Surf Forecasts:
North Beach surf forecast from 13 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 17 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 10s period, ENE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 16 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 11s period, ENE swell with 899 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 13 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 8s 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 Thursday (Aug 13) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m 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 2.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 2PM. 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Thu 13th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Sun 16th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for North Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let's talk about your local stretch. It's a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, so don't get too excited just yet.
The first real chance to get wet is Thursday morning, August 13th at North Beach. We’ve got a clean 6ft swell rolling in from the ESE with an 8-second period. The wind is glassy – barely a breath from the SSE at 3 mph – so it's going to be smooth out there. The water is sitting at 71°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year. The combined swell energy is moderate at (523), so there's some push behind it. This is your standout session for the short term.
After that morning, things go downhill quickly. The wind swings onshore from the ENE on Thursday arvo, and that’s pretty much the story for the next week and a half. From Friday through to the end of the following week, we’re looking at persistent cross-onshore winds, mostly from the NE, with swell sizes bouncing between 2ft and 7ft. The quality is just not there – it’s going to be choppy and messy. The energy climbs up quite a bit over the weekend of the 16th and 17th, hitting strong levels (1278) on Monday morning, but with that cross-onshore wind, it’ll be a battle for a good wave. Honestly, unless you’re looking for a workout in lumpy conditions, it’s not worth the paddle.
We hit a real flat spot mid-week. Around Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th, the swell dips under 3ft, and the energy drops right off (106 to 183). There's a weird little pulse on Friday the 21st with a very clean, strong offshore wind (SW at 28 mph) but it’s only pushing 2ft to 2ft of southerly groundswell. It’ll be clean, but tiny.
The next period that could be interesting, but it's a long way out, is over the weekend of Saturday, August 22nd. Saturday afternoon at North Beach sees a jump to 8ft from the ENE, but with a short 7-second period and onshore wind, it’s going to be a lumpy, bumpy mess – more of a windsurfing or kiting kind of day than a surfing one. Sunday the 23rd has a larger 8ft SSW swell and a fresh cross-offshore wind, but the conditions still look marginal.
Looking even further out, Monday morning, August 24th might offer a small window. The wind goes glassy again from the S at just 3 mph, but the swell is tiny at 3ft (103 weak energy). It’d be a fun longboard or grovel session if you’re desperate, but nothing to plan a trip around.
After that, the last few days of the window are a write-off – tiny swell, small weak energy, and steady cross-onshore winds.
So, the clear stand-out is Thursday morning, August 13th at North Beach. Get out early, because that clean, glassy window won't last.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sat afternoon, min 15°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Mon afternoon, min 16°C on Sun morning). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, fresh winds from the SSW by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
400 | 307 | 209 | 235 | 294 | 450 | 432 | 504 | 658 | 610 | 776 | 644 | 761 | 603 | 397 | 230 | 185 | 116 | 90 | 68 | 74 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 4:26PM2.07m | 4:37AM2.00m | 4:59PM2.09m | 5:10AM1.98m | 5:30PM2.06m | 5:41AM1.91m | 6:00PM1.97m | 6:10AM1.80m | 6:29PM1.85m | 6:38AM1.67m | 6:58PM1.71m | 7:05AM1.52m | 7:27PM1.56m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:12AM0.12m | 10:35PM0.18m | 10:45AM0.09m | 11:08PM0.18m | 11:17AM0.12m | 11:39PM0.23m | 11:47AM0.20m | 00:10AM0.33m | 12:15PM0.32m | 00:39AM0.45m | 12:42PM0.46m | 1:08AM0.59m | 1:09PM0.61m | 1:41AM0.74m | |||||||
6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | |
— | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 |
Temp °C | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 22 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 19 | 19 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 11 | S 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | S 6 | E 8 | E 9 |
400 | 307 | 209 | 235 | 294 | 450 | 432 | 504 | 658 | 610 | 10 | 644 | 510 | 440 | 397 | 230 | 185 | 116 | 38 | 68 | 74 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | E 10 | SE 8 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | SW 12 | S 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | S 9 | S 17 | SW 17 | S 16 | E 8 | SW 14 | SSW 5 |
82 | 78 | 88 | 16 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 5 | 90 | 8 | 9 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 23 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | S 17 | S 15 | SW 14 | S 8 | SW 12 | SW 12 | S 16 | S 13 | S 12 | S 10 | S 13 | S 11 | S 10 | SW 15 | — | SSW 13 |
41 | 49 | 30 | 31 | 25 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 | — | 17 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | ENE 4 | NNE 4 | NNE 4 | NE 4 | NNE 5 | NE 5 | E 11 | NNE 5 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | — | — | S 3 | S 5 | SSW 6 | S 6 | ESE 4 |
— | — | — | — | 20 | 28 | 30 | 19 | 50 | 53 | 776 | 83 | 761 | 603 | — | — | 4 | 40 | 65 | 30 | 12 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 701 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 555 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 155 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Durban/KwaZulu-Natal South Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











