Surf Forecasts:
Porth Ceriad surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 6s period, WSW swell with 90 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Porth Ceriad this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Porth Ceriad in the next 16 days are 1.1m 6s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 20) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Porth Ceriad over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.
Well, I gotta be straight with you – this one’s a tough pill to swallow. The forecast is lookin' flat. Real flat. We’ve got a long stretch of nothing special on the horizon. From now, right through the end of August, the surf is just not there. Small, weak, and all marked as poor surf conditions. There’s a gap of about 13 days where you’d be better off waxin’ your board for the storage rack than waxin’ it for the water.
The only light at the end of this long, dark tunnel is a pulse of energy that shows up well into the first week of September. So, you’ll have to be patient.
Let’s talk about the only game in town, Porth Ceriad. It’s exposed to the SW, which is its optimum direction, so it’s got the right idea. The water temp is sitting at 67°, which is a whopping 6° warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s very unusual, like a warm bath compared to what you’d expect. You won’t be needin’ the thickest wetsuit, that’s for sure.
The first real sign of life is on Tuesday, 1st September. The morning session is the standout, but it’s for experts only. A solid 8ft of WSW swell is comin’ in, with a combined energy of 742 – that’s some serious power. The wind is strong offshore from the NNW, which will make the faces look like glass. But that period is only 8 seconds, so it’s a windswell, not a groundswell. It’ll be a bumpy, powerful beast. It’s gonna be clean, but hard to get into and only for the experienced crew. The afternoon drops off to 6ft, still clean with that cross-off wind, but the energy is down to 256.
Into Wednesday, 2nd September, the swell is still there at 6ft in the morning, but the wind swings onshore from the SSW, making it choppy and messy. Not worth the paddle. The afternoon is a bit smaller at 5ft, with messy cross-shore wind.
So, if you’re lookin’ for a wave, the only real window is that Tuesday morning session. It’s a powerful, clean swell, but it’s a beast made for the brave. The rest of the 16 days? A write-off. It’s a bit of a cruel run, but forecasts can change, and this spot is fairly consistent, so it won’t stay this way forever.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Tue night. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue afternoon, min 13°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun night, min 13°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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 6 | SW 6 | WSW 5 | W 4 | SW 4 | WSW 6 | SW 6 | SW 6 | SW 6 | NW 5 | W 16 | W 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
58 | 29 | 30 | 16 | 19 | 70 | 43 | 19 | 9 | 19 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | on |
High Tide | 12:35PM3.75m | 00:56AM3.78m | 1:17PM3.43m | 1:41AM3.34m | 2:05PM3.11m | 2:38AM2.96m | 3:15PM2.85m | 4:06AM2.73m | 4:55PM2.79m | 5:42AM2.76m | 6:14PM2.97m | 6:45AM2.97m | 7:07PM3.26m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:22PM0.88m | 7:50AM1.04m | 7:58PM1.17m | 8:25AM1.34m | 8:46PM1.43m | 9:17AM1.59m | 10:04PM1.63m | 10:53AM1.71m | 00:05AM1.62m | 12:43PM1.59m | 1:27AM1.39m | 1:44PM1.32m | 2:15AM1.10m | ||||||||
6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | |
— | 8:38 | — | — | 8:37 | — | — | 8:34 | — | — | 8:31 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:28 | — | — | 8:25 | — | |
mm | — | — | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 | — | — | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
Feels °C | 14 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 6 | NW 4 | W 17 | SW 5 | NW 4 | SW 16 | SW 6 | SW 6 | SW 6 | NW 5 | WSW 6 | SW 13 | NNW 4 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | NNW 3 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 3 |
58 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 10 | 43 | 19 | 9 | 19 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 1 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 16 | W 17 | — | W 16 | W 15 | — | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 6 | SW 13 | SW 6 | SW 15 | W 12 | W 12 | W 9 | W 9 | SW 14 | — | SW 4 | SW 13 |
5 | 5 | — | 5 | 5 | — | 8 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 | — | 1 | 7 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 14 | SW 13 | W 16 | W 16 | W 10 | W 10 | W 12 | — | — | — | W 9 | — | W 8 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 4 | SW 6 | WSW 5 | W 4 | SW 4 | WSW 6 | NW 4 | NNW 5 | NNW 4 | — | NW 5 | N 4 | — | NW 4 | NNW 3 | NNW 5 | NNW 4 | — | — | — | — |
5 | 29 | 30 | 16 | 19 | 70 | 26 | 42 | 15 | — | 22 | 12 | — | 4 | 4 | 12 | 10 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3 | 373 | 129 | 298 | 298 | 60 | 126 | 126 | 125 | 125 | 308 | 133 | 186 | 270 | 303 | 133 | 312 | 213 | 303 | 298 | 301 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Lleyn Peninsula | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Porth Ceriad Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Porth Ceriad provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Porth Ceriad can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Porth Ceriad 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 (Porth Ceriad) 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 Porth Ceriad 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.
Porth Ceriad is 29 km (18 miles) from Porthmadog. If you plan a holiday in Lleyn Peninsula, look for hotels and other accommodation in Porthmadog. Porthmadog has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











