Surf Forecasts:
Paignton surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 25 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 7s period, E swell with 618 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Paignton this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Paignton in the next 16 days are 2.4m 7s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 7s period and expected on Friday (Aug 28) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Paignton over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab a coffee and listen up. Rusty here, and I'm lookin' at the charts for the next couple of weeks. Honestly, it's a bit of a tough one. We've got a few days ahead where the ocean just isn't cooperating. The good news is that after a dry spell, there's a bit of a pulse coming through, but you've got to be patient.
Let's start with the here and now. The water's sitting at a warm 67°F, which is a solid 5°F warmer than you'd normally expect for this time of year. That's a real treat for the skin, but the waves are nowhere to be seen. The first proper surfable swell doesn't show up until Monday, the 24th of August. Before that, it's all flat or tiny, choppy slop. Friday and Saturday are a write-off, with tiny 1.0ft to 3ft windswell and crummy cross-onshore winds. Sunday's not much better, with a 0.7ft swell in the morning. It's a real dead patch.
The first real action comes Monday morning, the 24th of August. The swell at Paignton will jump to 6ft from the east, with a period of just 6 seconds—that's short period windswell. The energy is moderate though, sitting at 243, and the wind is howling onshore at 22 mph from the east. That's going to be a messy, blown-out affair. Monday afternoon gets even bigger, with 8ft of east swell and strong energy at 539. But with a 25 mph onshore gale, that's expert territory only, and it'll be a battle. The wind turns easterly on Tuesday morning, still onshore at 16 mph, with a 6ft swell. That's still a tough paddle.
Now, here's the glimmer. While the wave heights drop off on Tuesday afternoon and through the rest of the week, the wind does a full 180. Starting Wednesday, the 26th of August, the wind swings to the southwest and south-southwest, going cross-offshore and then fully offshore. The swell disappears, so the ocean goes glassy and clean, but flat. There's nothing to ride. This pattern of clean, offshore winds with no swell continues day after day, all the way through to the 5th of September. The water's still warm, but you'll be staring at a flat, oily sea.
The only tiny bit of hope is on Saturday, the 29th of August. In the afternoon, a 2ft swell from the south-southeast pops up with a 4-second period. The wind is offshore from the west-southwest at 12 mph, so it'll be clean. But the energy is a weak 25, and the period is so short it's barely a wave. It's a micro-session for the most desperate of soul surfers.
So, the standout? Honestly, there isn't a true standout this period. The best chance for a wave is Monday the 24th of August, but it's a big, windy, onshore mess. For clean conditions, you'll have to wait until the 26th, but there's no swell. It's a grim outlook. The setup is more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer on the 24th, with that strong onshore wind and decent swell. But for us, it's a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri afternoon, fresh winds from the ENE by Sun night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 20°C on Mon night, min 16°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the E on Mon morning, calm by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | |||||||||||||||
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) | N 2 | S 13 | S 16 | ENE 4 | ENE 5 | E 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | E 5 | S 4 | SSW 4 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SW 8 | WSW 3 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 33 | 6 | 1 | 15 | 32 | 243 | 539 | 618 | 285 | 50 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 12:36PM2.74m | 00:59AM2.56m | 1:38PM2.55m | 2:18AM2.39m | 3:26PM2.50m | 4:39AM2.44m | 5:20PM2.72m | 5:54AM2.70m | 6:12PM3.04m | 6:36AM2.99m | 6:49PM3.35m | 7:11AM3.27m | 7:22PM3.63m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:26PM1.44m | 7:03AM1.52m | 8:30PM1.62m | 9:18AM1.58m | 10:16PM1.49m | 10:35AM1.39m | 11:13PM1.23m | 11:24AM1.13m | 11:53PM0.94m | 12:01PM0.85m | 00:27AM0.64m | 12:33PM0.58m | 00:58AM0.36m | ||||||||
6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
— | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:09 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 16 |
Feels °C | 16 | 18 | 12 | 12 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 6 | SW 6 | SW 5 | W 10 | E 5 | E 4 | ESE 4 | SW 14 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 9 | SW 9 | SW 8 | E 6 | E 5 | SSW 8 | — | SSE 5 | SW 7 | SW 8 | — |
3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 22 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 50 | 4 | 6 | — | 37 | 27 | 28 | — | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | — | — | S 15 | W 10 | S 15 | SW 14 | W 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SSE 4 | SW 8 | — | — | SW 7 | SSE 4 | SE 5 | — |
2 | — | — | 4 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11 | — | — | 50 | 3 | 5 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | S 13 | S 16 | — | S 15 | W 10 | — | W 9 | — | W 10 | W 9 | W 12 | W 8 | SW 9 | S 3 | W 9 | — | W 8 | W 8 | W 10 | — |
3 | 3 | 5 | — | 4 | 2 | — | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 2 | — | NNW 2 | ENE 4 | ENE 5 | — | ENE 4 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | — | — | S 4 | SSW 4 | — | — | WNW 2 | WSW 3 |
1 | — | 1 | 26 | 33 | — | 1 | 15 | 32 | 243 | 539 | 618 | 285 | — | — | 6 | 27 | — | — | 1 | 12 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 40 | 150 | 87 | 89 | 156 | 40 | 105 | 98 | 87 | 482 | 193 | 207 | 193 | 120 | 87 | 155 | 127 | 30 | 311 | 317 | 251 |
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.











