Surf Forecasts:
Paignton surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Monday 3 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 6s period, E swell with 43 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Paignton this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Paignton in the next 16 days are 0.8m 6s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Paignton over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be honest, this is a tough one for Paignton. The whole 16-day window is looking pretty grim, with no good surf on offer. The guidance tells me this spot is an inconsistent beginner wave, and that’s about to be put to the test. We’ve got a massive gap from the start all the way through the first week of August with nothing but flat spells and poor surf conditions. A tiny, weak pulse of 1 ft (2) from the NE shows up on the morning of Sunday, August 2nd, but with a cross-onshore wind, it’s not worth a paddle. The same goes for a few other days with tiny, weak energy.
The one and only time we see any real size is on Friday, August 7th. The swell suddenly jumps to 8 ft from the east on the morning, with a period of 7 seconds, and a big jump in combined energy (620). By the afternoon, it’s even bigger, hitting 10 ft (1238) from the same direction. But here’s the kicker – the wind is strong cross-offshore at 18-22 mph. That’s a fresh breeze creating clean faces, but the swell is short-period and the wave is scored as “poor surf conditions.” At over 8 ft, this is expert-only territory, but with a short period and a strong cross-off wind, it’s going to be a fast, lumpy, and challenging beast. For most of us, this setup looks way more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The water temperature is much warmer than normal at 67°, so at least you won’t freeze.
After that, the swell drops off quickly into the second week, with only tiny, clean leftovers on the 8th and 9th, and then it’s back to flat. So, to sum it up: there’s a single, brief window of big, messy, expert-only surf on August 7th, but nothing rideable for the rest of the 16 days.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Mon afternoon, min 17°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | |||||||||||||||
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) | W 10 | W 10 | NNW 3 | W 9 | W 9 | NNW 3 | W 10 | W 9 | N 3 | NE 3 | ENE 3 | ENE 2 | E 6 | E 6 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | WSW 7 | SW 7 | SW 6 | SW 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 43 | 31 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross | on | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 8:21PM3.71m | 8:42AM3.47m | 8:54PM3.82m | 9:15AM3.55m | 9:25PM3.86m | 9:47AM3.57m | 9:57PM3.83m | 10:20AM3.55m | 10:29PM3.74m | 10:54AM3.47m | 11:04PM3.59m | 11:32AM3.35m | 11:44PM3.39m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:26PM0.47m | 1:52AM0.33m | 1:58PM0.34m | 2:23AM0.20m | 2:30PM0.26m | 2:55AM0.12m | 3:03PM0.23m | 3:28AM0.10m | 3:39PM0.26m | 4:04AM0.16m | 4:17PM0.37m | 4:43AM0.31m | 5:00PM0.55m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | | | | |  | | | |  | | | | | | | | | |
 | 5:37 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:01 | — | — | 9:00 | — | 8:59 | — | — | 8:57 | — | — | 8:55 | — | — | 8:53 | — | — | 8:52 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 21 | 17 | 21 | 22 | 15 | 19 | 21 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 23 | 25 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 21 |
Feels °C | 20 | 20 | 13 | 18 | 18 | 11 | 16 | 18 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 23 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 10 | SW 5 | W 5 | — | — | W 10 | W 9 | SW 4 | W 8 | SW 8 | SW 8 | E 6 | E 6 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | WSW 7 | SW 7 | — | SW 7 |
| kJ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 41 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 43 | 31 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 7 | — | 7 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | W 8 | — | — | W 10 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | ENE 5 | — | — | S 13 | W 11 |
| kJ | 7 | 7 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 2 | — | — | 3 | 2 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 5 | — | — | — | — | W 10 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 3 | NNW 3 | — | — | NNW 3 | — | WSW 3 | N 3 | NE 3 | ENE 3 | ENE 2 | NNE 3 | — | WNW 2 | W 3 | SW 3 | — | — | SW 6 | — |
| kJ | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | 6 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | — | 1 | 2 | 12 | — | — | 10 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 778 | 280 | 137 | 156 | 245 | 245 | 156 | 156 | 87 | 482 | 135 | 81 | 40 | 112 | 113 | 91 | 140 | 87 | 87 | 119 | 105 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Devon | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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