Surf Forecasts:
North Beach surf forecast from 28 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 8s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, S swell with 3,422 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 10s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for North Beach this week:
The surf forecast for North Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at North Beach in the next 16 days are 4.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) 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 1.9m 7s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Fri 4th Sep) | 13ft (4.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for North Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here again. Let's break down the same outlook, but in feet and miles per hour for the crew that thinks that way.
Water temp is a pleasant 71°, right where it should be for the season. But the surfing itself? Blimey, it’s a rough stretch.
For the next several days, all the way through the end of August and into early September, the wind is a big problem. Strong NE winds, blowing 18 to 25 mph, have the whole place chopped up and lumpy. Swell heights are running 4 to 6 feet from the ENE, but the period is a short, weak 8 seconds, so it's just messy, closeout junk. Not worth paddling out for.
We get a brief cleanup on the morning of Sunday, August 30th. The wind shifts cross-offshore from the SSW at 15 mph, and the surf cleans up nicely with a 5-foot swell. It's labeled marginal, so it’s a low-confidence call, but if the wind holds it’ll be the best we’ve seen. By Monday, August 31st, we have a morning of light onshore winds and a weak 4-foot East swell, but it’s nothing to write home about.
The big one lands on Friday, September 4th. A solid 10-foot SE swell with a 10-second period and moderate cross-onshore winds will be pumping. The wave energy is strong, and for North Beach, it’s the best day of the whole 16-day window. That’s a day for the experienced crew who can handle a big, heavy beach break. Honestly, with those winds, it might be more of a kite surfer’s dream than a paddle surfer’s.
After that, it’s back to the grinding machine of NE winds and cruddy surf until Thursday, September 10th. That afternoon, the wind goes light and cross-off from the SSW, cleaning up a 6-foot S swell. The forecast calls for “very good surf conditions,” and that’s your second shot at a clean, fun session.
The rest of the run through the 12th of September is more of the same story: choppy, wind-blown, and unappealing. There are two real windows in this forecast. The rest is one to skip.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sat afternoon, min 17°C on Fri morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NE on Sat afternoon, calm by Sun night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 22°C on Tue morning, min 18°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Wed morning, light winds from the N by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | 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) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 5 | NE 7 | ENE 8 | S 8 | SSW 18 | SSE 7 | SSE 8 | S 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 408 | 613 | 593 | 593 | 1014 | 705 | 344 | 378 | 246 | 203 | 217 | 235 | 220 | 134 | 485 | 159 | 804 | 322 | 167 | 196 | 3422 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:09PM2.04m | 4:18AM1.95m | 4:36PM2.08m | 4:45AM1.97m | 5:04PM2.09m | 5:13AM1.95m | 5:32PM2.04m | 5:42AM1.88m | 6:03PM1.95m | 6:14AM1.78m | 6:36PM1.81m | 6:50AM1.63m | 7:14PM1.63m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:57AM0.19m | 10:18PM0.22m | 10:23AM0.13m | 10:45PM0.19m | 10:51AM0.12m | 11:13PM0.20m | 11:19AM0.15m | 11:42PM0.26m | 11:48AM0.23m | 00:13AM0.35m | 12:20PM0.36m | 00:47AM0.49m | 12:57PM0.54m | 1:31AM0.65m | |||||||
 | |  | | | |  | |  | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — |
 | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:40 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 24 | 20 | 22 | 25 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 23 | 25 | 22 |
Feels °C | 16 | 18 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 21 | 18 | 19 | 13 | 13 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | SSE 12 | S 12 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | S 6 | S 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 8 | E 10 |
| kJ | 371 | 292 | 184 | 256 | 187 | 705 | 344 | 378 | 246 | 203 | 217 | 235 | 17 | 10 | 289 | 159 | 72 | 131 | 163 | 196 | 47 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | SSE 16 | S 15 | — | — | S 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | S 6 | S 6 | SSW 6 | SSW 8 | SE 6 | S 10 | SSW 14 | ENE 9 | SSW 14 | SSW 18 | SSW 15 | E 9 | — |
| kJ | 46 | 86 | 161 | — | — | 101 | 41 | 24 | 81 | 23 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 2 | 40 | 129 | 18 | 322 | 167 | 63 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SW 10 | SE 15 | SSE 14 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | S 10 | S 14 | S 10 | — | S 23 | E 8 | E 9 | SSW 15 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 8 | 18 | 28 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | 10 | 49 | 61 | 121 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | — | SSW 7 | S 6 | — | — | SE 5 | — | E 9 | E 5 | NE 7 | SSW 6 | S 8 | — | — | — | S 10 |
| kJ | 408 | 613 | 593 | 593 | 1014 | — | 166 | 173 | — | — | 15 | — | 220 | 134 | 485 | 173 | 804 | — | — | — | 3422 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 423 | 476 | 222 | 409 | 404 | 26 | 155 | 238 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 103 | 5 | 685 | 0 | 330 | 405 | 0 | 907 | 5 | 1238 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the North Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for North Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at North Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our North 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 (North 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 North 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 Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near North Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, consider staying in Durban which is 6 km (4 miles) away. Other places in and around Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Glenwood which is 6 km (4 miles) away, Kwamashu, Umhlanga and Mount Edgecombe.
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