
Surf Forecasts:
North Beach surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 22 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 12s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 10s period, S swell with 1,439 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 22 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 12s period with SE 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 Wednesday (Jul 22) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 15s. Another secondary swell of 0.9m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at North Beach in the next 16 days are 2.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Fri 24th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for North Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here, filling you in on what’s cookin’ for North Beach over the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but there are a couple of windows that are gonna get the blood pumping.
The Overall Picture:
We’re looking at a pretty mixed bag. For the first few days, it’s a struggle – cross-onshore winds and small, weak swell are making things choppy and average. Don’t bother paddling out until we hit a bit of a shift. The real standout window is going to be the end of July and the first few days of August, where we finally get some cleaner conditions and a pulse of proper energy.
The Breakdown:
For Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd, it’s a no-go. Winds are messing things up, and the swell is tiny – around 3 ft to 4 ft. You’re looking at weak energy (339 to 652) and a lot of chop. Give it a miss.
Friday the 24th shows some promise with a jump in swell. Morning has clean conditions with a cross-offshore breeze and a solid 8 ft S swell. That’s a bit of size, pushing into “experts only” territory, with moderate energy (1082). The afternoon gets a little cross-shore and messier, but the morning could be worth a look for the experienced crew.
Saturday the 25th is a bit of a tease. The morning has a clean-ish 5 ft SSE swell (577 energy) with onshore wind, but the description is unknown. The afternoon turns choppy again.
Sunday the 26th through Tuesday the 28th is a bleak stretch. Winds are howling cross-onshore, and the swell is all over the place – small, weak, or short period junk. Stay on the beach.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Wednesday the 29th is a good call. The afternoon session brings a clean 7 ft S swell (1125 energy) with a cross-offshore wind. That’s moderate to strong energy and clean faces. Not a world-beater, but a solid session.
The Best on Offer:
If you can only pick one window, make it Thursday the 30th morning. We’ve got clean conditions, a gentle breeze, and a 5 ft SSE swell (739 energy). It’s not massive, but the forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” That’s the sweet spot for intermediate surfers – manageable size, clean lines, and no crowds (most of the time).
Another one to circle is Saturday the 1st of August morning. We’re looking at a tiny 2 ft SSW swell, but it’s a very long-period groundswell at 17 seconds (651 energy). That’s a lot of power for that size, and it’s glassy clean. It’s a point break kind of day – if you can find a peak that lines up, it’ll be rippable and fun.
The Long-Range Look:
The second week is a bit confusing. Tuesday the 4th of August afternoon looks promising – almost glassy conditions with an 6 ft E swell (962 energy) and a “glassy” report. That’s worth keeping an eye on, but it’s a long way out.
Wednesday the 5th and Thursday the 6th of August see the swell jump right up to 8 ft from the ENE, with strong energy (up to 2625). But the wind is cross-onshore, making it messy and lumpy. That setup is honestly looking more like a kite surfer’s paradise than a paddle surfer’s dream.
Water Temp:
For North Beach, the water temp is typical for this time of year, nothing too weird. It’ll feel normal.
So, to sum it up: ignore the first week’s junk, get excited for Thursday the 30th morning, and keep an eye on that glassy Tuesday the 4th of August. Stay stoked.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 17°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Tue night, fresh winds from the SSW by Fri morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Mon afternoon, min 14°C on Sun morning). Winds increasing (calm on Fri night, fresh winds from the NE by Sun afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 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) | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | NE 7 | SE 12 | SE 12 | S 6 | S 9 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | SSW 13 | ENE 6 | NE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
486 | 403 | 319 | 296 | 167 | 164 | 225 | 1018 | 958 | 359 | 287 | 257 | 226 | 184 | 179 | 420 | 273 | 230 | 121 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 8:36PM1.52m | 8:51AM1.33m | 9:34PM1.41m | 10:13AM1.23m | 11:07PM1.35m | 12:17PM1.23m | 00:47AM1.38m | 1:42PM1.33m | 1:52AM1.47m | 2:30PM1.47m | 2:37AM1.57m | 3:06PM1.60m | 3:13AM1.67m | ||||||
Low Tide | 2:56AM0.77m | 2:58PM0.77m | 4:10AM0.86m | 4:18PM0.88m | 6:01AM0.86m | 6:17PM0.89m | 7:26AM0.78m | 7:39PM0.81m | 8:16AM0.66m | 8:30PM0.69m | 8:53AM0.54m | 9:09PM0.58m | |||||||
— | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | |
5:15 | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 20 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 |
486 | 403 | 319 | 162 | 101 | 59 | 106 | 60 | 59 | 332 | 287 | 257 | 226 | 88 | 57 | 215 | 157 | 121 | 121 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 4 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | S 12 | NE 7 | SSW 20 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 |
11 | 218 | 141 | 236 | 167 | 164 | 75 | 2 | 127 | 359 | 176 | 174 | 120 | 184 | 137 | 49 | 28 | 39 | 55 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | E 9 | — | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | S 5 | ENE 7 | E 10 | E 10 | SE 11 | S 19 | SE 10 | E 9 | E 8 | — | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 11 | SSW 16 |
138 | 6 | — | 68 | 71 | 23 | 31 | 2 | 8 | 40 | 114 | 17 | 14 | 12 | — | 24 | 11 | 24 | 25 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 4 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | NE 7 | SSW 3 | SSW 5 | S 6 | S 9 | S 10 | — | — | — | NNE 4 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | NE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | SSW 4 |
31 | 25 | 65 | 296 | 6 | 36 | 225 | 1018 | 958 | — | — | — | 16 | 38 | 179 | 420 | 273 | 230 | 7 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 5 | 334 | 0 | 121 | 48 | 353 | 405 | 330 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 476 | 687 | 2 | 244 | 5 | 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.










