lucien (beach and point). This stretch has a fairly consistent run of swell, but the wind’s gunna be a moody bugger, so we gotta pick our moments.
The forecast kicks off Tuesday, July 14th, and honestly, it’s a write-off. We’ve got a solid 7 ft to 7 ft of ESE swell, but a moderate cross-onshore breeze is chopping the surface up. The combined wave energy is moderate at best (818 to 936), and the conditions are just poor. Not worth paddling out.
Wednesday, July 15th, is where it starts to get interesting. The morning sees a clean 7 ft swell from the east with a 10-second period, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the south. The afternoon stays clean with the swell dropping to 6 ft. The energy is still moderate (913 in the morning, 668 in the arvo), but the surface is glassy. This is a solid intermediate day – waves have shape, the wind’s your friend, and the water temp is about average for this time of year. No anomalies to worry about.
Thursday, July 16th, is the standout. The morning is absolute gold: glassy conditions, an ENE breeze at just 3 mph, and a clean 5 ft easterly swell with a 10-second period. The energy is moderate (586), but the glassy surface means you’re getting smooth, peeling lines. The wind is a major positive – it’s gunna be silky. The afternoon gets a bit crossed up with a light onshore breeze, but the morning session is the one to circle. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.
Friday, July 17th, is a drop-off. The swell fades to 4 ft, and the wind turns cross-shore, making it marginal. The afternoon cleans up but the wave size is down to 4 ft. Not worth the drive.
Saturday, July 18th, brings a fresh pulse from the south, but it’s messy. A 4 ft swell with a long 14-second period arrives, but the cross-onshore wind spoils it. The energy jumps to 907 in the afternoon, but the surface is choppy. The long period means the waves have push, but they’ll be breaking straight at the beach – better for the point or reef, but the wind ruins it.
Sunday, July 19th, is a tease. Morning has a light cross-onshore breeze with a 5 ft south swell (12 seconds), but it’s marginal. The afternoon cleans up with a stronger cross-offshore wind, but the swell is still just 5 ft. Could be a fun session if you’re bored, but not a standout.
Now, Monday, July 20th – this is the big call. The swell jumps to 10 ft in the morning from the SSW, with an 11-second period, and the combined energy is strong (2320). By afternoon, the swell hits 13 ft from the south, with a 13-second period and energy at 5566. This is expert territory. The wind is light, but the morning is cross-shore, and the afternoon has an onshore component. The size is massive, and the long period means it’ll be heavy and powerful. Only for the experienced crew. The setup could get interesting for kite surfers if the wind holds, but for paddle surfing, it’s a game of consequences.
Tuesday, July 21st, the swell drops to 7 ft, but the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s messy and marginal. The energy is still strong (1230), but the surface is chopped. Not a great day.
The rest of the forecast from July 22nd to the 29th is pretty grim. The swell stays small (2 ft to 5 ft), and the wind is mostly cross-onshore or choppy. There’s a long-period 15-second swell on the 22nd morning, but it’s only 3 ft and the wind is against it. The 23rd afternoon has a 4 ft swell with a 19 mph cross-offshore, but that’s serious wind. The 26th has a strong breeze, but the swell is only 3 ft. It’s a long stretch of poor to marginal conditions, with a gap of several days where I wouldn’t bother.
The only real standout is Thursday morning, July 16th, for the glassy conditions and clean 5 ft easterly swell. The second standout is Wednesday, July 15th, for the clean, cross-offshore lines. The big Monday, July 20th, is for experts only – massive size, but the wind is a concern.
Keep your eyes peeled – forecasts can change, but for now, those are your windows.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Tue afternoon, min 16°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sun morning, min 16°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Mon 20 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | ESE 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | S 14 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 8 | SSW 11 | S 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
205 | 721 | 895 | 882 | 818 | 648 | 741 | 556 | 400 | 331 | 277 | 228 | 253 | 521 | 487 | 575 | 638 | 615 | 892 | 2301 | 5549 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | on |
High Tide | 3:31AM1.66m | 3:59PM1.66m | 4:14AM1.70m | 4:42PM1.74m | 4:55AM1.70m | 5:23PM1.77m | 5:33AM1.66m | 6:02PM1.74m | 6:10AM1.59m | 6:40PM1.68m | 6:46AM1.48m | 7:17PM1.57m | 7:22AM1.36m | 7:55PM1.44m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:16PM0.20m | 9:44AM0.09m | 10:04PM0.13m | 10:26AM0.03m | 10:48PM0.10m | 11:04AM0.00m | 11:29PM0.13m | 11:41AM0.02m | 00:08AM0.19m | 12:17PM0.09m | 00:47AM0.28m | 12:52PM0.19m | 1:25AM0.38m | 1:28PM0.32m | |||||||
— | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | |
5:12 | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 20 | 21 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 26 | 26 | 19 | 18 | 19 |
Feels °C | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 23 | 23 | 12 | 16 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | ESE 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 14 | S 14 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 |
205 | 721 | 895 | 882 | 818 | 648 | 741 | 556 | 400 | 331 | 277 | 228 | 181 | 521 | 487 | 575 | 638 | 615 | 63 | 17 | 17 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | S 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | S 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 5 | S 6 | S 8 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 9 | SSW 16 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | ENE 9 | S 17 | NE 8 | — |
138 | 49 | 33 | 18 | 15 | 8 | 8 | 21 | 41 | 101 | 48 | 15 | 253 | 140 | 146 | 116 | 81 | 110 | 23 | 2 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 9 | SW 13 | — | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SW 11 | SE 10 | S 10 | S 9 | NE 4 | — | S 14 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | E 9 | — | — | — |
75 | 48 | 8 | 7 | — | 12 | 10 | 9 | 30 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 261 | 21 | 18 | 61 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | N 4 | SSW 10 | SSW 5 | SSW 5 | — | — | NNE 3 | — | SSW 3 | — | — | NE 4 | NE 5 | — | — | S 8 | SSW 11 | S 13 |
— | — | — | 7 | 80 | 29 | 21 | — | — | 6 | — | 3 | — | — | 13 | 49 | — | — | 892 | 2301 | 5549 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 72 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 0 | 49 | 25 | 0 | 72 | 100 | 4 | 36 | 13 | 136 | 13 | 310 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Lucien Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Lucien provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Lucien can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Lucien 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 (Lucien) 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 Lucien 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.
Lucien is 13 km (8 miles) from Port Shepstone. If you plan a holiday in Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in Port Shepstone. Port Shepstone has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











