Surf Forecasts:
North Beach surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 19 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 14s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 14s period, SSE swell with 1,034 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 17 Jul, 8AM (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 Friday (Jul 17) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. 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 1.7m 14s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Fri 17th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for North Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into the outlook for North Beach.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a slow start. The first few days, Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th, are looking pretty average. The swell is there, but it’s small and crossed up with light onshore breeze, so you’re not missing much. There’s a real gap in the action until we get a proper window.
Sunday the 19th is where it kicks off. That morning, we’re looking at a clean 6ft SSE groundswell, with a solid 14-second period, and the wind is glassy. The water temp is sitting at 71° – spot on average for this time of year. The energy is pumping with a reading of 1164, so you’ll feel that push. This is the standout session for the whole forecast: the swell is solid, the conditions are clean, and the sets will have some real power. For an intermediate surfer, this is the call. The swell direction from the SSE is a solid match for the spot’s preferred SE direction, so expect some nice lines.
Monday the 20th morning is worth a look too, with a 6ft SE swell, 12-second period, and dead calm glassy conditions. The energy is high at 947, so it’s still got plenty of push. The afternoon on Monday, and most of Tuesday, get messy with a cross-onshore breeze, so the window is short.
There is a moment on Tuesday the 28th that could be interesting for the experienced crew. That morning we’ve got a 7ft ENE swell with an 8-second period, and the wind is light cross-shore with just a slight air. The combined energy is 847, which is moderate. That afternoon, the wind goes cross-off and clean, with a 6ft ENE swell. This is a bit of a tricky one – the period is short, so it’ll be a bit crumbly, but for the bigger wave hunters, it’s a chance to get some size.
The long-range period into the end of July and start of August is a write-off. The wind is mostly onshore and the swell is small or chopped up. There’s no real stand-out in that second week.
So, to wrap it up: your best bet is Sunday morning, July 19, at North Beach. That’s the one to circle. Monday morning, July 20, is a good backup. After that, keep an eye on the 28th if you’re an expert looking for some size.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 16°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Tue afternoon, min 16°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon morning, fresh winds from the SW by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | S 13 | S 12 | SSE 14 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SSW 14 | SE 11 | SSW 7 | SE 11 | SSW 13 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 279 | 234 | 192 | 156 | 170 | 393 | 1034 | 980 | 759 | 850 | 689 | 551 | 413 | 315 | 205 | 205 | 367 | 104 | 214 | 66 | 317 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | on | off | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 6:01PM1.96m | 6:11AM1.82m | 6:38PM1.88m | 6:48AM1.71m | 7:14PM1.78m | 7:24AM1.59m | 7:52PM1.65m | 8:03AM1.46m | 8:36PM1.52m | 8:51AM1.33m | 9:34PM1.41m | 10:13AM1.23m | 11:07PM1.35m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:44AM0.18m | 00:10AM0.32m | 12:21PM0.26m | 00:48AM0.41m | 12:56PM0.37m | 1:26AM0.52m | 1:31PM0.50m | 2:06AM0.65m | 2:09PM0.64m | 2:56AM0.77m | 2:58PM0.77m | 4:10AM0.86m | 4:18PM0.88m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | | | | |  | |  | | | | | |  | | | | |
 | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — |
 | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | S 12 | SSE 14 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | S 6 | SSE 6 | SSW 13 |
| kJ | 279 | 234 | 192 | 156 | 156 | 393 | 1034 | 980 | 759 | 850 | 689 | 551 | 413 | 315 | 93 | 73 | 104 | 88 | 83 | 66 | 317 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 13 | SSW 10 | S 13 | E 10 | E 10 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | NE 5 | E 9 | E 9 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 |
| kJ | 52 | 6 | 127 | 110 | 170 | 118 | 92 | 119 | 104 | 50 | 245 | 14 | 15 | 7 | 205 | 205 | 155 | 104 | 76 | 59 | 58 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | — | S 15 | S 9 | SSE 14 | S 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | NE 8 | SSW 12 | SE 5 |
| kJ | 2 | 2 | — | 69 | 56 | 210 | 38 | 94 | 69 | 47 | 28 | 25 | 29 | 22 | 76 | 123 | 111 | 67 | 16 | 29 | 10 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 6 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 7 | SSW 14 | S 5 | SSW 7 | — | — |
| kJ | — | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 53 | 22 | 56 | 152 | 135 | 367 | 71 | 214 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 238 | 219 | 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.
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