Putsborough Surf Break

Lat Long: 51.15° N 4.22° W

Putsborough Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 pm 18 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Putsborough sea temperature is
19.0° C
2.5° 

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


Putsborough surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 9s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 7s period, W swell with 349 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 9s period with W swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Putsborough this week:

The surf forecast for Putsborough over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 4s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Putsborough in the next 16 days are 1.8m 7s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) 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 0.4m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 10PM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Fri 21st Aug)3ft (0.9m) 9s
Best Surf 1AM (Fri 21st Aug)3ft (0.9m) 9s
Most Powerful 4AM (Thu 20th Aug)6ft (1.8m) 7s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – looking at the 16-day window for Putsborough, it’s a pretty grim scene. We’ve got a massive gap of no decent surf right through until the very end of August, so don’t get your hopes up for a quick fix.

Right now, starting Tuesday the 18th, it’s all messy. We’ve got a weak 4ft swell from the west with a short, gutless 6-second period, and a howling 16 mph cross-onshore wind. The water’s sitting at 66°, which is a whopping 5° warmer than usual for this time of year – feels like a bath, but you won’t care because the surf is flat and choppy. The combined energy is a miserable 101, and the wave comment says it all: poor surf conditions. That’s the story for days.

Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th are a write-off. Even when the swell bumps up to 6-6ft on Thursday with an onshore wind, it’s still rated as poor. The period is only 8-9 seconds, so it’s just a lumpy, wind-affected mess.

We then slide into a proper flat spell. From Friday the 21st of August right through to Monday the 1st of September, the waves drop to ankle-snappers of 1.0ft to 2ft. The combined energy readings are pathetic, mostly in the 20s and 30s, and the wind is never friendly. You’ll see a few clean mornings with light offshore breezes, but there’s simply no swell to ride.

The only flicker of life appears on Wednesday the 27th of August, but it’s still a poor 4ft, 6-second west swell with cross-onshore wind. Not worth the paddle.

The best we’ve got is a standout, but it’s a long way off. Mark your calendar for Saturday the 29th of August. The morning brings a solid 5ft swell from the west-northwest (8-second period) with a clean onshore wind. The combined energy jumps to 475 (moderate energy), which is the highest we’ll see. It’s still a beach break, and with that onshore flow, it’ll be a bit bumpy, but for Putsborough, this is as good as it gets. The afternoon holds similar size but the wind goes cross-onshore, so get on it early if you’re desperate.

After that, the 30th and 31st have some waist-high swell but the winds are always onshore or cross-shore, keeping things messy. The first couple of days of September are the same story – a bit of size (5ft) but the wind is never right, and the wave quality is poor.

Honestly, for a break that’s fairly consistent, this is a rotten run. Blank spells like this do happen, but it’s a tough window. If you absolutely have to get wet, the 29th of August morning is your only real shot, but I’d be waiting for a better forecast.

Stay patient.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Wed afternoon, light winds from the ENE by Thu night).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun afternoon, min 13°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Tue
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
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)
1.1
W
6
1.2
W
6
0.9
W
6
1.2
W
5
1.8
W
7
1.7
W
8
1.5
W
9
0.9
W
9
0.7
W
8
0.6
W
8
0.4
WSW
8
0.3
W
10
0.4
W
9
0.3
W
9
0.3
W
9
0.3
W
9
0.2
W
8
0.3
W
8
0.3
W
9
0.3
W
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
95
109
58
74
306
328
342
130
69
48
24
16
28
14
14
14
8
12
14
13
Wind (km/h)
25
W
25
W
20
W
30
W
25
WSW
30
WNW
25
WNW
10
ENE
15
ENE
25
NNW
15
NNW
10
N
10
NW
20
N
15
N
15
WNW
15
N
5
ESE
15
NW
5
NW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
cross-off
cross-off
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-off
on
glassy
High Tide
10:48PM7.45m
11:07AM7.05m
11:28PM6.77m
11:50AM6.44m
00:16AM6.13m
12:46PM5.91m
1:25AM5.65m
2:09PM5.60m
3:01AM5.52m
3:45PM5.74m
4:23AM5.83m
4:52PM6.21m
Low Tide
4:30PM1.30m
4:51AM1.63m
5:09PM1.89m
5:32AM2.23m
5:56PM2.48m
6:24AM2.78m
7:02PM2.97m
7:42AM3.16m
8:37PM3.17m
9:21AM3.15m
10:08PM2.95m
10:37AM2.77m
11:10PM2.47m
cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:07
6:09
6:11
6:13
6:13
6:16
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:32
8:30
8:29
8:27
8:24
8:22
8:21
 mm
1
1
1
5
1
1
1
2
2
1
Temp °C
18
17
17
17
17
16
16
16
15
16
15
16
17
16
15
18
16
16
17
16
Feels °C
14
14
15
11
12
11
11
13
12
12
11
14
14
12
13
13
13
15
14
14
  • 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 Putsborough Surf forecast

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

Puttsborough is 11 km (7 miles) from Appledore. If you plan a holiday in North Devon, look for hotels and other accommodation in Appledore. Appledore has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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