Surf Forecasts:
Portwrinkle surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 26 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, SSW swell with 334 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Portwrinkle this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Portwrinkle in the next 16 days are 1.6m 8s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 7s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Wed 26th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Portwrinkle over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Well, folks, it's Rusty here, and I've got to be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. We're looking at a long, dry spell with hardly a wave worth chasing.
Let's start with the only spot on the menu, Portwrinkle. This is a reef break that's inconsistent and can get crowded, and it's pretty exposed to the southwest swell. The water temp is sitting at 66°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year.
The outlook kicks off on Thursday, the 20th of August, with a tiny 3ft WSW swell, but a strong 19 mph WNW cross-offshore wind is blowing, and it's just poor surf. The combined energy is a weak 153, and the score is a flat zero. The next few days are even smaller. Friday the 21st sees 1ft of weak WSW swell (energy 43) with a moderate offshore N wind in the morning, but it's still too small to do anything with. Saturday and Sunday the 22nd and 23rd are barely a ripple, with 0.7ft swells and messy cross-shore winds.
We get a bit of a pulse on Monday the 24th of August, with a 4ft swell from the ESE, but it's a short-period 5-second windswell, and the wind is howling at 25 mph from the east. The energy hits 124, but it's a messy, blown-out mess. Not surfable.
The middle of the week brings some size, but it's all wrong. Wednesday the 26th has a 5ft SSW swell (energy 168) with onshore winds and rain. Thursday the 27th morning is the first time we see a score of 1 out of 10, with a 3ft SW swell (energy 93) and a light ENE cross-offshore breeze. The description says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions," so you could get a soggy one, but it's not worth the drive.
From the 28th of August through to the 4th of September, it's a constant stream of poor surf. We see some 4ft to 5ft swells, but the wind is always cross or onshore, with energy values ranging from 55 to 221. There's a morning on the 29th of August with a 5ft SW swell and a cross-offshore WNW wind (energy 210), but the conditions are still rated as poor. The long period (16-second) swell on the 2nd of September is a 0.7ft whisper, totally useless.
For a true standout, there isn't one. The best on offer is the Thursday the 27th morning session, but even that's a 1 out of 10. If you're a kite surfer, the strong cross-shore winds on the 24th and 25th of August might be more interesting than a paddle. For the rest of us, it's a two-week wait.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat morning, min 13°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 20°C on Tue morning, min 16°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NE on Sun night, strong winds from the E by Mon night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | |||||||||||||||
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 | WSW 10 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 10 | ESE 5 | ESE 6 | SSW 13 | ESE 4 | SW 8 | SW 8 | S 6 | SSW 7 | SSW 8 | SW 8 | SSW 7 | WSW 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 31 | 24 | 14 | 9 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 28 | 44 | 153 | 17 | 28 | 11 | 17 | 91 | 265 | 323 | 229 | 220 | 319 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | off | cross | on | off | glassy | on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 12:09PM3.49m | 00:44AM3.32m | 1:24PM3.33m | 2:05AM3.21m | 2:46PM3.34m | 3:26AM3.29m | 4:00PM3.54m | 4:33AM3.52m | 4:57PM3.84m | 5:23AM3.80m | 5:40PM4.16m | 6:02AM4.08m | 6:16PM4.45m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:43AM1.52m | 6:14PM1.71m | 6:48AM1.83m | 7:53PM1.92m | 8:47AM1.90m | 9:44PM1.78m | 10:09AM1.66m | 10:43PM1.45m | 10:58AM1.31m | 11:24PM1.07m | 11:36AM0.95m | 00:00AM0.70m | 12:10PM0.61m | 00:33AM0.36m | |||||||
 |  |  | | | | | |  |  | | |  |  |  |  | |  | | | | |
 | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — |
 | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:23 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:13 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 14 |
Temp °C | 17 | 18 | 13 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 13 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | SSW 13 | SW 8 | SW 8 | SSW 5 | SW 7 | W 9 | SSW 8 | SW 8 | W 8 | SW 7 |
| kJ | 31 | 24 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 28 | 8 | 8 | 17 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 25 | 2 | 323 | 229 | 45 | 176 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 15 | ESE 5 | WSW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | SE 4 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 9 | SW 13 | E 6 | SW 8 | W 9 | S 12 | W 8 | SW 10 | SE 5 | WSW 11 |
| kJ | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 16 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 13 | 24 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | S 16 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SSW 15 | ESE 5 | — | W 9 | SSW 14 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 11 | SW 13 | SE 4 | S 12 | — | W 10 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 5 | 5 | 10 | 6 | 21 | 2 | — | 1 | 19 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 3 | — | 2 | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 2 | NW 3 | NNW 3 | E 2 | ESE 3 | — | — | SE 5 | ESE 4 | ESE 5 | ESE 6 | ESE 7 | ESE 4 | SSE 4 | — | S 6 | SSW 7 | — | — | SSW 7 | WSW 7 |
| kJ | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | — | 4 | 12 | 44 | 153 | 220 | 28 | 9 | — | 91 | 265 | — | — | 220 | 319 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 18 | 195 | 60 | 42 | 100 | 60 | 80 | 57 | 48 | 347 | 175 | 183 | 189 | 199 | 63 | 276 | 183 | 44 | 53 | 437 | 45 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Cornwall | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Portwrinkle Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Portwrinkle provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Portwrinkle can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Portwrinkle 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 (Portwrinkle) 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 Portwrinkle 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.
Are you planning a holiday in South Cornwall? If you are looking for accommodation near Portwrinkle, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in South Cornwall, consider staying in Plymouth which is 12 km (7 miles) away. Other places in and around South Cornwall where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Fowey which is 21 km (13 miles) away, Par, Bodmin and Saint Austell.
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