
Surf Forecasts:
North Beach surf forecast from 9 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 14 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, NE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 14 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, ENE swell with 1,995 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 11 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 9s 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 (Sep 11) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 15s. Another secondary swell of 0.8m 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 3.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 14) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Fri 11th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Mon 14th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Mon 14th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for North Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, checkin’ in from North Beach. Let’s be straight with you—this 16-day window is a tough one for surfers. Don’t go expectin’ any magic. The first few days are a write-off, and the whole stretch is full of cross-onshore winds and choppy, lumpy conditions that’ll have you wonderin’ why you bothered. The water temp’s about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th? Forget it. We’re lookin’ at a solid 6 ft to 8 ft of swell from the ENE, but the wind’s a relentless cross-onshore, 12 to 19 mph, rippin’ it to shreds. The energy’s moderate to strong (444 to 1131), but the waves are just poor—choppy, lumpy, no shape. Friday the 11th sees a bit of a shift with cleaner conditions as the wind turns cross-off, but the swell drops to a weak 4 ft to 4 ft from the east with a period of 9 seconds. The energy’s low (260 to 331), and it’s only marginal at best. Not worth paddlin’ out for.
Saturday the 12th is flat and messy, with onshore wind and tiny 3 ft to 3 ft swell. Sunday the 13th shows a glimmer—on the afternoon, the wind drops to a light onshore breeze, and the swell bumps up to 5 ft from the ENE with a period of 8 seconds and moderate energy (532). Still, it’s marginal, and the conditions are unknown. You might get a couple of so-so rides if you’re desperate.
Monday the 14th is a nightmare. The swell jumps to 8 ft in the morning and 12 ft in the afternoon, with a near gale cross-onshore at 31 mph. The energy’s strong (887 to 1909), but it’s blown out, lumpy, and only for the most hardcore—or the kite surfers, honestly. This setup looks way more interesting if you’ve got a kite than a paddle.
Tuesday the 15th and Wednesday the 16th stay marginal, with swell around 5 ft to 6 ft, but the wind’s all over the place. The best of the bunch might be Tuesday afternoon, with a cross-off breeze from the SSW at 16 mph, keepin’ things clean. Still, the swell’s only 5 ft with a period of 8 seconds, and the energy’s weak (347). It’s a gamble.
Now, here’s a possible standout—but it’s a long way off. On Monday the 21st of September, we’ve got a solid 3 ft swell from the south with a very long period of 19 seconds. The energy’s strong (1048), and the morning’s got clean conditions with a cross-off breeze. That long period means groundswell, and it’ll be better shaped, but at a beach break like North Beach, it might break too straight. Still, for those who know the bank, it could offer some dreamy, lined-up waves. The afternoon turns ugly with a 8 ft swell and strong cross-shore wind, so hit it early. This one’s promising but less certain given the distance.
Overall, the surf’s poor for the first week and a half, with a few marginal moments. The only real hope is that Monday the 21st, but keep your expectations in check. The blank run’s pretty normal for this area when the wind’s against ya.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Thu afternoon, min 17°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sun afternoon, min 19°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Sat night, strong winds from the NE by Mon afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | ||||||||||||||
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 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 6 | E 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
297 | 305 | 495 | 846 | 428 | 629 | 350 | 230 | 207 | 164 | 127 | 96 | 253 | 212 | 273 | 1044 | 809 | 1871 | 1695 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 2:35AM1.76m | 2:57PM1.93m | 3:10AM1.90m | 3:29PM2.05m | 3:42AM1.98m | 4:00PM2.12m | 4:13AM2.02m | 4:29PM2.13m | 4:41AM2.00m | 4:56PM2.09m | 5:08AM1.93m | 5:23PM2.00m | |||||||
Low Tide | 8:32PM0.45m | 8:43AM0.32m | 9:07PM0.29m | 9:16AM0.19m | 9:39PM0.19m | 9:48AM0.11m | 10:10PM0.14m | 10:17AM0.09m | 10:38PM0.14m | 10:45AM0.13m | 11:06PM0.19m | 11:12AM0.20m | 11:32PM0.29m | ||||||
— | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | |
5:44 | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 22 |
Feels °C | 14 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 16 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | ENE 8 | SSE 10 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 7 | E 8 | SSW 16 | ENE 8 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | ENE 9 |
161 | 121 | 88 | 541 | 42 | 471 | 350 | 230 | 207 | 164 | 127 | 96 | 157 | 212 | 208 | 578 | 70 | 36 | 1152 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSE 10 | S 15 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | S 5 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSW 15 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 13 |
57 | 13 | 13 | 62 | 4 | 27 | 11 | 97 | 47 | 11 | 18 | 29 | 63 | 50 | 33 | 131 | 6 | 2 | 16 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 16 | SW 17 | E 12 | S 9 | S 14 | SSW 20 | SE 11 | SE 12 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 18 | S 10 | S 10 | SE 7 | — | — |
— | 5 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 37 | 4 | 6 | 18 | 29 | 28 | 24 | 162 | 18 | 17 | 2 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | — | SSW 5 | S 5 | — | — | E 4 | ENE 6 | — | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 |
297 | 305 | 495 | 846 | 428 | 629 | — | 61 | 43 | — | — | 15 | 253 | — | 273 | 1044 | 809 | 1871 | 1695 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 476 | 433 | 695 | 2 | 302 | 238 | 1 | 155 | 103 | 0 | 779 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 714 | 685 | 238 |
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.










