Surf Forecasts:
South Padre Island surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 5s period, SE swell with 85 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 1.2m 5s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (CDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Fri 24th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for South Padre Island over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s look ahead at the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, we’re looking at a pretty flat and choppy run here. If you were hoping for clean, rideable waves, you’re going to have to be patient. There’s a long stretch of nothing really working well, and it’s not until the second week that we finally see a little bit of life, though even that comes with caveats. The water temp at South Padre Island is 83°, which is about average for this time of year.
From Thursday the 23rd of July all the way through to the morning of Wednesday the 5th of August, the surf is just poor. Shifty winds, lumpy conditions, and small, weak swell. There’s no recommendation here because nothing is coming together.
For example, on the 23rd, it’s a cross-onshore wind at 22 mph, only 2 ft of 4-second slop from the SE, and the energy is basically nothing at 15. Saturday the 25th tries a little with some moderate breeze, but it’s still cross-onshore and choppy. The biggest issue is the wind just won’t let up – it’s consistently cross or cross-onshore, making everything messy.
The only break on the books is South Padre Island (Texas), but it’s a beach/jetty setup that’s inconsistent anyway. On top of that, it’s exposed to the ESE, and we’re getting mostly SE swell. The swell direction isn’t ideal, and with all that wind, it’s just not worth paddling out.
Finally, on Thursday the 6th of August, things start to shift. The swell bumps up a bit to 4 ft from the ESE on the 6th afternoon, with a 7-second period and moderate wave energy (143 on the 6th morning, 131 on the afternoon). The wind also drops to a moderate cross-onshore from the ESE – still not glassy, but it’s the best we’ve seen in days. By Friday the 7th, the swell holds at 4 ft from the SE with a 7-second period, and wave energy climbs to 153 in the afternoon. It’s still cross-onshore at 19 mph, so it’ll be lumpy, but if you’re desperate, these last couple of days are the only window that looks remotely rideable. The period is short, so don't expect much push.
There’s no standout session here. If you’re a kite surfer, the onshore wind and choppy surface might be more interesting than for a surfer on a paddleboard. But for now, I’d wait.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 29°C on Thu afternoon, min 27°C on Fri night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Mon afternoon, min 27°C on Sun night). Mainly strong winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SE 4 | SSE 5 | SE 6 | SE 5 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 5 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 13 | 37 | 56 | 85 | 49 | 38 | 68 | 32 | 20 | 17 | 32 | 25 | 31 | 49 | 41 | 68 | 41 | 25 | 31 | 29 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 5:04AM0.60m | 5:20AM0.61m | 5:39AM0.61m | 5:58AM0.61m | 6:17AM0.60m | 6:33AM0.59m | ||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 6:15PM0.14m | 7:00PM0.12m | 7:42PM0.11m | 8:22PM0.09m | 9:00PM0.09m | 9:36PM0.10m | 10:11PM0.11m | |||||||||||||
 |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — |
 | 8:21 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:17 | — |
mm | 1 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
Feels °C | 29 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | E 8 | NE 6 | NE 5 | — | ESE 6 | SE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | — | E 8 |
| kJ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 38 | 68 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 4 | SSE 5 | SE 6 | SE 5 | ESE 6 | — | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 5 |
| kJ | 13 | 37 | 56 | 85 | 49 | — | 33 | 32 | 20 | 17 | 32 | 25 | 31 | 49 | 41 | 68 | 41 | 25 | 31 | 29 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1328 | 971 | 974 | 981 | 971 | 974 | 1073 | 971 | 974 | 1062 | 971 | 974 | 1073 | 971 | 974 | 1051 | 971 | 974 | 1073 | 971 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Texas | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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