Surf Forecasts:
South Padre Island surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 5s period, SE swell with 56 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 1.1m 5s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 2s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (CDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for South Padre Island over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s be real with you. I’ve looked at the next 16 days for South Padre, and honestly, it’s a tough stretch. We’ve got a whole lot of nothing on the horizon for a while. The waves are just not cooperating, and the wind is doing us no favors. For the first week and more, from Monday the 17th right through to the end of August, it’s pretty much a write-off. That’s about 12 days of just poor surf conditions staring back at us. The swell energy is weak, coming in mostly from the southeast with short, bumpy periods, and the wind is constantly cross-onshore, chopping up what little bit of push there is. It’s the kind of surf that has you sitting on the beach squinting and wondering if it’s worth the paddle out. It’s not. This stretch is all about waiting it out.
The only faint glimmer in this whole otherwise bleak picture comes on Thursday the 27th in the morning. That one morning, the wind is forecast to go glassy, like proper glassy, with just a slight air. The water’s gonna be clean. It’s the one time the surf actually stands a chance of having a bit of shape, even if the swell is on the small side, around 2ft from the southeast. The energy is still weak, sitting at 14, but with that glass, it’ll be your best bet for a fun, cruisy session on a longboard. South Padre Island is a beach and jetty setup, and it’s exposed, so you take what you can get. It’s not a standout for size, but for cleanliness, it’s the only show in town.
Beyond that, the pattern stays stubborn. There’s a slight bump in size as we roll into September 1st, with the swell pushing up to 4ft from the east, but the wind is right back on it, fresh and cross-onshore, so it’ll be lumpy and messy again. The energy is still only moderate, in the 80s, so it’s not like we’re looking at anything powerful. It’s more of the same. The water temp on that first morning is 84°, which is about spot-on for this time of year, so no surprises there.
So, here’s the deal. If you’re desperate for a paddle, lock in that Thursday morning. It’s your only real window for clean conditions. For everything else, maybe keep the board in the car and the kite in the back. With that constant onshore wind, the setup might honestly look more fun for the kite surfers than us paddle guys. It’s a tough stretch, for sure.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Thu morning, min 27°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (light winds from the S on Mon night, fresh winds from the SE by Thu afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Fri morning, min 26°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SE on Fri afternoon, light winds from the SSE by Sat morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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 | SSE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 3 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 13 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 29 | 21 | 19 | 54 | 29 | 23 | 38 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 13 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 5:28AM0.51m | 4:42AM0.54m | 4:07AM0.57m | 4:10AM0.58m | 4:21AM0.59m | 4:35AM0.59m | 4:47AM0.59m | ||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 2:30PM0.20m | 3:32PM0.18m | 4:36PM0.17m | 5:37PM0.16m | 6:31PM0.15m | 7:17PM0.14m | 7:59PM0.13m | ||||||||||||||
 | |  |  | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — |
 | — | 8:02 | — | — | 8:01 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:57 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
Feels °C | 30 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | E 6 | E 9 | SE 9 | — | E 9 | — | E 8 | E 8 | — | — | SE 5 | SE 7 | — | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 |
| kJ | 8 | 16 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | — | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 10 | 7 | — | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 9 | E 10 | — | — | — | E 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 8 | — | — | — | E 7 | — |
| kJ | 7 | 7 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SSE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 | — | SE 4 | SE 3 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SE 4 |
| kJ | 13 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 29 | 21 | 19 | 54 | 29 | 23 | 38 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 20 | — | 10 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 13 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 974 | 1062 | 971 | 974 | 1201 | 971 | 974 | 1059 | 971 | 974 | 1201 | 971 | 992 | 1062 | 971 | 974 | 1062 | 971 | 974 | 1081 | 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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