Surf Forecasts:
Paignton surf forecast from 30 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 6 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 0.5ft (0.2m), 2s period, NNE swell with 1 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Paignton this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Paignton in the next 16 days are 0.2m 2s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 30) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 0.5ft (0.2m) 2s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Paignton over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, and I gotta be straight with you. Looking at the numbers for the next couple of weeks, it's a pretty grim picture for our shores. The data is telling me there's barely a ripple to get excited about for the entire 16-day window. We're looking at a long, flat spell with very little to offer anyone with a board.
The water at Paignton is sitting at a balmy 67°F, which is a solid 5°F warmer than we'd usually see at this time of year. That's a nice little bonus for a swim, but not much use for surfing.
The forecast shows a complete blank from now until the 6th of September. That's a solid week of nothing but flat, calm conditions or stiff, cross-off winds that are keeping the surface clean but woefully empty. Sunday the 6th of September, we finally see a tiny pulse of energy, with a 1-foot swell from the east, but it's only a 3-second period. That's barely a bump. The combined energy reading is a weak 1. It's a no-go.
Things don't really improve from there. We get a few more days of similar tiny, short-period pulses from the east and northeast, with wave energy never climbing above a feeble 22. The 13th of September sees the biggest swell of the entire period at 2.6 feet from the ENE, but again, it's a short-period, onshore wind mess. The setup is so poor, with significant swell and strong onshore winds at a beach break, that this looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
Even the offshore winds we get on the 14th of September can't save the day with a swell of only 1.3 feet. There's simply no power, no energy, and no consistency. The guidance for Paignton marks it as inconsistent, and this forecast completely backs that up. It's a tough one to call, but a blank run like this is more normal for the area than a constant run of good waves. My advice? Keep the board in the car and the wax in the cupboard. The forecasts can change, so we'll keep an eye on it, but for now, it's a solid bust.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 20°C on Sun morning, min 14°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Sun afternoon, light winds from the W by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Wed morning, light winds from the WNW by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 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) | SSW 4 | SSW 5 | SW 7 | SW 10 | SW 10 | WSW 10 | SW 6 | SW 3 | SW 4 | SW 4 | SW 5 | SW 5 | SSW 5 | SW 4 | WSW 3 | SW 5 | SW 5 | W 11 | SW 6 | S 13 | NNE 2 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 8:57PM4.01m | 9:18AM3.82m | 9:29PM3.96m | 9:51AM3.76m | 10:03PM3.83m | 10:24AM3.63m | 10:39PM3.61m | 11:02AM3.43m | 11:20PM3.33m | 11:47AM3.19m | 00:14AM3.02m | 12:49PM2.94m | 1:32AM2.74m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:08PM0.02m | 2:29AM-0.13m | 2:41PM-0.03m | 3:02AM-0.12m | 3:16PM0.02m | 3:38AM0.01m | 3:54PM0.17m | 4:16AM0.24m | 4:36PM0.43m | 5:00AM0.57m | 5:26PM0.77m | 5:55AM0.94m | 6:37PM1.11m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | |
 | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — |
 | — | 8:04 | — | — | 8:01 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:51 | — |
mm | — | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 16 |
Feels °C | 14 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 18 | 17 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 8 | — | — | SW 10 | SW 10 | SW 7 | SW 6 | W 9 | — | S 16 | S 15 | S 15 | WSW 7 | S 15 | W 13 | S 14 | W 12 | SSW 5 | SW 6 | W 10 | SW 6 |
| kJ | 13 | — | — | 138 | 80 | 12 | 6 | 2 | — | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | — | — | — | — | WSW 10 | W 10 | — | — | SW 16 | — | — | S 15 | — | SW 15 | — | S 14 | WSW 6 | W 11 | S 13 | W 10 |
| kJ | 2 | — | — | — | — | 20 | 2 | — | — | 10 | — | — | 4 | — | 9 | — | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 11 | S 14 | — | S 13 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 4 | — | 3 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 4 | SSW 5 | SW 7 | W 4 | W 3 | — | — | SW 3 | SW 4 | SW 4 | SW 5 | SW 5 | SSW 5 | SW 4 | WSW 3 | SW 5 | SW 5 | — | — | SW 2 | NNE 2 |
| kJ | 22 | 80 | 194 | 9 | 5 | — | — | 4 | 7 | 17 | 47 | 47 | 17 | 20 | 8 | 54 | 32 | — | — | 1 | 1 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 142 | 547 | 163 | 246 | 115 | 29 | 30 | 138 | 84 | 553 | 180 | 193 | 296 | 104 | 64 | 131 | 20 | 29 | 40 | 138 | 81 |
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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