South Padre Island Surf Break

Lat Long: 26.67° N 97.29° W

South Padre Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 pm 30 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's South Padre Island sea temperature is
29.0°C
0.1° 

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


South Padre Island surf forecast from 31 Aug 2026:

  • Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 5s period, SE swell with 37 kJ wave energy.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for South Padre Island this week:

The most powerful waves expected at South Padre Island in the next 16 days are 0.8m 5s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (CDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)--
Best Surf--
Most Powerful10AM (Fri 4th Sep)2.5ft (0.8m) 5s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for South Padre Island over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this is a tough stretch for the Texas coast. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and messy for the most part. We’re talkin’ about a long stretch of weak, short-period windswell and onshore winds, so don’t be expectin’ much. The one bright spot is a pulse of energy that rolls in around the second week, but even that comes with its own headaches.

The only spot with any kind of wave potential in the whole 16-day window is South Padre Island. This is a beginner-friendly beach and jetty break, but it’s inconsistent and exposed to the ESE. The water is a warm 84°, which is right on the money for the time of year, nothin’ unusual there.

The outlook is pretty grim for the first week and a half. From Sunday the 30th of August all the way through the morning of Thursday the 10th of September, we’re lookin’ at a stretch of flat to tiny surf. Swell heights are mostly below 3ft, with periods as short as 3 to 5 seconds – that’s practically a lake. The combined wave energy is weak, barely hittin’ double digits (some readings as low as 5 to 55). Winds are mostly cross-onshore to onshore, creating a choppy, lumpy mess. There’s simply nothin’ to paddle for.

Now, things start to get a little more interesting headin’ into the second week. On the morning of Friday the 11th of September, a new swell starts to fill in. We’re seein’ 5ft of ESE swell with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 264. That’s a moderate pulse, but it’s still a short-period swell, and the wind is a cross-onshore from the NE on the morning, then SE in the afternoon. The surf report calls it poor, and honestly, the wind is gonna keep it a bit ragged.

The standout session, and the only window I’d even consider, is the morning of Saturday the 12th of September. The swell drops just a fraction to 5ft, still from the ESE, with that same 8-second period and a combined energy of 230 – still moderate. But here’s the kicker: the wind goes light and swings to a cross-offshore direction from the south. The report says "clean." That’s the word we’ve been waitin’ for. For a few hours, South Padre should have some clean, rideable lines. The swell is pushin’ 5ft, which is a solid size for a beginner spot, but it’s not too big. The weak point is the short period – it’s a windswell, not a groundswell, so it’ll be a bit choppy and won’t have that long, drawn-out wall. But with that light offshore wind, it’s the best you’re gonna get. The crowds will be a factor though – this spot is inconsistent, so when it does show, it gets busy.

After that, it’s back to the same old story. The afternoon of the 12th gets ruined by a fresh cross-onshore breeze. Sunday the 13th sees the swell buildin’ to 6ft on the morning and 6ft on the afternoon, with combined energy hittin’ 423 and 504 – that’s a strong pulse. But the wind is a cross-onshore mess, so it’s gonna be a washin’ machine. At 6ft, it’s gettin’ into the zone where it’s a handful for beginners, and by 6ft, it’s edgin’ into expert territory, especially with the messy wind. The followin’ Monday the 14th has a risk of thunderstorms and strong onshore winds, so that’s a write-off.

So, to sum it up: you’ve got one real shot, and that’s the morning of Saturday the 12th of September at South Padre. The rest of the window is a desert of flatness and wind. It’s a frustrating pattern, but in this part of the world, a blank run like this is more normal than you’d hope. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it, but for now, don’t clear your schedule.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Sun afternoon, min 27°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Wed afternoon, min 28°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds.

Sun
30
Monday
31
Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
Saturday
5
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
0
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)
0.2
ESE
9
0.6
ESE
4
0.2
E
9
0.2
ESE
9
0.5
SE
4
0.4
SE
4
0.7
ESE
3
0.8
SE
4
0.6
SE
5
0.7
SE
4
0.8
SE
4
0.6
ESE
5
0.7
SE
5
0.9
SE
4
0.8
SE
5
0.6
ESE
5
0.7
ESE
4
0.4
ESE
5
0.5
SE
5
0.5
ESE
6
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
8
9
6
8
6
4
10
20
19
13
22
16
22
26
37
17
16
9
12
20
Wind (km/h)
25
ESE
25
SSE
15
SSE
25
ESE
20
SSE
15
SSE
35
SE
30
SSE
20
SSE
30
ESE
25
SSE
20
SSE
30
ESE
25
SSE
25
SSE
30
ESE
25
SE
20
SSE
25
ESE
25
SE
Wind State
on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
5:36PM0.50m
5:10AM0.48m
7:00PM0.50m
5:01AM0.49m
8:53PM0.51m
4:40AM0.51m
00:18AM0.55m
2:06AM0.60m
2:45AM0.63m
3:20AM0.65m
Low Tide
11:35PM0.34m
11:50AM0.25m
00:12AM0.41m
12:34PM0.20m
00:51AM0.48m
1:27PM0.16m
1:42AM0.55m
2:31PM0.12m
3:46PM0.10m
5:04PM0.07m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:07
7:07
7:09
7:09
7:09
7:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:51
7:50
7:49
7:47
7:46
7:45
7:45
 mm
Temp °C
29
28
29
29
28
28
28
28
29
29
28
28
29
28
29
29
28
29
29
28
Feels °C
30
29
31
30
30
31
27
29
31
30
29
30
29
28
31
29
29
31
30
30
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for South Padre Island:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our South Padre Island surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


Information about the South Padre Island Surf forecast

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

South Padre Island is 66 km (41 miles) from Harlingen. If you plan a vacation in Texas, look for hotels and other accommodation in Harlingen. Harlingen has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

Nearest locationNearest