
Surf Forecasts:
North Beach surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 19 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 12s period, SSE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 18s period, S swell with 1,579 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 12s period with SSE 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 (Jul 19) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at North Beach in the next 16 days are 1.6m 18s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Fri 24th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 18s |
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’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks.
The first real chance to get wet is this Sunday morning, the 19th of July. We’ve got a solid 6ft groundswell from the SSE, running at a proper 12-second period, pumping a moderate wave energy of 950. The real kicker is the wind: glassy, dead calm from the ESE at 3 mph. That means clean, smooth lines rolling into North Beach. The water is 72°, which is about average for the time of year, so nothing freaky there. This is the standout of the whole forecast for me. The swell is a bit over 5ft, so it might be a touch much for total beginners, but an intermediate will be all over it. Sunday afternoon sees the wind shift to a light cross-onshore, which will ruffle the surface a bit, but it’s still worth a look.
Monday the 20th offers a bit more size with 6ft swell from the SE, period still at 12 seconds, and the combined energy is up to 1253. The morning wind is a cross-offshore breeze from the S at 12 mph, which should keep things relatively clean. It’s a touch stronger than ideal, but it’s workable. This is the second best option in the window. Monday afternoon goes onshore, so call it a morning session.
After that, things get choppy and messy. From Tuesday the 21st through to Friday the 24th, the wind is mostly cross or onshore, with speeds picking up, and the swell mixes up. There’s a brief window Thursday afternoon with a 7ft swell from the S, but it’s a short-period, 8-second windswell, and the wind is cross-offshore at 22 mph, which is just too strong for a good paddle. Honestly, that Thursday afternoon setup looks more like a kite surfing day than a clean surf day.
Friday the 24th morning has a clean 4ft swell from the S with a 10-second period and light cross-offshore wind, so it’s small but surfable. Then we hit a lull. From Saturday the 25th right through to the end of the month, the swell drops and the wind is mostly cross-on from the NE. There are a few days with groundswell periods (15 seconds or more on the 25th and 26th), but the size is small, under 4ft, and the wind is not your friend. It’s a long quiet patch.
Now, looking into the first week of August, we get a real standout for the experienced crew. On Saturday the 1st of August, the morning is pure magic: glassy conditions with an E wind at 3 mph, and a powerful 8ft SSE groundswell. The combined energy is a whopping 1991, which is very strong. The period is 11 seconds, so it’s got plenty of push. This is big, powerful, and clean – experts only territory. The afternoon gets messy with a strong cross-onshore, so get out early.
The next day, Sunday the 2nd, is windy and messy. But then Monday the 3rd of August morning is another glassy calm beauty with the wind dead calm from the E. The swell is 7ft from the NE but with a short, weak 7-second period, so the energy is lower (1118) and the waves will be a bit lumpy and fat. Still, glassy conditions make it rideable for the experienced surfer, but it’s not going to be the classic groundswell shape.
So, to wrap it up: the absolute best bet is Sunday morning the 19th of July at North Beach for clean, glassy fun. The runner-up is Monday morning the 20th of July. For the big-wave hunters, Saturday morning the 1st of August is the one to circle, but it’s a long way out and could change. The middle of the window is a write-off for quality surfing.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Tue afternoon, min 16°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Warm (max 23°C on Wed afternoon, min 17°C on Wed morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Thu afternoon, calm by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | S 8 | SSW 9 | S 10 | S 11 | S 16 | S 15 | S 15 | S 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
820 | 861 | 948 | 1100 | 1010 | 683 | 546 | 486 | 369 | 314 | 278 | 199 | 108 | 612 | 692 | 260 | 319 | 1144 | 520 | 458 | 544 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 12:17PM1.23m | 00:47AM1.38m | 1:42PM1.33m | 1:52AM1.47m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 6:01AM0.86m | 6:17PM0.89m | 7:26AM0.78m | 7:39PM0.81m | ||||||||
6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | |
— | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 18 |
Feels °C | 20 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 12 | SE 12 | ENE 6 | SE 12 | SE 11 | S 9 | S 10 | S 11 | S 16 | S 15 | S 15 | S 15 |
820 | 861 | 948 | 1100 | 1010 | 683 | 546 | 486 | 369 | 314 | 278 | 96 | 108 | 104 | 367 | 260 | 319 | 1144 | 520 | 458 | 544 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | S 10 | E 10 | E 10 | S 9 | E 9 | SSW 16 | ENE 5 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SE 12 | ENE 7 | SSW 14 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SSW 15 | SE 11 | E 7 | S 18 | E 9 |
92 | 71 | 102 | 47 | 29 | 25 | 15 | 91 | 32 | 218 | 141 | 199 | 46 | 61 | 77 | 59 | 225 | 40 | 27 | 169 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 11 | E 10 | S 10 | S 10 | E 9 | SSW 12 | E 9 | SSW 15 | E 9 | — | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SSW 15 | S 19 | ENE 7 | S 19 | ENE 7 | E 7 |
38 | 86 | 69 | 31 | 16 | 27 | 14 | 15 | 135 | 6 | — | 67 | 43 | 21 | 10 | 47 | 259 | 9 | 114 | 10 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SSW 10 | — | NNE 3 | NNE 3 | ENE 4 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | SSW 6 | S 8 | SSW 9 | — | ENE 7 | — | — | ENE 4 | ENE 4 |
— | — | — | 75 | — | 1 | 4 | 10 | 71 | 27 | 62 | 157 | 222 | 612 | 692 | — | 5 | — | — | 9 | 15 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 5 | 0 | 48 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 684 | 740 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 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.










