Surf Forecasts:
Paignton surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 6 Sep, 1PM (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 1PM. 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 | 1PM (Sun 6th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Paignton over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, I’ve been staring at the charts for Paignton, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a pretty bleak outlook for the next couple of weeks. We're looking at a 16-day stretch, and for the vast majority of it, we might as well be looking at a lake.
Right off the bat, from Thursday the 3rd through the weekend and into early next week, there’s absolutely zero swell energy. We’ve got some clean-looking days with offshore breezes, like Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th – in fact Saturday morning is dead glassy – but without any waves, it’s just a pretty view. It’s a brutal start.
The first sign of life is a tiny blip on Sunday the 6th. A little 3ft wave from the SE shows up in the morning, but with a short period of 5 seconds, it’s weak as can be, and combined energy is a measly 37. To make matters worse, the wind is cross-onshore from the SSE at 12 mph, so it’ll be choppy and messy. Not worth wetting a suit.
Then we drop back into a massive empty stretch. From Monday the 7th all the way to Monday the 14th, the combined energy is zilch, zero, nothing. We get some real nice offshore wind days in there – Monday and Tuesday the 7th and 8th, and Wednesday the 9th all have clean, offshore flow – but it’s all for nothing. It’s like having a perfect runway but no plane.
There is a tiny whisper of hope on the morning of Tuesday the 16th. A 2ft wave from the NE, period of only 4 seconds, energy of just 7. The wind is glassy from the SE, so the water will be like glass. It’s barely a ripple. Then Wednesday the 17th morning offers a similar story: a 3ft NNE windswell, still only a 4-second period, energy climbs to 28. Again, it’s glassy conditions, but that swell is so weak and short-period it's only going to be for the longboard crew.
Paignton is an inconsistent spot, and this forecast is a perfect example of that. There’s no standout day here, no hidden gem. The only real positive is that Saturday the 5th would be a gorgeous day to be on the water, just don’t expect to catch a wave. For the rest of us, it’s time to wax the longboard for a flat-water paddle, or pick up a hobby for a couple weeks.
Keep the faith, it'll turn around.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Thu afternoon, min 14°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Thu night, calm by Sat morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Mon night. Warm (max 20°C on Sun afternoon, min 13°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Sat night, fresh winds from the WSW by Mon night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 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) | SW 5 | SW 4 | SW 4 | WSW 7 | SW 5 | SW 5 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | SE 3 | SE 5 | E 5 | E 5 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 5 | W 4 | W 4 | SW 9 | WSW 8 | W 8 | W 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 37 | 17 | 4 | 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-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 6:10AM3.25m | 6:26PM3.63m | ||||||||
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 | 11:29AM0.67m | 00:00AM0.34m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  |  | | | | | | | | |  | | | | | |  | |
 | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — |
 | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:42 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 21 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 15 |
Feels °C | 19 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 15 | SW 15 | S 15 | S 5 | W 10 | SW 5 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | SW 7 | W 7 | E 5 | E 5 | WSW 13 | — | WSW 11 | — | — | SW 9 | WSW 8 | SW 6 | SW 5 |
| kJ | 4 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 109 | — | 22 | — | — | 20 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | S 14 | S 14 | W 8 | W 11 | W 12 | W 10 | S 13 | W 8 | SSE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 11 | W 8 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 10 | W 14 | S 13 | S 13 | — | S 12 | W 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 7 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | 3 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 5 | SW 4 | SW 4 | WSW 7 | SW 5 | WNW 3 | — | — | SE 3 | SE 5 | S 5 | SW 4 | WNW 3 | WSW 12 | SW 5 | W 4 | W 4 | NW 3 | NNW 2 | — | — |
| kJ | 30 | 27 | 38 | 50 | 25 | 2 | — | — | 2 | 37 | 16 | 16 | 4 | 177 | 47 | 29 | 22 | 2 | 1 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 104 | 193 | 251 | 115 | 245 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 81 | 126 | 126 | 246 | 251 | 468 | 88 | 515 | 193 | 29 | 40 | 170 | 138 |
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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