
Surf Forecasts:
North Beach surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, S swell with 1,541 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 9 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 7s period with ENE 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 09) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 10s. 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 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) 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 1.6m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 09) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for North Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
What’s happening, crew? Rusty here, breaking down the next couple of weeks for North Beach.
Right out of the gate, this weekend is pretty much a bust. Saturday the 8th is messy with about 5ft of lumpy, cross-onshore wind and a weak swell that’s all chop and no power. Sunday the 9th is even smaller and all over the shop. We’re looking at a few days of nothing until the real energy shows up.
Monday the 10th is where the ocean wakes up. We’ve got a solid 10ft swell rolling in from the south early, and the wind is clean offshore. That’s a ton of water (energy reading of 1506). For a beach break, this is a beast – only for the experts. The average punter is going to be on the inside getting worked. It stays big and clean through the afternoon, but that kind of size on a beach is a handful.
By Tuesday the 11th, it drops to around 6-7ft, but the wind shifts cross-offshore. The energy is still there (618), but the conditions aren’t perfect. Wednesday through Friday is all wind-affected and bumpy with waist to head-high slop from the east. It’s surfable, but it’s a grind.
Listen up, because here’s your best bet. Saturday the 15th morning is the one. The swell is a clean 5ft from the east-southeast, and the wind is glassy – dead still air. The water is about 71°, which is dead average for the season. It’ll be clean, fun, and you’ll be able to get a wave without fighting a gale.
And if you want a bit more size, Sunday the 16th morning delivers again. We’re looking at a glassy 6ft groundswell from the east with a 10-second period. The energy is cranking (700), and there’s no wind to mess it up. It’s as good as it gets for that spot. The afternoon holds at around 7ft, but the period stretches out, making it a bit more lined up. Monday the 17th has some leftover size, but the wind starts to tick onshore.
Past that, the second week fizzles out. From Tuesday the 18th onward, we’re mostly seeing weak, onshore windswell that’s barely hitting knee to waist-high. The final few days are a write-off with tiny, bumpy waves and no energy behind them. A classic mid-August run – a few stellar windows, then a long dry spell.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Mon morning. Warm (max 26°C on Sat afternoon, min 14°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SW on Sun morning, strong winds from the SW by Sun night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri morning, min 14°C on Thu morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the S on Tue afternoon, calm by Wed night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | SSW 7 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | S 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 10 | E 10 | ESE 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
154 | 181 | 119 | 115 | 678 | 1461 | 1274 | 574 | 449 | 481 | 320 | 528 | 547 | 707 | 497 | 388 | 217 | 342 | 320 | 322 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 00:34AM1.45m | 1:29PM1.48m | 1:51AM1.59m | 2:27PM1.68m | 2:43AM1.75m | 3:12PM1.86m | 3:25AM1.88m | 3:50PM2.00m | 4:03AM1.96m | 4:26PM2.07m | 4:37AM2.00m | 4:59PM2.09m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:06PM0.81m | 7:07AM0.68m | 7:39PM0.67m | 8:10AM0.50m | 8:36PM0.50m | 8:56AM0.33m | 9:21PM0.35m | 9:36AM0.20m | 9:59PM0.24m | 10:12AM0.12m | 10:35PM0.18m | 10:45AM0.09m | 11:08PM0.18m | |||||||
— | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | |
5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 3 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 | — | 3 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 26 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Feels °C | 22 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | SSE 8 | E 10 | E 9 | S 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 10 | E 10 | ESE 8 |
69 | 181 | 81 | 115 | 60 | 43 | 45 | 574 | 87 | 111 | 320 | 528 | 547 | 707 | 497 | 388 | 217 | 342 | 320 | 322 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | E 10 | E 9 | SSW 15 | NE 7 | NE 7 | S 15 | E 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | E 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | E 11 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | S 10 |
93 | 68 | 43 | 89 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 68 | 70 | 163 | 166 | 426 | 380 | 78 | 77 | 69 | 110 | 21 | 72 | 7 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 11 | SSW 14 | SSW 17 | SE 8 | — | — | — | S 14 | SSW 11 | — | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | SE 9 | S 22 | SSW 19 | E 11 | S 10 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | S 15 |
24 | 78 | 119 | 2 | — | — | — | 15 | 12 | — | 104 | 14 | 30 | 9 | 37 | 39 | 44 | 30 | 25 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 6 | — | SSW 4 | S 4 | SSW 7 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSW 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 9 | — | — | WSW 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
154 | — | 6 | 31 | 678 | 1461 | 1274 | 176 | 449 | 481 | 313 | 264 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 219 | 0 | 1 | 154 | 862 | 405 | 330 | 1 | 887 | 1240 | 48 | 887 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 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.











