Surf Forecasts:
Rest Bay surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 6s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 7s period, WSW swell with 228 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 6s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Rest Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Rest Bay 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 0.7m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rest Bay in the next 16 days are 1.5m 7s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 2s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rest Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right then, let's see what we've got for Rest Bay. It's a bit of a tough stretch ahead, to be honest. Over this whole 16-day run, there's very little that's gonna get the heart pumping. The waves are generally small, the wind is often howling from the wrong direction, and the overall energy is weak. We’re looking at a long gap with no real recommendations until we get right to the very end.
Starting from Monday the 17th of August, right through for a couple of weeks, it’s a pretty bleak picture. The swell is tiny, mostly around 2ft to 4ft, and coming from the west or west-southwest. The problem is the wind. It’s almost always a cross-onshore or onshore breeze from the west, which is just gonna chop everything up. The combined swell energy is in the low to moderate range, often under 200, and the wave comment is stuck on "poor surf conditions" day after day. On Friday the 21st of August morning, the wind goes light from the southeast and the water looks clean, but the swell is only 1ft with a short 8-second period – hardly worth paddling out for.
There’s a brief moment on Saturday the 22nd of August morning where the wind goes offshore from the east-northeast, and the water is clean with 0.7ft of swell. The period is a very long 11 seconds, which would be a beautiful groundswell at a point break or reef, but at Rest Bay with that tiny height, it’s just not going to break properly. The energy is a weak 25, so nothing doing.
The best of a pretty poor bunch comes right at the end. On Monday the 31st of August morning, the wind is light from the south-southeast and the water is clean again. The swell picks up to a modest 5ft from the west-southwest, with a period of 7 seconds and combined energy of 235. The comment finally says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions," which is the only bright spot in the whole window. It’s still not great, but it’s the only day you could realistically get wet. The afternoon sees the swell hit 5ft, but the wind swings back onshore, so stick to the morning.
So, overall, the standout option – and I use that term loosely – is Monday the 31st of August morning at Rest Bay. You’re looking at a 5ft west-southwest swell with clean, glassy conditions thanks to that light south-southeast breeze. That’s your best shot.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon morning, min 14°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Sun night, fresh winds from the W by Tue afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 20°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Wed night, light winds from the S by Sat afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 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 5 | W 6 | W 4 | W 6 | W 6 | WSW 6 | W 7 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | W 7 | W 6 | WSW 8 | WSW 6 | WSW 8 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 21 | 39 | 14 | 84 | 78 | 51 | 130 | 134 | 228 | 169 | 135 | 38 | 22 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | on | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:07AM8.48m | 10:25PM8.43m | 10:44AM7.95m | 11:03PM7.76m | 11:22AM7.34m | 11:42PM7.06m | 12:04PM6.72m | 00:30AM6.40m | 1:00PM6.16m | 1:39AM5.89m | 2:24PM5.84m | 3:16AM5.76m | 4:00PM5.98m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:07PM0.80m | 4:29AM1.07m | 4:44PM1.34m | 5:05AM1.67m | 5:23PM1.95m | 5:45AM2.30m | 6:09PM2.56m | 6:37AM2.88m | 7:14PM3.08m | 7:53AM3.28m | 8:46PM3.31m | 9:31AM3.29m | 10:20PM3.09m | ||||||||
 |  |  | |  |  | |  | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — |
 | — | 8:34 | — | — | 8:31 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:28 | — | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:23 | — | — | 8:22 | — |
mm | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 5 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 16 |
Feels °C | 18 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | — | WSW 7 | W 6 | W 17 | WSW 6 | SW 16 | — | SW 16 | W 15 | SW 14 | W 6 | WSW 8 | WSW 6 | W 5 | W 8 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WNW 3 |
| kJ | 21 | — | 10 | 84 | 6 | 51 | 11 | — | 10 | 4 | 8 | 38 | 22 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 1 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | — | — | — | — | W 17 | — | — | W 16 | — | — | WSW 9 | NW 4 | SW 13 | WSW 8 | WSW 11 | SW 15 | WNW 3 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 9 |
| kJ | 2 | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | 5 | — | — | 15 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 14 | — | — | SW 16 | SW 15 | — | SW 15 | — | — | SW 14 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | 10 | 9 | — | 8 | — | — | 8 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 6 | W 4 | W 6 | W 6 | — | W 7 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | W 7 | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 2 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 39 | 14 | 81 | 78 | — | 130 | 134 | 228 | 169 | 135 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 339 | 392 | 405 | 158 | 311 | 205 | 453 | 311 | 295 | 70 | 142 | 0 | 34 | 195 | 272 | 90 | 54 | 78 | 194 | 195 | 94 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Wales - South East | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Rest Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Rest Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Rest Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Rest Bay 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 (Rest Bay) 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 Rest Bay 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.
Rest Bay is 1 km (1 miles) from Porthcawl. If you plan a holiday in Wales - South East, look for hotels and other accommodation in Porthcawl. Porthcawl has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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