Surf Forecasts:
Shell Island surf forecast from 6 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Friday 7 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 5s period, SSE swell with 8 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Shell Island this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Shell Island in the next 16 days are 0.4m 5s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 07) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 3s period and expected on Friday (Aug 07) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Fri 7th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Shell Island over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.
Well, to be honest, this is a tough one. We’re looking at a long stretch of nothing much. The whole 16-day window is pretty much a write-off for any kind of decent surf. There’s a big gap right from the start, and the energy just never really shows up. The first few days, and honestly most of the period, is filled with “poor surf conditions” – tiny waves, onshore wind, or just flat. You’ll be waiting a long time for anything rideable.
From the 6th of August through to the 10th, there’s barely a ripple. The combined swell energy is a measly 0 to 8, which is about as weak as it gets. The odd 1ft bump shows up, but the wind is either cross or onshore, making it a total mess. Not worth paddling out for.
The only flicker of something happens around the 11th of August. Tuesday morning at Shell Island is glassy, with a light offshore from the ENE, but the swell is still tiny – only 0.7ft. It’s clean, but there’s no push. The period is short at 5 seconds, so it’s just a lake with a ripple.
Things get a little more interesting into the second week, but don’t get your hopes up. By the 17th of August, we see a small pulse of 2ft swell from the west, with a period of 4 seconds and combined energy of 12. The wind is cross-onshore, so it’s not clean, and the swell is too short-period to have any real shape. It’s still a beginner-friendly wave size, but it’s not going to be any good.
Honestly, there’s no standout here. The best of a bad bunch is the glassy morning on the 11th of August, but with only 0.7ft of swell, you’re better off on a longboard or a SUP. The 17th of August might offer the biggest wave of the period, but it’s not clean and the period is poor. It’s a beach break setup, so if the wind is howling, it’s more of a kiteboarding day.
Water temperature is around 85°, which is about average for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a wetsuit.
So, for the 16-day outlook, it’s a grim one. No solid swell, bad wind most days. It’s just one of those blank runs. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d be finding a different hobby for a couple of weeks.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 31°C on Sat morning, min 25°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 30°C on Sun morning, min 27°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | |||||||||||||||
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) | — | — | — | ESE 3 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | S 2 | SE 5 | SE 4 | S 2 | — | SE 5 | S 6 | SSE 5 | S 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | off | cross-on | cross | cross | on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | on | on | on |
High Tide | 4:41AM0.52m | 5:50AM0.56m | 6:59AM0.59m | 8:03AM0.61m | 9:01AM0.60m | 9:54AM0.56m | |||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 3:07PM0.05m | 4:20PM-0.00m | 5:27PM-0.04m | 6:26PM-0.06m | 7:17PM-0.05m | 8:00PM-0.02m | 8:32PM0.04m | ||||||||||||||
 | |  |  | | | | |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — |
 | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:27 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 30 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 31 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
Feels °C | 32 | 31 | 31 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 33 | 31 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | ESE 4 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | — | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 | — | SE 5 | SE 4 | SSE 5 | S 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 4 | 6 | 3 | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 6 | — | S 6 | — | — | S 6 | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | ESE 3 | SSE 5 | — | — | S 2 | SSE 2 | — | S 2 | — | — | — | S 5 | — | — | SW 3 | SW 3 | SW 3 | WSW 3 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1782 | 1520 | 1365 | 1017 | 856 | 415 | 1358 | 415 | 415 | 1344 | 415 | 415 | 1782 | 567 | 905 | 1365 | 874 | 874 | 1782 | 715 | 1591 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gulf Coast, Florida | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Shell Island Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Shell Island provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Shell Island can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Shell Island 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 (Shell Island) 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 Shell Island 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.
Shell Island is 13 km (8 miles) from Panama City. If you plan a vacation in Gulf Coast, Florida, look for hotels and other accommodation in Panama City. Panama City has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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