Surf Forecasts:
Paignton surf forecast from 3 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Monday 3 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 6s period, E swell with 42 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 1.1m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 7PM.
| 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 straight with you. Looking at this 16-day stretch for our stretch of coast, it’s a bit of a tough watch for us wave riders. The heart wants to find a diamond, but the head’s gotta call it as it is. There are no good surf options on the table for the entire window. Plain and simple.
Right out of the gate, Sunday the 2nd has a tiny, wind-whipped 1 ft bump with a 4-second period. That’s just not surf, that’s chop. The energy reading is a paltry 2, so there's nothing behind it. The water is a warm 67°, which is 5° warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s a big deal, unusually warm water, but it doesn’t help the waves.
We roll into Monday the 3rd with a slight bump to 3 ft, but the period is still a weak 6 seconds, and we’ve got onshore winds making a mess of things. It’s all a bit of a non-event. After that, it’s a wasteland. From Tuesday the 4th all the way through Tuesday the 11th, the models show zero surfable swell. That’s over a week of flat, glassy, or crossed-up conditions. The winds do go offshore for a good stretch there, which is great if you’re a sailor, but with nothing to push, the ocean is just a lake.
Then, around Wednesday the 12th, there’s a faint pulse of life. We see a 2 ft swell with a 6-second period. The energy is a weak 31, and the wind is cross-on in the morning. It’s clean in the afternoon with a cross-off breeze, but honestly, it’s barely a ripple. We see another similar blip on the 11th, but it’s gone as quick as it came.
After that, it’s back to nothing. The rest of the window through to the 17th is a blank canvas. We get some occasional cross-off and offshore winds, but the swell charts are just empty. For a spot like Paignton that’s only fairly exposed to the east, and is inconsistent at the best of times, a blank run like this isn't totally out of the ordinary. It's frustrating, but it's the nature of the beast.
The one thing that gets me is we’re seeing clean, offshore winds for days on end during that flat spell, and a few times in the second week too. If we had any groundswell, that place would be perfection. But we don’t. So, there it is. No standouts, no hidden gems. Just a lot of waiting for the ocean to wake up. Forecasts can change, but for now, keep the board in the rack.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Mon afternoon, min 16°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Sun night, fresh winds from the SW by Tue afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 6 | E 6 | E 4 | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | SW 6 | WSW 7 | SW 4 | WSW 3 | SW 6 | WSW 3 | S 12 | W 10 | S 12 | W 9 | — | W 9 | W 10 | SW 8 | SW 2 | W 3 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 42 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:20AM3.55m | 10:29PM3.74m | 10:54AM3.47m | 11:04PM3.59m | 11:32AM3.35m | 11:44PM3.39m | 12:15PM3.19m | 00:33AM3.16m | 1:11PM3.02m | 1:39AM2.93m | 2:27PM2.90m | 3:14AM2.81m | 4:11PM2.97m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:39PM0.26m | 4:04AM0.16m | 4:17PM0.37m | 4:43AM0.31m | 5:00PM0.55m | 5:29AM0.54m | 5:52PM0.79m | 6:26AM0.81m | 7:02PM1.03m | 7:46AM1.04m | 8:38PM1.12m | 9:20AM1.06m | 10:08PM0.97m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | |  | | | | |  | | | | | | | | |
 | 5:43 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — |
 | — | 8:55 | — | — | 8:53 | — | — | 8:52 | — | — | 8:51 | — | — | 8:49 | — | — | 8:46 | — | — | 8:45 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 23 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 17 | 21 | 21 | 15 | 20 | 21 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 21 |
Feels °C | 19 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 16 | 17 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 15 | 18 | 22 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 8 | E 6 | E 4 | WSW 8 | — | — | — | S 13 | — | SW 6 | — | WSW 5 | SW 5 | W 9 | — | — | W 9 | — | SW 8 | — | — |
| kJ | 7 | 21 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | 3 | — | 5 | — | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 2 | — | 3 | — | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 12 | — | — | W 6 | S 12 | W 5 | — | W 5 | W 10 | — | — | SW 7 |
| kJ | — | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | 2 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 12 | W 10 | SW 12 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | — | WSW 2 | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | SW 6 | WSW 7 | SW 4 | WSW 3 | WNW 3 | WSW 3 | NW 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 2 | W 3 |
| kJ | 42 | — | 1 | 13 | 31 | 79 | 68 | 42 | 12 | 1 | 10 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 81 | 87 | 108 | 417 | 193 | 251 | 524 | 193 | 279 | 603 | 245 | 258 | 441 | 478 | 258 | 486 | 245 | 129 | 105 | 135 | 245 |
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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