Surf Forecasts:
Paignton surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 6 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 5s period, SE swell with 38 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Paignton this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Paignton in the next 16 days are 0.9m 5s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) 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 1.3m 5s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Paignton over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on offer for the coming days.
Honestly, looking at the whole 16-day window, it's a tough one. We're staring down the barrel of a proper flat spell. There's a long stretch of nothing happening, with the data showing no surfable waves for the first week and well into the second. The combined swell energy is at zero for the vast majority of the period. It's a real blank run for our area.
The only glimmer of something, and I mean a faint glimmer, comes right at the very tail end of the forecast. We're looking at the 17th of September. On Thursday morning, we might see a tiny bit of movement with a 1 ft swell from the ENE, but it's got a crappy period of 3 seconds. The combined energy is a measly (4). That's weak, and it's still labelled as poor surf conditions. Thursday afternoon is a bit better, with a 3 ft swell from the East, but again, it's a short-period 5-second windswell, with a combined energy of (48). The wind is howling out of the west at 22 mph, but it's offshore, so the surface will be clean. It's just not enough to get excited about, and honestly, for a beginner spot like Paignton, that's about the only size that's workable.
The water temperature is sitting at 66°F with a positive anomaly of 4°F, which is notably warmer than usual for this time of year. That's a nice touch, but it doesn't help the waves.
So, the honest truth? There's no standout session. The best of a bad bunch is that Thursday afternoon on the 17th of September, but it's not a call I'd be paddling out for. The setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer, given the fresh offshore breeze and the lack of real swell. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, this is a quiet one.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Thu night, calm by Sat morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Sat night, fresh winds from the W by Tue morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 6 | SW 5 | SW 5 | SW 4 | SW 4 | WSW 6 | SSW 5 | WSW 8 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | SE 3 | SE 5 | ESE 5 | E 5 | WSW 12 | SW 4 | WSW 4 | SW 10 | WSW 3 | W 3 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 38 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | glassy | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-on | off | off | off | off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 10:39PM3.61m | 11:02AM3.43m | 11:20PM3.33m | 11:47AM3.19m | 00:14AM3.02m | 12:49PM2.94m | 1:32AM2.74m | 2:21PM2.80m | 3:26AM2.67m | 4:14PM2.93m | 5:08AM2.91m | 5:33PM3.27m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:16AM0.24m | 4:36PM0.43m | 5:00AM0.57m | 5:26PM0.77m | 5:55AM0.94m | 6:37PM1.11m | 7:20AM1.24m | 8:31PM1.25m | 9:14AM1.26m | 10:11PM1.03m | 10:34AM1.00m | 11:13PM0.68m | ||||||||
 |  | |  | | |  | | | | | | |  | | |  | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — |
 | 7:58 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:44 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 14 |
Feels °C | 15 | 16 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 15 | S 15 | SW 15 | S 15 | S 5 | SSW 5 | SW 5 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | SW 7 | W 9 | ESE 5 | E 5 | WSW 12 | — | — | SW 10 | — | W 10 |
| kJ | — | 4 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 27 | — | — | 47 | — | 8 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | S 14 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | W 11 | W 12 | W 10 | S 13 | W 8 | SSE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 10 | W 10 | W 14 | S 13 | S 13 | — | S 12 | W 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 6 | SW 5 | SW 5 | SW 4 | SW 4 | WSW 6 | W 3 | WNW 3 | — | — | SE 3 | SE 5 | S 5 | SW 4 | W 3 | SW 4 | WSW 4 | WNW 3 | WSW 3 | W 3 |
| kJ | 133 | 46 | 30 | 29 | 35 | 47 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 2 | 38 | 16 | 14 | 7 | 33 | 17 | 4 | 8 | 11 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 193 | 193 | 104 | 180 | 251 | 115 | 245 | 29 | 29 | 104 | 81 | 92 | 126 | 104 | 163 | 468 | 298 | 349 | 289 | 193 |
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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