Surf Forecasts:
Porth Ceriad surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 6s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s period, SW swell with 454 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 28 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 6s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Porth Ceriad this week:
The surf forecast for Porth Ceriad over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 1PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Porth Ceriad in the next 16 days are 1.8m 9s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Monday (Aug 31) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1PM (Fri 28th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 1PM (Fri 28th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Porth Ceriad over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right then, let’s have a look at what we’ve got. To be straight with you, this stretch is looking pretty grim for a proper surf. There’s no real standout session in the whole 16-day window, so we’re going to be waiting a while for anything worth paddling out for. The first couple of weeks are basically a write-off for any decent waves, with a big gap of flat or poor conditions. We’re looking at a long, quiet spell.
The only spot in the frame is Porth Ceriad. It’s a beginner-friendly, exposed break that’s fairly consistent, but that doesn’t mean much when the conditions are this rough. The water temp here is running about 65°, which is a solid 5° warmer than average for this time of year – that's a notable anomaly, and it’ll feel pretty balmy compared to normal.
Right from the start, Tuesday the 25th is a no-go. You’ve got a tiny 0.3 ft SW swell with weak energy (12) and a light cross-off breeze, but it’s just not enough to surf. That flat spell drags on. The first flicker of anything happens on Friday the 28th morning. A 4 ft WSW swell shows up, but it’s short period at 6 seconds and the energy is still weak (106). The wind is cross-off, so it’s clean, but the waves are poor quality. That doesn’t last and it gets messy by the afternoon.
We get a bit more hope on Sunday the 30th morning with a 3 ft SW swell and a 9-second period, giving us moderate energy (125), and the wind is directly onshore. It’s not clean, but it’s the best we’ve seen, and still the “poor surf conditions” tag sticks. All through the rest of August and into early September, it’s just a mess of onshore winds, lumpy chop, and tiny swell. The sessions on the 31st and 1st are blown out completely, with near gale-force winds.
Finally, we get a tiny glimmer on Wednesday the 2nd of September. The morning turns glassy, with a light wind from the SSW and a 2 ft SW swell. The combined energy is weak (43), but it’s clean – glassy conditions at Porth Ceriad. The report says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions” – this is your best bet, but it’s not a standout, just the least bad window in a very quiet spell. The afternoon goes cross-onshore and choppy again.
After that, it’s back to the same story. Thursday the 3rd sees a big jump in swell height to 7 ft with strong energy (489), but it’s blown out by a near gale. That’s too much for beginners anyway and it’s messy. The pattern repeats: small clean windows on the 4th afternoon with a light offshore, and again on the 6th morning with glassy conditions and a 4 ft swell. But none of it is good quality surf. The last few days swing into bigger, unruly swell over 8 ft (like on the 7th with 10 ft and 1159 energy) but with terrible winds – only for experts, and even then it’d be a struggle.
Honestly, this is a bleak outlook. Porth Ceriad has a few clean, glassy mornings, but the swell is tiny or the quality is just poor. If you’re itching for a paddle, the morning of September 2nd or the morning of September 6th are the only real options, and they’re both just ordinary. For most of the next two weeks, it’s a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 40mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 16°C on Thu afternoon). Winds increasing (light winds from the NE on Wed afternoon, fresh winds from the SSW by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 19mm), heaviest on Fri night. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat morning, min 14°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Sat morning, light winds from the W by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | |||||||||||||||
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 8 | SSW 8 | SW 7 | SW 12 | W 12 | SSW 4 | SW 6 | SW 7 | SW 5 | SW 6 | SW 7 | SW 9 | SW 9 | SW 9 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SW 5 | SW 6 | WSW 7 | SW 7 | SW 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
6 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 21 | 106 | 73 | 92 | 138 | 347 | 446 | 162 | 61 | 34 | 56 | 65 | 247 | 229 | 104 | 42 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 8:04AM3.49m | 8:20PM3.91m | 8:37AM3.75m | 8:52PM4.21m | 9:08AM3.98m | 9:23PM4.45m | 9:41AM4.17m | 9:56PM4.61m | 10:14AM4.29m | 10:31PM4.67m | 10:49AM4.33m | 11:07PM4.61m | 11:27AM4.26m | 11:46PM4.43m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:01PM0.77m | 3:27AM0.54m | 3:34PM0.55m | 4:01AM0.34m | 4:07PM0.40m | 4:34AM0.22m | 4:39PM0.34m | 5:06AM0.19m | 5:11PM0.35m | 5:39AM0.26m | 5:43PM0.44m | 6:11AM0.42m | 6:15PM0.60m | ||||||||
6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | |
— | 8:21 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:09 | — | — | 8:07 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 6 | 23 | 9 | 2 | — | 5 | 4 | 1 | — | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 22 | 22 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 |
Feels °C | 20 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | SW 7 | SW 7 | S 6 | SW 8 | SW 6 | NNW 4 | — | — | — | SW 9 | SW 9 | SW 9 | SW 7 | SW 7 | NW 4 | — | — | SW 7 | SW 7 |
6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 106 | 4 | — | — | — | 446 | 162 | 61 | 34 | 56 | 3 | — | — | 104 | 42 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 13 | — | — | SW 12 | W 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 4 | NNW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | NW 4 | NNW 4 |
3 | — | — | 6 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 12 | — | — | S 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 5 | W 16 |
— | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 3 | — | — | E 3 | — | SSW 4 | NW 4 | SW 7 | SW 5 | SW 6 | SW 7 | NW 3 | — | — | NNW 3 | NW 5 | SW 5 | SW 6 | WSW 7 | — | — |
4 | — | — | 1 | — | 21 | 4 | 73 | 92 | 138 | 347 | 6 | — | — | 4 | 29 | 65 | 247 | 229 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 133 | 270 | 343 | 312 | 303 | 295 | 252 | 7 | 303 | 143 | 47 | 460 | 141 | 43 | 189 | 339 | 354 | 460 | 267 | 643 | 525 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Lleyn Peninsula | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











