Surf Forecasts:
North Beach surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 30 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, NE swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 16s period, S swell with 2,753 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period with NE 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 (Aug 30) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 2.5m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 12s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at North Beach in the next 16 days are 2.4m 16s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 30) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for North Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what North Beach has in store for us. It’s gonna be a bit of a wait for anything decent, so don’t be in a rush.
The first couple of days are a write-off. Thursday the 27th through to Saturday the 29th, we’ve got a messy, lumpy mess with strong cross-onshore winds. The swell is all over the shop, but it’s just not rideable. Sunday the 30th cleans up slightly with a cross-offshore breeze, but the waves are still only marginal, with the combined swell energy sitting at 744 (moderate). Nothing to get excited about.
Monday the 31st is a little better with a light breeze, but the swell is tiny at 4ft from the east and the energy is weak (477). It’s still a marginal call. Tuesday and Wednesday of the first week of September are back to poor conditions with fresh cross-onshore winds.
Now, hold onto your board. Friday the 4th of September morning is a real standout, but it’s a tricky one. We’ve got a solid 10ft south swell with a long 12-second period, and the combined energy is cranking at 2635 (very strong). The wind is moderate cross-onshore, but the report says the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. This is for experienced surfers only, and even then, it’ll be a handful. The water temp is about average for the time of year.
Later that week, Monday the 7th of September afternoon and Tuesday the 8th also show big, powerful swells – 12ft and 10ft – with strong energy (2503 and 1843). But again, the word is it’s too big for the break. These are expert-only days, and the wind is light, but the raw power is immense.
The rest of the second week is a mix of marginal, poor, and clean but weak conditions. The best bet for a normal human might be a very early morning session on the 7th, with a 8ft east-northeast swell and a gentle cross-shore breeze, but it’s still a 3/10 call.
So, to sum it up: the real power shows up in the second week, but it’s likely going to be too gnarly for most. Keep an eye on the 4th of September and the 7th-8th of September if you’re an expert looking for a challenge. Otherwise, it’s a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 25°C on Sat afternoon, min 16°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ESE on Wed night, strong winds from the NE by Sat afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 23°C on Sat night, min 17°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NE on Sat night, calm by Mon night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 16 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | E 9 | S 11 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 2753 | 1036 | 769 | 649 | 408 | 740 | 593 | 659 | 1388 | 1753 | 703 | 435 | 246 | 246 | 267 | 202 | 194 | 193 | 204 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:25AM1.80m | 3:43PM1.94m | 3:52AM1.89m | 4:09PM2.04m | 4:18AM1.95m | 4:36PM2.08m | 4:45AM1.97m | 5:04PM2.09m | 5:13AM1.95m | 5:32PM2.04m | 5:42AM1.88m | 6:03PM1.95m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:24PM0.40m | 9:31AM0.28m | 9:51PM0.30m | 9:57AM0.19m | 10:18PM0.22m | 10:23AM0.13m | 10:45PM0.19m | 10:51AM0.12m | 11:13PM0.20m | 11:19AM0.15m | 11:42PM0.26m | 11:48AM0.23m | 00:13AM0.35m | ||||||
 |  |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | |  |  | | | | |
 | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — |
 | 5:37 | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — |
mm | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 22 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 22 |
Feels °C | 19 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 21 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | SSE 12 | S 12 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | S 7 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | S 9 | S 8 | ENE 7 |
| kJ | 2753 | 1036 | 769 | 649 | 371 | 292 | 184 | 256 | 187 | 999 | 703 | 435 | 183 | 246 | 267 | 202 | 55 | 34 | 204 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 12 | S 18 | S 17 | — | S 16 | SSE 16 | S 15 | — | — | S 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 14 | E 9 | S 11 | SSE 11 | S 8 | SSW 9 | SW 8 | S 8 |
| kJ | 6 | 219 | 278 | — | 46 | 86 | 161 | — | — | 99 | 41 | 18 | 246 | 220 | 11 | 64 | 101 | 35 | 19 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | S 11 | SSW 9 | — | SSW 12 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 50 | — | 13 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 9 | SSW 4 | S 6 | — | — | S 10 | — | E 9 | ENE 6 | NNE 6 |
| kJ | — | 103 | 279 | 333 | 408 | 740 | 593 | 659 | 1388 | 1753 | 41 | 212 | — | — | 183 | — | 194 | 193 | 71 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 5 | 695 | 714 | 423 | 409 | 476 | 353 | 433 | 740 | 219 | 121 | 242 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 476 | 555 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||
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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our North Beach surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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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