
Surf Forecasts:
North Beach surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 18 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 13s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 12s period, SE swell with 822 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 17 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 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 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. 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 1.7m 12s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Fri 17th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for North Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, it's Rusty here. Let's talk about what's on the menu for North Beach.
First up, the water temp is sitting right on the seasonal average at 71°, so nothing unusual there. The pattern for the next week and a half is a bit of a mixed bag. We've got some decent swell pulses coming through, but the wind is going to be a real pain for most of it, especially through the back half of the week. The first real standout is this Sunday morning, the 19th of July. It's not the biggest swell, but the conditions are going to be dialed in. We've got a 4ft SSE groundswell with a period of 11 seconds, and the wind is glassy. That's a recipe for clean, fun lines. The wave energy is moderate (798), so there's plenty of push. It's a beach/pier setup, so with that long period, the sets might be a bit more defined and you'll have to be patient between them, but the paddle out should be easy. This is a classic time to be out there.
Then we slide into the week. Monday morning, the 20th of July, is another glassy gem. The swell is a touch bigger at 5ft from the SE, with a similar 12-second period, and the energy is strong (906). The wind is dead calm, so it's going to be pristine. That's the best you're going to get for a while.
After that, the onshore wind kicks in from the NE and it stays pretty average for days. The surf quality drops right off. There's a bit of a pulse on the 25th of July, Saturday morning, with a 4ft SSW swell that has a very long period of 18 seconds (1167 energy). For a spot like North Beach, that kind of long period swell can be a bit tricky, often breaking too straight, but it's a sign of powerful groundswell. The cross-on wind will be a bummer, though.
Looking further out, the 28th of July, Tuesday morning, brings a massive 4ft SSW swell with a period of 19 seconds – that's about as long as it gets. The energy is through the roof (1806), but again, the wind is a light cross-onshore. It's a promising window, but at this range, treat it with caution.
The biggest red flag is the first of August. The finder flat-out says the 10ft ENE swell is too big for this break. That's a hard pass. The 8ft swell on the afternoon of the 1st of August is also only for experts if you're silly enough to try. The wind is also cross-on. For the most part, with the swell size and the wind direction, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on most days.
So, to keep it simple: Sunday morning, the 19th of July and Monday morning, the 20th of July are your golden tickets. The rest of the window is a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 17°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Wed afternoon, min 16°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNW on Tue morning, strong winds from the S by Wed night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 | S 13 | S 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | NE 7 | SE 11 | ENE 8 | SSW 7 | S 8 | S 7 | SE 11 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
234 | 192 | 156 | 170 | 387 | 438 | 692 | 636 | 734 | 672 | 593 | 391 | 309 | 240 | 182 | 170 | 307 | 334 | 188 | 64 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | off | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off |
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 | 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 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | |
5:14 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 26 | 29 | 27 | 21 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 19 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 18 | 19 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | S 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SE 11 | ENE 9 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SSE 6 |
234 | 192 | 156 | 156 | 387 | 438 | 692 | 636 | 734 | 672 | 593 | 391 | 309 | 105 | 96 | 150 | 181 | 61 | 59 | 64 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 9 | SSW 13 | S 10 | S 13 | E 10 | SE 14 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 10 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | SSW 16 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SSW 14 | SE 11 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | SE 11 |
15 | 165 | 104 | 170 | 118 | 268 | 242 | 167 | 125 | 140 | 32 | 22 | 47 | 205 | 182 | 111 | 103 | 27 | 15 | 58 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | — | S 15 | S 9 | SSE 14 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | S 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | — | — | SSW 12 | E 8 | SSW 12 |
6 | — | 69 | 56 | 173 | 92 | 96 | 69 | 47 | 70 | 15 | 15 | 7 | 75 | 81 | — | — | 15 | 11 | 52 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 3 | — | — | — | SSW 3 | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | NNE 5 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | SSW 7 | S 8 | S 7 | — |
1 | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 90 | 54 | 39 | 240 | 168 | 170 | 307 | 334 | 188 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 238 | 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.










