Surf Forecasts:
Porthtowan surf forecast from 3 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 3 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 9s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 5 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period, W swell with 786 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 3 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 9s period with WSW 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 Monday (Aug 03) at 1PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 9s period. 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 2.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Monday (Aug 03) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1PM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 1PM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Wed 5th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Porthtowan over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is a bit of a write-off for proper waves. We’ve got a long quiet spell on the cards before things finally wake up.
For the first ten days or so, from now through to the middle of the month, it’s pretty grim. There’s nothing worth paddling out for. The swell is tiny, the period is short, and honestly, the conditions are just messy. You’ll see a few days with a sliver of swell, like Monday morning with a 3ft WSW swell and a 9-second period, but the wind is light and the energy is weak (106). It’s surfable, but barely. Mostly, it’s just poor surf day after day with cross-shore and onshore winds chopping everything up. Wednesday the 5th brings a bit more size – 7ft at 8 seconds from the W – but with a fresh cross-onshore wind, it’s just a lumpy mess. That’s more of a kite-surfing set-up than a paddling one. The water temperature is sitting at 65°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.
Right, the wait is long, but the payoff looks real. The standout is Sunday the 16th. Early morning at Porthtowan, we’ve got a 8ft WNW swell with a solid 8-second period and a gentle offshore breeze from the SE. The combined energy is pumping at 908 (that’s strong wave energy), and it’s going to be clean. This is the one to circle in your calendar. It’s a decent size, so it’s more for the experienced crew – beginners might find it a bit much. The wind is offshore, so expect clean faces and some proper shape. The afternoon holds up with a similar 8ft swell and a cross-off breeze, though it’s scored as a bit more marginal. Monday the 17th morning still has a solid 7ft swell from the WNW, but the conditions are a little more tricky. The afternoon looks better again with a 6ft NW swell and light cross-off wind, offering some fun, clean waves.
So, to sum it up: you’ve got a long, dry spell until the 16th. Don’t bother checking the cams until then. But when the 16th rolls around, be ready for the best surf we’ve seen in a while. It’s a long-range call, so it’s promising but not locked in yet. Keep your fingers crossed.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Tue morning. Warm (max 24°C on Mon morning, min 16°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSW on Mon morning, fresh winds from the W by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri afternoon, min 16°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 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) | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | SW 7 | SW 7 | WSW 7 | W 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | W 6 | WNW 5 | W 6 | W 9 | WNW 9 | W 6 | W 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 106 | 80 | 162 | 171 | 155 | 383 | 619 | 310 | 232 | 123 | 54 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 29 | 71 | 113 | 82 | 54 | 53 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:05PM6.07m | 9:25AM5.77m | 9:45PM5.85m | 10:08AM5.55m | 10:32PM5.55m | 11:00AM5.27m | 11:30PM5.22m | 12:05PM5.02m | 00:44AM4.96m | 1:26PM4.93m | 2:09AM4.95m | 2:49PM5.12m | 3:28AM5.21m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:02PM0.71m | 3:25AM0.75m | 3:39PM0.89m | 4:05AM0.97m | 4:23PM1.14m | 4:52AM1.25m | 5:17PM1.42m | 5:53AM1.54m | 6:29PM1.65m | 7:13AM1.71m | 7:59PM1.68m | 8:42AM1.63m | 9:25PM1.41m | ||||||||
 | |  |  |  | | | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:01 | — | — | 9:00 | — | 8:58 | — | — | 8:57 | — | — | 8:54 | — | — | 8:52 | — | — | 8:52 | — |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 24 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 21 | 21 | 18 |
Feels °C | 23 | 22 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 20 | 19 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | W 9 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | W 11 | W 10 | N 5 | W 6 | WNW 5 | W 6 | W 9 | WNW 5 | WNW 9 | W 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 |
| kJ | 106 | 80 | 162 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 18 | 11 | 22 | 21 | 15 | 14 | 18 | 29 | 113 | 82 | 54 | 53 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SW 15 | — | — | — | S 18 | SW 13 | SW 12 | W 10 | N 4 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 6 | WNW 9 | SW 11 | WNW 9 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SW 6 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | 6 | 7 | 6 | 17 | 6 | 15 | 15 | 3 | 29 | 5 | 17 | 42 | 35 | 13 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 7 | S 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 16 | SW 12 | W 10 | — | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 8 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
| kJ | — | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 6 | 17 | — | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 3 | SSE 2 | — | SW 7 | SW 7 | WSW 7 | W 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | — | — | WNW 6 | W 4 | W 5 | W 6 | — | SW 7 | N 4 | N 3 |
| kJ | 1 | 1 | — | 171 | 155 | 383 | 619 | 310 | 232 | 123 | 54 | — | — | 17 | 9 | 1 | 71 | — | 69 | 6 | 1 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 5 | 17 | 280 | 505 | 286 | 747 | 159 | 218 | 540 | 220 | 401 | 519 | 249 | 23 | 392 | 22 | 10 | 20 | 210 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Cornwall | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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