Surf Forecasts:
South Padre Island surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 5s period, SE swell with 38 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 0.9m 5s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 4AM. 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 | 4AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for South Padre Island over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, let’s talk about South Padre Island. Rusty here, and I gotta level with you—this 16-day stretch is a bummer for surfers. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with basically nothing on the menu for the first week and beyond.
The whole run is plagued by weak swell and mostly onshore or cross-onshore winds. Wave heights barely tickle your ankle, mostly 0.3 ft to 2 ft. The combined energy is pitiful—single and low double-digit numbers like 3, 10, or 17 (weak energy). Short periods of 3 to 9 seconds mean no real push or shape. The wind is almost always a problem, swinging from SE to ESE, keeping the surface choppy and bumpy. It’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one.
The first real hint of anything different comes on Saturday, September 5th. The morning is glassy—total calm wind—which is a major positive for clean conditions. There’s a tiny 2 ft swell from the east, but the period is a weak 6 seconds, and the energy is still low at 29. It’s still “poor surf conditions,” so while the glassy window is rare, the wave itself is barely a ripple. By the afternoon, the wind picks up onshore and the swell bumps to 3 ft with 130 (moderate energy), but the wind kills it.
After that, it’s back to the same story: cross-onshore winds, tiny swell, and poor quality. The water temp is around 84°F—right on average for the time of year with no anomaly, so that’s not a factor.
For the entire 16-day forecast, there is not a single standout day for quality surf. The consistency is “inconsistent” and the ratings are zeros across the board. A blank run like this isn’t unheard of here. Forecasts can change, but as it stands, leave the board in the car and keep an eye on the horizon.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 29°C on Fri afternoon, min 27°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the S on Fri night, fresh winds from the SE by Sun afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Mon afternoon, min 28°C on Mon afternoon). Mainly fresh winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 8 | SE 3 | E 8 | SE 3 | E 9 | E 9 | ESE 9 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 21 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 17 | 30 | 28 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 18 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross | 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 | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 5:16AM0.50m | 4:24PM0.50m | 5:15AM0.48m | 5:36PM0.50m | 5:10AM0.48m | 7:00PM0.50m | 5:01AM0.49m | 8:53PM0.51m | 4:40AM0.51m | 00:18AM0.55m | 2:06AM0.60m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 10:23PM0.22m | 10:44AM0.36m | 10:59PM0.28m | 11:14AM0.31m | 11:35PM0.34m | 11:50AM0.25m | 00:12AM0.41m | 12:34PM0.20m | 00:51AM0.48m | 1:27PM0.16m | 1:42AM0.55m | 2:31PM0.12m | ||||||||
 |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — |
 | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — |
mm | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 |
Feels °C | 31 | 30 | 32 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 32 | 30 | 29 | 33 | 31 | 29 | 32 | 31 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | ESE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 5 | E 8 | E 8 | E 5 | — | — |
| kJ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 19 | — | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | — | — | — | — | SE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 2 | SE 3 | — | SE 3 | SE 3 | SE 4 | SE 3 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | — | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | — | E 5 | E 5 |
| kJ | 1 | 3 | — | 2 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 21 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 17 | 30 | 28 | — | 20 | 19 | — | 20 | 18 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1062 | 971 | 974 | 991 | 971 | 974 | 1062 | 971 | 974 | 991 | 971 | 971 | 1062 | 971 | 974 | 1062 | 971 | 971 | 971 | 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.
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