
Surf Forecasts:
Paignton surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 4PM (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 Tuesday (Jul 28) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 1ft (0.3m) 3s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Paignton over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, it’s Rusty here, and I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough one to write. The next sixteen days are looking pretty grim for a paddle in the water at Paignton. We’ve got a serious case of the "no-swells" coming our way, with a couple of tiny blips that are barely worth a mention.
Let’s run through it. The forecast kicks off from Wednesday, July 22nd, and for the first six days, right through to Monday, July 28th morning, there’s absolutely no swell energy to speak of. The combined energy reading is a flat zero (0) for most of that stretch. The sea is just flat. It’s a long, empty gap of nothing.
Now, later on Tuesday, July 28th afternoon, we finally see a tiny pulse of energy. The swell picks up to a measly 1ft from the ESE, with a period of only 3 seconds. That’s a short-period, weak little windswell, with combined energy of just (2). The wind will be a gentle cross-shore, so it’ll be a little messy. It’s not really surfable, just a bit of movement.
The blip continues into Wednesday, July 29th morning with a 0.7ft swell from the ESE at 4 seconds, and the wind swings offshore from the WNW at 6 mph, cleaning things up. The combined energy is still just (2) though. The afternoon sees a similar 0.7ft swell from the E at 4 seconds, but with a stronger offshore wind of 15 mph. Again, the energy is only (1). It’s too small to ride.
Thursday, July 30th is the most interesting day of the whole outlook, and even then, it’s a struggle. Morning brings a 2ft swell from the NE with a period of 4 seconds and a light cross-offshore wind. The combined energy finally hits a modest (12). That’s our best window. The afternoon stays clean with glassy conditions and a 1ft swell from the ENE. If you’re desperate, you might find a tiny, clean wave on the sandbanks, but it’s strictly for longboards and beginners.
The rest of the run from Friday, August 1st onward is a repeat of the same story: flat spells punctuated by tiny, weak swells from the east (0.7ft to 2ft) with very low energy readings. The water temperature on the first day (July 22nd) was 67°F – that’s over 6°F warmer than usual for this time of year, which is very unusual. The sea feels like a bath, but there’s no power behind it.
Honestly, if you’re looking for a proper surf, this isn’t your week. The setup is so weak and the swells are so small that the only thing that might be worth a mention is a kite session on a breezy day, but for a paddle board? Forget it. The most consistent thing here is the flat spell. Let’s hope the forecasts change, because this is a tough stretch.
Stay tuned, and keep an eye on the charts.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Fri afternoon, min 16°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sat afternoon, min 15°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Sat afternoon, calm by Mon night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | ||||||||||||||
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 9 | — | W 9 | — | W 8 | W 8 | NNW 3 | WNW 3 | WSW 3 | WSW 3 | WSW 6 | W 10 | WSW 5 | SW 6 | — | SW 5 | W 9 | ESE 3 | ESE 4 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | on | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 6:35PM1.23m | 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 | |||||||
— | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | |
— | 9:12 | — | — | 9:10 | — | — | 9:09 | — | — | 9:08 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:06 | — | — | 9:05 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 19 | 24 | 24 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 20 |
Feels °C | 22 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 23 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 10 | WSW 6 | W 7 | WSW 5 | SW 6 | — | SW 5 | W 5 | W 5 | ESE 4 |
— | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 9 | — | — | — | W 8 | W 8 | — | — | — | — | W 8 | W 10 | W 8 | — | — | — | W 9 | W 9 | W 5 |
— | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 10 | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | WNW 3 | WSW 3 | WSW 3 | WNW 2 | WSW 2 | NNW 2 | — | — | — | — | ESE 3 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 549 | 409 | 87 | 712 | 105 | 515 | 599 | 499 | 486 | 468 | 246 | 136 | 253 | 40 | 127 | 150 | 98 | 119 | 246 | 137 |
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.










