
Surf Forecasts:
South Padre Island surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 5 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 6s period, ESE swell with 82 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 1.0m 6s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) 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 (Wed 5th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for South Padre Island over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s cooking down at South Padre Island for the next couple of weeks.
To be straight with you, it’s a pretty bleak outlook. We got a solid 16-day window here, and honestly, there’s not a single session that’s worth paddling out for. The whole run is a bust. The wind is almost always blowing cross-onshore, chopping everything up, and the swell is weak and short-period. It’s just not happening for us.
Starting from Wednesday the 29th of July, it’s all the same story: small, weak swell barely getting out of the double digits for energy, barely hitting 3 feet at best, and the period is a measly 4 to 6 seconds. That’s pure windswell, no push, no power. The wind is a constant fresh to strong breeze out of the SE and SSE, making everything lumpy and messy. That pattern just locks in day after day.
We get a slight break in the wind on Sunday the 2nd of August morning, with a light breeze, but the swell is still tiny at 2 feet and 6 seconds. It’s not enough to do anything with. Then it’s right back to the same cross-onshore chop for the rest of the week and into the next.
The combined swell energy does nudge up to 100 on Thursday the 6th of August, but it’s still a weak, short-period 3 foot SE swell with a moderate breeze ruining it. It’s a “poor surf conditions” label all the way through to the end of the forecast period on the 13th of August.
For a beginner spot that’s exposed and inconsistent, this is a normal dry spell. The water temp is around 83° at the start, which is average for the time of year, but you won't even feel it because you won't be in the water.
I wouldn’t bother. This is more of a kiteboarding window with the constant side-shore winds, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a hard pass. Wind, chop, and no swell—that’s the whole story.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Wed morning, min 27°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sun morning. Warm (max 28°C on Sat morning, min 27°C on Sat morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SE on Sat afternoon, light winds from the SSE by Mon morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 6 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | SE 6 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 6 | SE 5 | ESE 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
23 | 37 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 16 | 15 | 29 | 12 | 16 | 43 | 24 | 15 | 19 | 25 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 44 | 59 | 55 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 6:43AM0.57m | 2:05PM0.51m | 6:50AM0.55m | 3:22PM0.49m | 6:52AM0.53m | 4:37PM0.46m | 6:52AM0.51m | 5:59PM0.45m | 6:50AM0.50m | 7:43PM0.44m | 6:45AM0.50m | 10:23PM0.46m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 10:11PM0.11m | 11:50AM0.50m | 10:42PM0.15m | 12:02PM0.46m | 11:12PM0.19m | 12:26PM0.42m | 11:41PM0.25m | 12:57PM0.37m | 00:09AM0.31m | 1:33PM0.31m | 00:36AM0.38m | 2:17PM0.26m | 00:51AM0.45m | ||||||||
6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | |
— | 8:17 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:14 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 |
Feels °C | 31 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 30 | 34 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 32 | 30 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | — | — | — | — | SE 6 | ESE 7 | E 10 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | E 9 | — | — |
1 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 2 | — | — | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 9 | E 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 6 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 | — | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | SE 6 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 6 | SE 5 | ESE 6 |
23 | 37 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 16 | 15 | 29 | 12 | 16 | 43 | 24 | — | 19 | 25 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 44 | 59 | 55 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 974 | 1059 | 971 | 974 | 1051 | 971 | 974 | 1059 | 971 | 974 | 1274 | 992 | 320 | 1059 | 65 | 104 | 1077 | 971 | 974 | 1059 | 971 |
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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.










