Surf Forecasts:
Southerndown surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 9s period, WSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 8s period, WSW swell with 441 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 9s period with WSW 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 27) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 0.2m and 2s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Southerndown in the next 16 days are 1.9m 8s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Southerndown over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you – this is a grim stretch for Southerndown. We're looking at a 16-day window and honestly, for the first 12 days, you're better off doing something else. The swell is tiny, the wind is all over the place, and the sea just isn't giving up anything rideable. The water is a very unusual 69° – that's much warmer than normal for this time of year, but it's not much use when there's no surf.
We start on Sunday, August 23rd, with a tiny 0.7ft windswell from the WSW. The energy is weak (20), and it's just poor. Sunday afternoon is glassy, but the swell is a pitiful 0.3ft. Monday through Wednesday are no better, with that same near-flatness and a stiff cross-off breeze that, while clean, has nothing to work with.
A bit of a lift comes on Thursday, August 27th, with a 2ft to 3ft swell, but it's short-period (7-8 seconds) and the wind is onshore. It's still poor, but the energy creeps up to 74 – still weak. Friday and Saturday stay small and messy.
Then, on Saturday, August 29th, the swell finally pushes over 3ft. By Saturday afternoon, we're looking at 6ft from the WSW, with a combined energy of 335 (moderate). But the wind is howling onshore from the SW at 22 mph, making it a complete write-off. This pattern of onshore wind and rising swell continues into Sunday, August 30th, with 5ft and 5ft, but the wind is still a fresh cross-onshore, lumping it all up. The energy is solid (300-214), but the quality is zero.
Monday, August 31st, sees the swell drop back to 2ft and the wind goes cross-shore. Not worth a paddle. The whole first week of September is a flat, wind-blown mess.
Now, there is a glimmer. A very distant glimmer. On Friday, September 4th, we finally see something that might work. The morning offers a 6ft swell from the WSW, with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy shoots up to 1037 (strong), and the wind is a gentle cross-onshore (9 mph). The data says it's "marginal" and the score is low, but compared to the desert before it, this is the only pulse with any real push. The wind is light, so the surface won't be a total washing machine. The swell is 6ft, so it's a touch too big for beginners. After that, it's back to onshore wind and building swell, with Monday, September 7th showing a 10ft monster, but it's being blown to bits by a near-gale (31 mph) cross-onshore wind. That's strictly for experts with a death wish, and even then, it'll be a battle.
So, what's the call? The only standout, and I use that word very loosely, is the Friday, September 4th morning session. It's not perfect, but it's the only time in the entire 16 days where the swell has some power and the wind isn't completely ruining it. The swell is 6ft from the WSW, and the light cross-onshore wind (9 mph) means it'll be a bit lumpy, but at least you'll be catching waves. The period is 9 seconds, so it's a short-period windswell, not a clean groundswell. It's a long way out, so don't plan your life around it, but if you're desperate, that's the window.
For the rest of it, with all this onshore wind and building swell on a beach setup, Southerndown looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 24°C on Tue afternoon, min 13°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun afternoon, fresh winds from the E by Tue morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Wed night. Warm (max 24°C on Wed afternoon, min 14°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | SW 14 | SW 13 | W 13 | W 10 | W 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | SW 8 | WSW 7 | SW 8 | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | WSW 10 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 6 | 54 | 66 | 67 | 29 | 22 | 265 | 160 | 335 | 438 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 4:00PM5.98m | 4:38AM6.08m | 5:06PM6.47m | 5:32AM6.62m | 5:53PM7.08m | 6:13AM7.20m | 6:31PM7.70m | 6:49AM7.76m | 7:05PM8.26m | 7:22AM8.24m | 7:38PM8.71m | 7:55AM8.61m | 8:11PM9.00m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:20PM3.09m | 10:50AM2.91m | 11:23PM2.60m | 11:43AM2.36m | 00:08AM2.02m | 12:22PM1.78m | 00:45AM1.45m | 12:57PM1.25m | 1:17AM0.97m | 1:28PM0.82m | 1:48AM0.59m | 1:59PM0.51m | 2:18AM0.36m | ||||||||
6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | |
— | 8:21 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:09 | — | — | 8:07 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
Temp °C | 19 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 19 | 23 | 24 | 16 | 22 | 24 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 |
Feels °C | 16 | 21 | 18 | 13 | 17 | 12 | 18 | 19 | 15 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | W 9 | SW 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | SSW 3 | WSW 8 | WSW 7 | SW 8 | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | WSW 10 | WSW 8 | — | — |
8 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 2 | 14 | 66 | 67 | 29 | 22 | 265 | 160 | — | — | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 9 | SW 13 | W 13 | W 10 | SW 8 | SW 4 | WSW 4 | WSW 8 | W 7 | SW 10 | W 10 | W 12 | SW 12 | — | — | — | — |
8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 15 | — | — | — | SW 14 | — | — | SW 8 | — | SW 8 | S 8 | — | — | SW 10 | — | W 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
4 | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | 3 | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | 4 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | E 3 | E 3 | E 3 | E 3 | E 3 | SSE 3 | — | — | — | SW 8 | — | — | — | WSW 2 | — | — | WSW 8 | WSW 8 |
— | — | — | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 54 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 335 | 438 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 92 | 133 | 43 | 425 | 386 | 308 | 142 | 315 | 161 | 143 | 103 | 169 | 131 | 49 | 0 | 49 | 93 | 136 | 354 | 392 | 467 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Wales - South East | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











