Paignton Surf Break

Lat Long: 50.43° N 3.56° W

Paignton Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 12 am 22 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Paignton sea temperature is
19.5° C
3.4° 

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


Paignton surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:

  • Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 3s period, ESE swell with 2 kJ wave energy.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Paignton this week:

The most powerful waves expected at Paignton in the next 16 days are 0.3m 3s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 7PM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)--
Best Surf--
Most Powerful 1AM (Fri 24th Jul)1ft (0.3m) 3s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Paignton over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Paignton over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I’ve got to be straight with you: the next ten days or so are basically a write-off. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with nothing but flat, poor surf conditions from Wednesday the 22nd of July all the way through to the end of the month. The combined wave energy sits at a flat zero for most of that time, and when we do see a tiny pulse of swell around 0.7 ft from the ESE, it’s got a pathetic period of just 3 seconds, so it’s barely a ripple. The wind is all over the place—cross, cross-off, but nothing that’ll turn that non-existent surf into anything rideable. There’s a brief moment on Saturday morning the 25th of July with glassy conditions, but there’s no swell to go with it, so it’s a cruel tease. We’ve got a gap of about ten days with no real surf to speak of.

Then we roll into the first week of August, and things start to flicker. On Monday the 3rd of August, we see a tiny 1 ft to 2 ft NE/E swell creep in, but the period is still a miserable 3 to 4 seconds, and the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, which means chop. Not worth paddling out for. The next day, Tuesday the 4th of August, the afternoon shows a small improvement: 3 ft from the east with a 6-second period, and the wind goes cross-offshore from the SSW, keeping it clean. The combined energy is still low at 52, so it’s small and weak, but at least it’s not blown out.

Now, the real headline comes on Thursday the 6th of August. Morning session at Paignton (Torbay) sees a 4 ft swell from the east, with a 6-second period. The wind goes glassy, dead calm from the WSW, so the surface will be like a mirror. The combined energy climbs to 118, which is moderate energy, so there’s finally some push behind it. This is the standout in the whole 16-day window—the cleanest, most surfable bit we’ve got. The swell is still modest, so it’s not going to be pumping, but for a beginner-friendly spot like Paignton, that’s actually a good thing. It’s got a bit of shape, but remember, that 6-second period means it’s a windswell, so the waves will be a bit crumbly and soft. Still, glassy conditions and 4 ft of swell is easily the best on offer. The water temperature anomaly is about average for the time of year, so nothing weird there.

Beyond that Thursday, the forecast gets hazy and the data stops giving us much to go on. If you’ve been waiting for a wave, that Thursday morning is your best bet. It’s not a classic, but it’s clean and it’s rideable.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Fri afternoon, min 16°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Mon afternoon, min 16°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds.

Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
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)
0.2
ESE
3
0.3
ESE
3
0.2
ESE
3
0.2
ESE
3
0.3
NNW
2
0.5
WSW
3
0.3
WSW
6
0.1
W
7
0.4
WSW
3
0.2
W
8
0.1
SW
6
0.4
SW
3
0.6
W
9
0.1
W
9
0.1
W
9
0.2
WSW
4
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
0
0
0
0
1
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Wind (km/h)
5
ENE
15
SSW
10
N
10
SSE
20
S
5
NNW
5
SSE
15
SSW
15
NW
5
WNW
30
WNW
15
W
25
NW
30
NW
10
NW
5
ESE
25
SSW
10
NNW
10
E
15
S
15
NNW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
on
cross
cross-off
High Tide
12:50PM2.93m
1:02AM2.85m
1:36PM2.75m
1:54AM2.63m
2:38PM2.64m
3:12AM2.51m
4:16PM2.64m
5:04AM2.57m
5:43PM2.81m
6:13AM2.76m
6:34PM3.06m
6:57AM2.98m
7:13PM3.31m
Low Tide
6:11AM0.97m
6:35PM1.23m
7:11AM1.21m
7:53PM1.41m
8:31AM1.36m
9:21PM1.44m
9:49AM1.35m
10:31PM1.32m
10:50AM1.22m
11:24PM1.14m
11:37AM1.04m
00:07AM0.92m
12:17PM0.84m
00:45AM0.70m
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:26
5:28
5:30
5:31
5:31
5:33
5:35
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
9:12
9:10
9:09
9:08
9:07
9:06
9:05
 mm
Temp °C
21
24
23
20
23
21
23
25
20
23
24
18
20
21
17
21
25
21
22
26
21
Feels °C
18
23
21
19
20
20
20
23
18
20
18
16
15
15
14
18
22
20
19
24
18
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
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Information about the Paignton Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Paignton provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Paignton can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Paignton 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 (Paignton) 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 Paignton 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.

Paignton is 1 km (1 miles) from the city of Paignton. If you plan a holiday in South Devon, look for hotels and other accommodation in Paignton. Paignton has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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