Porthtowan Surf Break

Lat Long: 50.28° N 5.25° W

Porthtowan Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 12 am 23 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Porthtowan sea temperature is
18.2°C
1.3° 

Porthtowan surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Porthtowan surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 8s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, W swell with 1,541 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 23 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 14s period with SW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Porthtowan this week:

The surf forecast for Porthtowan over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 5s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Porthtowan in the next 16 days are 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 7s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 10AM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)10AM (Sun 23rd Aug)1.5ft (0.4m) 14s
Best Surf10PM (Thu 27th Aug)5ft (1.5m) 8s
Most Powerful10PM (Fri 28th Aug)10ft (3.0m) 9s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Porthtowan over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's coming our way for Porthtowan.

We're looking at a pretty quiet start to the outlook. The first few days are a bit of a write-off, honestly. The swell is tiny and the winds are all over the place, mostly cross-off, which isn't doing us any favours. It's a bit of a slow start, but don't lose hope. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, nothing special to report.

Kicking things off Sunday, the 23rd, we've got small, weak waves around 1ft coming from the southwest. The swell period is a really long 14 seconds, which is a proper groundswell, but with almost no energy behind it (81), it's just not enough to get excited about. The wind is a light cross-off, so it's clean, but you're looking at knee-high dribble. It's surfable, but only just.

Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th are a total write-off. The wind is pumping, so the ocean is messy. The swell is still tiny, and the energy is dropping. Don't bother paddling out.

Wednesday the 26th shows a tiny flicker of life. The morning has a 2ft swell from the west with a short 8-second period, and the wind is finally offshore, from the SSE. It's clean, but the wave energy is still weak (86). It's surfable, but very ordinary.

Now, Thursday the 27th is where things get a bit more interesting. The swell jumps up to 6ft from the SSW. The energy is moderate (383), but the period is a short 8 seconds, so it'll be a bit crumbly. The wind is a cross-off, so it should be clean. That said, the conditions are described as marginal, so it's not a slam dunk. It's a bit of a gamble, but the size is there.

Friday the 28th has an onshore wind, which is a shame. The swell is a solid 5ft from the SW, but the wind is ruining it. It's a pass.

The weekend of the 29th and 30th is a complete blowout. Big onshore winds, messy, lumpy waves. Not for surfing. You'd be better off with a kite if you're into that sort of thing.

We get a bit of relief on Monday the 31st. The wind goes light offshore and then even glassy in the afternoon. The swell is small, 2ft to 3ft from the west, with a short 8-second period and low energy (123-133). It's clean, but it's small. A fun little session for a longboard or a foamie, but nothing to write home about.

The first few days of September are a bit of a mess with onshore winds and tiny surf. Not worth it.

Now, here's where it gets good. Thursday the 3rd of September looks like the standout. The swell is 5ft, coming from the west, with a moderate 7-second period. The energy is strong (319), and the wind is a light, cross-off breeze from the south. It's clean, and the conditions are expected to be good. This is the one to circle on your calendar. The size is solid for a good paddle, and the light wind should make for some clean, fun waves.

Friday the 4th of September is also worth a look. The morning has a similar 5ft swell from the west, but with a slightly longer 9-second period, giving it a bit more push. The energy is strong (454), and the wind is a light cross-off. It's looking good, but the afternoon gets messy with a fresh breeze.

The last weekend of the outlook is a bit of a wildcard. Saturday the 6th of September has a big 8ft swell from the west, but the wind is mixed. The afternoon, however, has a clean cross-off wind and huge wave energy (1119). That's a lot of power, but the swell period is a short 7 seconds, so it'll be a bit of a washing machine. This one is for the experienced crew only. It's a couple of weeks away, so keep an eye on it, but it could be a proper session.

So, for the best bet, I'd say Thursday the 3rd of September is your best shot. Get up early, and you'll be rewarded with clean, chest to head-high waves with a light offshore breeze. The Friday the 4th of September morning is a close second, but the window is smaller. The big swell on the 6th of September is for the pros only.

Keep your eyes on the forecasts, things can change. Rusty out.

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Tue morning. Warm (max 21°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the E on Sun morning, fresh winds from the E by Sun night).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 22°C on Wed morning, min 15°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Wed night, calm by Thu night).

Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
SW
14
0.4
SW
14
0.3
SW
14
0.3
SW
14
0.3
SW
13
0.3
WNW
11
0.5
WNW
10
0.6
WNW
10
0.6
W
9
0.6
W
8
0.5
W
8
1.7
SSW
7
1.7
SSW
8
1.9
SSW
8
1.3
WSW
9
1.4
SW
9
1.3
SSW
8
3
W
9
2.3
W
7
2.1
W
7
2
W
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
51
54
38
31
28
25
58
75
59
50
32
286
352
488
237
287
217
1312
569
449
422
Wind (km/h)
10
E
15
ENE
15
ENE
35
E
35
E
20
E
30
E
25
SE
10
SSE
20
SSE
25
SSE
30
SE
25
SSW
25
SSW
15
SE
10
NW
15
WNW
30
WNW
30
W
35
W
30
W
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
2:47PM4.35m
3:25AM4.40m
3:52PM4.70m
4:18AM4.77m
4:39PM5.13m
4:59AM5.18m
5:16PM5.57m
5:34AM5.56m
5:50PM5.96m
6:07AM5.90m
6:22PM6.27m
6:39AM6.16m
6:54PM6.48m
Low Tide
8:32AM2.35m
9:20PM2.18m
9:47AM2.05m
10:19PM1.81m
10:37AM1.64m
11:02PM1.39m
11:16AM1.23m
11:39PM0.98m
11:50AM0.85m
00:12AM0.64m
12:23PM0.55m
00:44AM0.38m
12:55PM0.34m
1:15AM0.22m
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
rain showers
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:20
6:22
6:24
6:24
6:26
6:28
6:30
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:24
8:22
8:21
8:19
8:16
8:15
8:13
 mm
1
2
3
1
1
6
1
Temp °C
19
20
17
19
20
19
21
20
17
22
22
17
19
19
15
17
18
16
18
18
17
Feels °C
16
17
15
13
14
14
16
16
17
19
18
13
15
14
13
16
16
11
12
11
12
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Porthtowan Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Porthtowan provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Porthtowan can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Porthtowan 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 (Porthtowan) 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 Porthtowan 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.

Porthtowan is 8 km (5 miles) from Camborne. If you plan a holiday in North Cornwall, look for hotels and other accommodation in Camborne. Camborne has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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