
Surf Forecasts:
Portreath Beach surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 21 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 6s period, N swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 23 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 6s period, N swell with 188 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 6s period with N swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Portreath Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Portreath Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Portreath Beach in the next 16 days are 1.6m 6s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 23) at 4AM. 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 6s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 19) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Portreath Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the forecast for Portreath Beach.
To be straight with you, the next sixteen days are a real struggle. There’s a long, dry spell of poor surf right from the start, and it doesn’t let up for a while. The first few days are a write-off – tiny swell, messy wind, and just not worth getting wet. The pattern holds through the weekend and into the start of the following week. A lot of cross-onshore wind and small, weak waves. You’ll be staring at a flat ocean for the most part.
The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until Tuesday the 21st of July. Tuesday morning, the wind drops right out and it goes glassy. The swell is a tiny 3 ft from the north with a short period of 6 seconds, and the combined swell energy is a very weak 74. It’s not going to be pumping, but it’ll be the cleanest conditions you’ll see all week. You might get a few crumbly little waves to yourself. The water temp is 63°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t be freezing.
After that, it’s back to the same old story. The wind picks up again, the swell stays small, and the whole thing just looks ordinary. There’s a bit more size kicking around on the 23rd and 24th, but the wind is still onshore and messy. It’s frustrating because the swell direction is from the north-west, which is generally the best for Portreath, but the wind just ruins it.
Looking further out, there’s a bit of a lift in the combined swell energy around the 29th and 30th of July, with some readings in the 135 range, which is moderate energy. But it’s coming with strong, onshore winds – 28 mph from the west-northwest. That’s going to be a messy, choppy, blown-out mess. The swell is only 3 ft but with that wind, it’ll be a battle. For a beach break like Portreath, that kind of setup is honestly more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer.
So, the honest truth? There’s no standout session in this entire 16-day run. The only window that’s even worth a mention is Tuesday morning, the 21st of July, for a quick, clean, small-wave session. The rest of the time, you’re better off checking the forecasts again in a few days. It’s a dry spell, but it’s not unusual for this area – it tends not to stay poor for too long.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Fri afternoon, min 15°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the N on Sat afternoon, light winds from the NE by Sun night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue morning, fresh winds from the N by Wed afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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) | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | N 5 | N 5 | N 6 | N 6 | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | WNW 10 | N 5 | N 5 | N 6 | N 6 | N 5 | N 5 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
12 | 12 | 12 | 37 | 77 | 108 | 42 | 20 | 29 | 15 | 24 | 64 | 40 | 33 | 31 | 49 | 59 | 165 | 92 | 33 | 20 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 8:18PM6.65m | 8:42AM6.17m | 9:02PM6.40m | 9:26AM5.89m | 9:47PM6.02m | 10:10AM5.54m | 10:32PM5.58m | 10:57AM5.17m | 11:21PM5.12m | 11:50AM4.83m | 00:18AM4.74m | 12:52PM4.59m | 1:26AM4.50m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:18PM0.21m | 2:48AM0.18m | 3:02PM0.40m | 3:31AM0.46m | 3:45PM0.71m | 4:14AM0.83m | 4:29PM1.08m | 4:58AM1.24m | 5:16PM1.47m | 5:45AM1.62m | 6:09PM1.82m | 6:41AM1.93m | 7:14PM2.05m | ||||||||
5:28 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:23 | — | — | 9:22 | — | — | 9:22 | — | — | 9:21 | — | — | 9:20 | — | — | 9:19 | — | — | 9:17 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 24 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 21 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 14 | 15 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 4 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | N 6 | SE 6 | SE 5 | N 5 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | N 6 | N 6 | WNW 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | N 5 |
6 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 4 | 42 | 14 | 3 | 15 | 24 | 38 | 40 | 30 | 31 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 20 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | SSW 6 | SW 5 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 12 | W 7 | WNW 7 | W 9 | WNW 11 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 14 | W 8 |
12 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 33 | 33 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 6 | SSW 13 | SW 11 | SW 5 | SW 5 | S 21 | W 10 | SW 19 | WNW 12 | W 9 | SW 18 | SW 18 | W 7 | SW 16 | SE 5 | S 16 | S 15 | — | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
5 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 15 | 14 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 4 | — | 8 | 8 | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NNW 4 | N 4 | N 5 | N 5 | N 6 | ESE 6 | N 5 | N 5 | — | N 5 | N 6 | — | — | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 | N 6 | N 6 | N 5 | ESE 4 |
— | 5 | 8 | 37 | 77 | 108 | 17 | 20 | 29 | — | 24 | 64 | — | — | 27 | 49 | 59 | 165 | 92 | 33 | 5 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 278 | 1785 | 408 | 400 | 590 | 393 | 227 | 19 | 278 | 33 | 385 | 383 | 0 | 13 | 45 | 235 | 590 | 356 | 19 | 577 | 394 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Cornwall | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Portreath Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Portreath Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Portreath Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Portreath Beach 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 (Portreath Beach) 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 Portreath Beach 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.
Portreath Beach is 5 km (3 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.










