North Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 29.84° S 31.04° E

North Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 04 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's North Beach sea temperature is
21.6° C
0.3° 

North Beach surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


North Beach surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 11 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 12s period, S swell with 8,119 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 5 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 10s period with ESE 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 Wednesday (Aug 05) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 5s. Another secondary swell of 1.0m and 5s is also forecast. 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 5.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 11) 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 1.8m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 09) at 11PM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Wed 5th Aug)4ft (1.2m) 10s
Best Surf 5AM (Mon 10th Aug)11ft (3.5m) 9s
Most Powerful 8AM (Tue 11th Aug)16ft (5.0m) 12s

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.

To be honest, it's a slow start. The first week is pretty much a write-off for any decent waves. We’ve got tiny swell, cross-onshore winds, and the forecast is basically calling it "poor" right through. There's a glimmer of something on Sunday morning the 9th with a bit of size, but that strong cross-shore wind will chop it up. You could paddle out, but you’d be battling for nothing.

The real story here is a massive pulse of swell that's due to hit North Beach. From Monday the 10th through to Wednesday the 12th, we’re looking at a serious, serious amount of energy. The combined energy of all swells directed here is pumping at 2974 on Monday morning, then ramping up to a whopping 6106 by Monday afternoon, and peaking at 12880 on Tuesday. That is a beast. We're talking swell heights of 15 ft to 18 ft, with a long period groundswell from the South. The water temp is about average for the time of year at 71°.

Here’s the catch, and it’s a big one: this break is a beach/pier setup. That kind of power and size on a beach break is going to be a washing machine. The wave comment even says it's predicted to be too big for this break. The winds are clean, offshore or cross-off, which is a major positive, but for a paddle surfer, this is a "look but don't even think about it" scenario. If you're a tow-in crew or a very experienced big-wave charger, sure, but for the rest of us, this is far beyond expert territory. Honestly, with that much swell, strong wind, and a beach setup, this is looking way more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

After that big pulse passes, the swell drops off quickly, but the winds stay messy. Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th see 12 ft to 7 ft swell, but it's all cross-on and choppy. Not great.

Now, hold on to your board shorts. Look at Wednesday morning, the 19th of August. That’s a long way off, so keep your expectations in check, but the chart is showing a beautiful little window. The wind is forecast to be dead calm, glassy conditions. The swell is a clean 6 ft from the NE with a period of 8 seconds. That’s a fun, manageable size for a confident intermediate, and the combined energy of all swells is a moderate 601. The forecast says "expect very good surf conditions," and that’s the only standout in the whole run. If that glassy wind holds, Wednesday the 19th morning will be the day to be out there.

The rest of the 16-day window after that fades back into small, wind-affected slop. So, there's your story: a week of nothing, a massive, dangerous swell you can only watch, and then a single, promising morning at the very end.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Thu morning, min 16°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Wed morning, fresh winds from the S by Thu afternoon).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Sun night. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri night, near gales from the SW by Sun night).

Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
1
1
0
2
1
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
!
!
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
ESE
10
1.5
ESE
10
1
ESE
10
1
ESE
10
1
E
10
0.9
E
10
0.8
E
10
0.8
E
10
0.7
E
9
0.8
E
9
0.8
E
9
0.8
E
9
0.7
E
9
0.8
E
10
1.8
NE
6
1.2
ENE
9
1.4
ENE
9
3
SSW
7
3.5
SSW
10
4.5
S
12
4
S
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
490
455
192
197
184
148
120
121
90
109
109
109
85
121
263
243
268
813
2920
6053
5849
Wind (km/h)
10
NE
15
NE
10
N
5
E
10
NE
10
NNW
10
NE
25
S
10
SW
10
ESE
10
E
0
WNW
15
NE
25
NE
10
N
20
S
30
S
45
SW
45
SW
40
SW
25
SW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross
on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-on
cross
cross-off
on
on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
7:10PM1.78m
7:20AM1.60m
7:53PM1.66m
8:10AM1.47m
8:52PM1.51m
9:31AM1.34m
10:33PM1.41m
11:49AM1.33m
00:34AM1.45m
1:29PM1.48m
1:51AM1.59m
2:27PM1.68m
2:43AM1.75m
Low Tide
12:50PM0.37m
1:21AM0.53m
1:29PM0.50m
2:09AM0.65m
2:21PM0.65m
3:21AM0.77m
3:49PM0.80m
5:21AM0.80m
6:06PM0.81m
7:07AM0.68m
7:39PM0.67m
8:10AM0.50m
8:36PM0.50m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
mod rain
mod rain
rain showers
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:39
6:37
6:37
6:37
6:35
6:35
6:33
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:23
5:24
5:25
5:25
5:27
5:27
5:28
 mm
10
8
4
2
Temp °C
20
20
19
20
21
20
27
22
20
19
20
19
20
22
20
22
21
18
13
13
12
Feels °C
19
18
19
19
20
19
23
19
19
19
20
21
19
20
18
20
17
11
4
4
4
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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