
Surf Forecasts:
North Beach surf forecast from 1 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 2 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 12s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 2 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 12s period, SE swell with 2,111 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 1 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 10s 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 Saturday (Aug 01) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.3m 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 3.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 06) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sat 1st Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for North Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for North Beach. Let’s get into it.
The first thing to say is that the water temperature is sitting around 72°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The week ahead is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a small window of clean surf, but then a big pulse of swell comes through that’s going to be a game-changer for the experienced crew only.
The best bet for most of you is going to be Monday morning, August 3rd. The swell is a solid 7 ft from the SE with a period of 11 seconds, packing a moderate energy of 1075. But the real story is the wind: it’s dead calm, glassy. That’s rare and it’s going to make the surface smooth as silk. The only catch is that 7 ft is pushing into the “too big for beginners” zone, so this one is for the intermediate crew and above. The break is a beach/pier setup, which usually handles a SE swell well, but keep in mind that longer period swell like this can sometimes make the waves break a bit too fast and hollow on a beach break. It’s a fair call that it’s excellent for experienced surfers.
Before that, Saturday and Sunday (August 1st and 2nd) are a no-go. The swell is there, but cross-off winds and raw energy readings of 738 and 2020 are just not cooperating. Sunday’s got 10 ft SE swell at 12 seconds, but it’s simply too big and messy for this spot.
After Monday, the quality drops off fast. Tuesday through the rest of the week sees the swell drop and the wind swings onshore, making for choppy, poor conditions. There’s a gap of several days here with nothing worth paddling out for.
Now, looking further ahead, there’s a massive swell train on the horizon. Sunday afternoon, August 9th, a 12 ft SSW swell with a period of 10 seconds and a massive energy reading of 2833 is forecast. But the wind is howling at 25 mph, so it’s clean but way too big and blown out for this spot. The same goes for Monday, August 10th, with a 13 ft S swell at 12 seconds and an energy reading of 5281. That’s huge, dangerous energy, only for absolute experts if they’re prepared for a beating. The forecasts for these days are less certain, but the numbers are clear.
The pattern then goes quiet again, with a few small, weak swells and poor winds through to the end of the 16-day window. There’s a brief, marginal spike of 12 ft SSW swell on Thursday, August 13th, but again, it’s too big and the wind is a problem.
So, to sum it up: the standout is Monday morning, August 3rd, for the glassy conditions. If you’re an expert, keep an eye on the 9th and 10th of August, but be ready for a serious session. For everyone else, it’s a waiting game.
Stay stoked, and keep your eyes on the horizon.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sun afternoon, min 14°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Wed morning, min 16°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | NE 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
729 | 924 | 1491 | 2008 | 2043 | 1437 | 1031 | 754 | 532 | 500 | 433 | 188 | 185 | 150 | 145 | 113 | 100 | 179 | 107 | 140 | 226 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 5:33PM1.96m | 5:40AM1.84m | 6:02PM1.94m | 6:10AM1.79m | 6:34PM1.88m | 6:42AM1.71m | 7:10PM1.78m | 7:20AM1.60m | 7:53PM1.66m | 8:10AM1.47m | 8:52PM1.51m | 9:31AM1.34m | 10:33PM1.41m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:18AM0.21m | 11:41PM0.32m | 11:47AM0.23m | 00:11AM0.36m | 12:17PM0.28m | 00:44AM0.43m | 12:50PM0.37m | 1:21AM0.53m | 1:29PM0.50m | 2:09AM0.65m | 2:21PM0.65m | 3:21AM0.77m | 3:49PM0.80m | ||||||||
6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | |
— | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 18 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | S 5 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 6 |
729 | 924 | 1491 | 2008 | 2043 | 1437 | 1031 | 754 | 532 | 500 | 433 | 188 | 185 | 150 | 145 | 113 | 90 | 34 | 81 | 83 | 153 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 9 | SE 5 | SE 6 | SSW 12 |
5 | 44 | 29 | 12 | 22 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 21 | 17 | 6 | 48 | 37 | 23 | 27 | 46 | 19 | 83 | 18 | 24 | 60 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 15 | — | — | — | S 14 | S 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | S 10 | S 11 | S 12 | E 10 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 |
4 | — | — | — | 14 | 12 | 26 | 25 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 78 | 5 | 5 | 22 | 106 | 100 | 179 | 107 | 140 | 88 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | WSW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | NE 6 | — | NE 6 | SSW 5 | S 4 | S 5 | — | NE 6 | NE 3 | NE 6 |
— | — | — | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | 92 | — | 59 | 3 | 9 | 60 | — | 6 | 5 | 226 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 130 | 856 | 0 | 1 | 130 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 155 | 432 | 1 | 5 | 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.











