
Surf Forecasts:
North Beach surf forecast from 5 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 7 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 18s period, S swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 18s period, S swell with 4,822 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 6 Sep, 5AM (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 (Sep 06) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at North Beach in the next 16 days are 3.0m 18s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for North Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for North Beach. Let’s get into it.
Straight up, the next 16 days are a mixed bag. We’ve got a massive pulse of swell coming in, but the wind is going to be our enemy for most of the run. There’s a whole lot of nothing in the first few days, and then a long stretch of messy, blown-out conditions. The highlight is a narrow window of clean, offshore wind and a solid swell, but it’s a long way out.
Sunday morning kicks it off with a small 4ft swell from the east at 9 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (440), but it’s off to a rough start. Light rain and a light onshore breeze, but the report says it’s marginal. By Sunday afternoon, it’s a flat 3ft and poor. Monday the 7th is where it gets interesting. We get a monster 10ft south swell, long period at 17 seconds, and the energy is massive (4465). That’s a huge groundswell. But here’s the catch – it’s predicted to be too big for the break, and the wind is cross-shore in the morning. That’s expert-only territory, and even then, it’s likely a washing machine. For the average surfer, that’s a hard pass.
From Monday afternoon all the way through to the 17th, it’s a brutal stretch of cross-onshore and onshore winds. The swell sizes vary from 3ft to 8ft, but the wind is just ruining it. The combined energy stays moderate to strong (say 233 to 1176), but the reports are all “poor” or “marginal.” It’s frustrating, because there’s swell in the water, but it’s blown out. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing weird.
Then, on Friday the 18th, we get a reprieve. The morning session looks like the standout for the whole run. The wind swings offshore from the WSW at 9 mph, and we get a 7ft swell from the SSE at 7 seconds. The energy is strong (743). The report says “expect very good surf conditions.” That’s what we’ve been waiting for. The wind is gentle offshore, so it’ll be clean. The swell is solid, but it’s a short period, so it won’t be the most powerful thing, but it’ll be punchy. The break is a beach/pier, and with that offshore wind, it’ll be the best we’ve seen. The downside? It’s still a week and a half away, so keep your fingers crossed. The afternoon gets a little messier with cross-offshore wind, but still okay.
The next day, Saturday the 19th afternoon, also looks promising. Light offshore wind from the SSW at 6 mph with a 7ft swell from the ESE at 9 seconds (876 energy). That’s another clean session with good size. The morning is lighter with cross-shore wind, but the afternoon is the time to be out.
So, the call: If you’ve got the patience and the flexibility, wait for the 18th morning or the 19th afternoon at North Beach. Those are the only windows where the wind and swell align properly. The rest of the time, you’re either fighting the wind or dealing with a swell that’s either too big or too small. It’s a long wait, but it’ll be worth it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Warm (max 21°C on Tue morning, min 16°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Sat night, fresh winds from the NE by Tue afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 17°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NE on Tue night, light winds from the SSW by Thu night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 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) | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | S 21 | S 17 | S 16 | S 14 | S 12 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
249 | 198 | 160 | 1045 | 4344 | 2109 | 865 | 284 | 472 | 422 | 331 | 709 | 819 | 596 | 404 | 276 | 199 | 212 | 248 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | on | on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 10:28PM1.30m | 12:19PM1.33m | 00:53AM1.40m | 1:37PM1.54m | 1:54AM1.59m | 2:21PM1.75m | 2:35AM1.76m | 2:57PM1.93m | 3:10AM1.90m | 3:29PM2.05m | 3:42AM1.98m | 4:00PM2.12m | 4:13AM2.02m | ||||||
Low Tide | 5:32AM0.86m | 6:39PM0.85m | 7:14AM0.69m | 7:49PM0.65m | 8:04AM0.49m | 8:32PM0.45m | 8:43AM0.32m | 9:07PM0.29m | 9:16AM0.19m | 9:39PM0.19m | 9:48AM0.11m | 10:10PM0.14m | |||||||
— | 6:05 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | |
5:42 | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | |
mm | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 21 |
Feels °C | 16 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | S 21 | S 17 | S 16 | S 14 | S 12 | S 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 9 |
249 | 198 | 160 | 1045 | 4344 | 2109 | 865 | 284 | 216 | 126 | 88 | 62 | 554 | 380 | 404 | 276 | 199 | 212 | 248 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | SE 8 | S 11 | S 14 | E 10 | — | E 10 | S 13 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 12 | SSE 11 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 8 |
230 | 93 | 143 | 357 | 121 | — | 31 | 90 | 96 | 37 | 13 | 13 | 40 | 27 | 35 | 12 | 87 | 47 | 11 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | S 11 | SE 8 | E 9 | — | — | S 20 | E 10 | — | S 16 | S 16 | SW 17 | E 12 | S 15 | S 13 | SSW 18 | S 10 | SSE 13 | SSW 14 |
47 | 149 | 71 | 119 | — | — | 7 | 18 | — | 5 | 5 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 31 | 19 | 16 | 19 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 4 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | — | SSW 4 | — | — | NE 5 |
— | — | — | — | — | 47 | 115 | 181 | 472 | 422 | 331 | 709 | 819 | 596 | — | 2 | — | — | 64 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 5 | 212 | 476 | 695 | 5 | 423 | 555 | 2 | 266 | 1 | 0 | 58 | 1 | 0 |
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.










