Southerndown Surf Break

Lat Long: 51.45° N 3.61° W

Southerndown Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 12 am 20 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Southerndown sea temperature is
20.9° C
4.5° 

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


Southerndown surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 6s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period, WSW swell with 181 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 6s period with W swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Southerndown this week:

The surf forecast for Southerndown over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Southerndown in the next 16 days are 1.3m 8s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 1PM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)10PM (Thu 20th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 6s
Best Surf10PM (Thu 20th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 6s
Most Powerful 7AM (Thu 20th Aug)4.5ft (1.3m) 8s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Southerndown over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

GUTTERS… yeah, it’s flat. Proper flat. Looking at the whole 16-day run for Southerndown, and I gotta be straight with you—there is nothing on the board that’s going to get me out of bed early. Not a single score above a zero, and every single entry in the guidance is marked as “poor surf conditions.” That’s a full-blown blank run, which for this stretch of coast, honestly, is more normal than not. These sandbanks need a proper push of swell and the right wind, and we just ain’t getting it in this window.

We start off with a bit of a tease on Thursday the 20th. There’s a small 4ft swell from the WSW, but the wind is howling from the W at 16 mph, cross-onshore and choppy as hell. The combined energy is weak, only 332. Not worth the paddle. That fades fast.

Friday the 21st is glassy in the morning, dead calm air, but the swell drops to 2ft with almost no energy behind it (36). You’d be floating around waiting for nothing. That pattern—tiny swell, clean but empty—holds through the weekend and into the start of next week. There’s some clean mornings with light easterly cross-off winds on Saturday and Sunday, but we’re talking 0.7ft to 1ft dribble with energy readings in the teens and twenties. It’s flat, plain and simple.

Monday the 24th through Tuesday the 25th, the wind picks up from the east, but it’s cross-off and clean, which would be nice if there was any swell. There isn’t. We’re looking at 0.3ft. Just a shimmer on the water.

Then things get proper messy. From Wednesday the 26th, the wind swings southerly and we start seeing some of that onshore junk. The swell tries to pick up a little on the 28th and 29th, reaching 4ft, but it’s a short-period, wind-blown mess—6 to 8 seconds. The combined energy gets up to 191 and 234 on the 30th, but the wind is all over it, cross-onshore, and it’s just lumpy, fat, closed-out lines for the kites, not for us.

The end of the month, the 31st, shows a big spike—a 8ft swell with a very strong energy reading of 1961—but it’s coming from the SW with a 16 to 19 mph onshore wind and a storm risk. That’s not surfable; that’s a washing machine. Over 8ft is experts only, and this is just under that with terrible wind. It’s a pass.

The first few days of September are more of the same. A little 4ft on the 1st, but it’s cross-onshore and bumpy. The 4th has a 3ft swell but a strong breeze at 28 mph is just wrecking it.

So, here’s the long and short of it: there are no good surf options in this entire 16-day window. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no drama there, but the waves are the problem. It’s a hard, flat, and then messy run. A blank stretch like this is a part of life around here; the banks will shift, the wind will settle, and a proper groundswell will eventually fill the gap. But it won’t be in this forecast. Keep the board in the car anyway. That’s the way it goes.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 20°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Warm (max 25°C on Mon afternoon, min 13°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun afternoon, strong winds from the ENE by Mon night).

Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
AM
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
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.2
WSW
8
1.2
W
7
0.5
WSW
9
0.5
W
8
0.5
W
8
0.4
W
4
0.3
WSW
10
0.3
WSW
9
0.2
W
9
0.2
WSW
9
0.2
WSW
9
0.2
WSW
10
0.2
WSW
9
0.1
SW
14
0.1
SW
13
0.1
SW
13
0.1
SW
13
0.1
W
10
0.6
SW
4
0.9
WSW
5
0.9
WSW
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
169
146
45
36
33
7
18
17
8
8
8
9
8
8
7
7
7
3
15
33
91
Wind (km/h)
25
W
25
WNW
10
N
0
E
15
WNW
10
NE
10
E
10
NW
10
NE
5
E
5
SSW
15
ENE
25
E
25
E
40
E
35
E
20
E
10
ESE
20
SE
25
SSE
10
E
Wind State
cross-on
cross
cross-off
glassy
cross
off
cross-off
cross
off
cross-off
glassy
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
12:04PM6.72m
00:30AM6.40m
1:00PM6.16m
1:39AM5.89m
2:24PM5.84m
3:16AM5.76m
4:00PM5.98m
4:38AM6.08m
5:06PM6.47m
5:32AM6.62m
5:53PM7.08m
6:13AM7.20m
6:31PM7.70m
Low Tide
5:45AM2.30m
6:09PM2.56m
6:37AM2.88m
7:14PM3.08m
7:53AM3.28m
8:46PM3.31m
9:31AM3.29m
10:20PM3.09m
10:50AM2.91m
11:23PM2.60m
11:43AM2.36m
00:08AM2.02m
12:22PM1.78m
00:45AM1.45m
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
light rain
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
thunderstorm
heavy rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:07
6:07
6:09
6:11
6:13
6:13
6:16
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:27
8:24
8:22
8:21
8:19
8:16
8:15
 mm
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
15
Temp °C
17
18
15
15
17
15
17
20
18
19
21
20
23
25
19
18
17
17
22
23
17
Feels °C
13
13
13
15
14
13
15
18
15
17
19
18
17
19
12
12
15
16
19
19
16
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Southerndown Surf forecast

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

Are you planning a holiday in Wales - South East? If you are looking for accommodation near Southerndown, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Wales - South East, consider staying in Porthcawl which is 6 km (4 miles) away. Other places in and around Wales - South East where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Nash Point which is 8 km (5 miles) away, Coity, Maesteg and Barry.

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