Surf Forecasts:
Rest Bay surf forecast from 11 Sep 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 7s period, W swell with 311 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Rest Bay this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Rest Bay in the next 16 days are 1.7m 7s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Thu 17th Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rest Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it. Looking out over the next couple of weeks, to be straight with you, there’s not a lot to get fired up about around here. The swells are small, the wind is mostly wrong, and the water is weirdly warm for this time of year.
First up, the only break we’re tracking is Rest Bay, and the whole 16-day window is looking pretty lackluster. The water temperature right now is 66°F, which is a full 6°F warmer than normal for September. That’s a real anomaly – you’ll feel like you’re surfing in a bath.
The pattern for the first week is dominated by small, weak swell with onshore or cross-onshore wind. Friday 11th and Saturday 12th have tiny waves around 3ft to 3ft from the WSW, with cross-onshore winds at 9 to 18 mph. It’s choppy and messy – not worth paddling out unless you’re desperate to wet a board. The combined wave energy is weak, only around 140 to 181 (poor conditions). This theme carries right through to the middle of the next week. Sunday 13th? Same story – 3ft WSW swell with cross-onshore wind. Monday 14th the swell drops to 3ft, and the period is a short, weak 5 seconds in the afternoon (energy down to 59). That’s not surf, that’s just bump on the water.
We get a slight uptick on Thursday 17th with the swell hitting 5ft to 6ft from the W, but it’s paired with strong cross-onshore winds of 15 to 18 mph, so it’s lumpy and blown-out. The energy climbs to 208 then 311, which tells you there’s some push, but the quality is gone. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
From Friday 18th right through to Saturday 26th, the surf is almost non-existent. Swells mostly under 2ft, with long periods of glassy or light offshore winds on the 20th and 21st. On Monday 21st, there’s a brief window of 2ft from the W with a 8-second period and gentle offshore east wind (9 mph). That’s the closest thing to a surfable wave in the whole window – clean, but tiny. The energy is only 73. For a keen intermediate, it might be worth a look, but don’t expect much.
The standout? Honestly, there isn’t one. If you had to pick, the morning of Monday 21st is the best on offer – clean conditions with a light offshore, but the swell is barely a ripple. Crowds at Rest Bay are often present, but with waves this small, it’ll likely be quiet. The rest of the period is a write-off.
So, bottom line: save your energy. It’s a long, flat run with very little to recommend.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat morning, min 14°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Sat afternoon, light winds from the WSW by Sun night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the W on Mon night, fresh winds from the W by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | |||||||||||||||
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 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 6 | W 8 | WSW 7 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 5 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WNW 4 | W 6 | W 8 | W 9 | W 10 | W 7 | W 7 | WSW 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 181 | 140 | 72 | 125 | 181 | 228 | 108 | 132 | 88 | 113 | 33 | 85 | 62 | 34 | 76 | 161 | 133 | 54 | 206 | 311 | 196 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 7:28PM9.32m | 7:48AM9.13m | 8:06PM9.42m | 8:24AM9.15m | 8:41PM9.27m | 8:59AM8.95m | 9:16PM8.90m | 9:32AM8.57m | 9:49PM8.36m | 10:05AM8.05m | 10:23PM7.72m | 10:39AM7.43m | 10:59PM7.03m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:17PM0.31m | 1:40AM0.07m | 1:53PM0.11m | 2:13AM0.04m | 2:26PM0.13m | 2:45AM0.22m | 2:58PM0.36m | 3:16AM0.58m | 3:30PM0.76m | 3:47AM1.08m | 4:03PM1.29m | 4:19AM1.68m | 4:39PM1.92m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | |  | |  |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:41 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — |
 | — | 7:38 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:25 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | — | — | W 8 | WSW 7 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | W 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | W 6 | — | — | W 10 | W 10 | — | WSW 8 |
| kJ | 181 | 140 | 72 | — | — | 217 | 108 | 132 | 88 | 79 | 26 | 85 | 62 | 21 | 59 | — | — | 54 | 2 | — | 196 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | W 11 | WSW 11 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 11 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | WSW 8 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | — | — | — | WSW 9 | WSW 5 | — | — | WNW 4 | W 6 | W 8 | W 9 | W 5 | W 7 | W 7 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | 125 | 181 | 228 | — | — | — | 113 | 33 | — | — | 34 | 76 | 161 | 133 | 34 | 206 | 311 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3 | 22 | 115 | 138 | 311 | 295 | 21 | 70 | 41 | 138 | 138 | 100 | 14 | 14 | 22 | 311 | 573 | 356 | 356 | 70 | |
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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