Surf Forecasts:
Swanage surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, SW swell with 1,165 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Swanage this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Swanage in the next 16 days are 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 6s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Swanage over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what we’ve got on the cards for Swanage.
To be straight with you, this is a grim outlook. The next ten days are essentially a write-off for any proper surfing. We are looking at a big, painful gap where there’s just nothing worth paddling out for. The only real exception, and the standout of the entire 16-day window, is on the morning of Monday the 31st of August. Even then, conditions are only rated as surfable but ordinary. That morning delivers a 6ft swell from the WSW with a short period of 8 seconds and moderate wave energy (488). The wind is offshore from the WNW at 19 mph, so it will be clean. The water is much warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a bit weird but not a bad thing. Swanage is a very sheltered spot that rarely breaks, so to get any clean waves at all here is something, but don’t expect any quality. Crowds are possible, but with surf this ordinary, I doubt it’ll be busy.
The Saturday afternoon prior, the 29th of August, sees a big 10ft swell from the SW hit, but the 28 mph cross-off wind will ruin any shape. That size is only for experts anyway, and the period is short at 8 seconds, so it’ll be messy and lumpy with strong wave energy (1217).
After that Monday morning window, it’s back to almost nothing. There are glimpses on Thursday the 3rd of September with a 5ft swell from the SW and offshore wind, but the period is a poor 6 seconds, so no drive. On Thursday the 10th of September, a 7ft short-period swell from the SW appears in the afternoon, but it’s cross-onshore with light wind, making it choppy and only for the brave. The morning of Friday the 11th of September offers a 5ft swell from the SW, clean with light offshore wind, but the period is again short at 7 seconds. The energy is moderate (274), but the waves will be weak and won’t hold their shape.
The rest of the period is flat or tiny with no decent swell. Winds are often strong or onshore, and the wave energy barely registers. For point breaks and reefs, this would be a joke; for a sheltered beach setup like Swanage, it’s just normal for the area to have blank runs like this. It might look more interesting for a kite boarder than a surfer on those windy, lumpy days.
So, keep your expectations low. The only time to check it is Monday morning, the 31st of August, for some clean but unremarkable waves.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Sat morning. Warm (max 20°C on Sat afternoon, min 15°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Sat morning, light winds from the WSW by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 20°C on Thu afternoon, min 15°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SW on Tue morning, strong winds from the SW by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 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) | SSW 6 | SW 8 | WSW 9 | SW 9 | SW 5 | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | SW 4 | WSW 8 | W 8 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | SW 6 | SW 5 | WSW 14 | WSW 12 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 0 | 1217 | 784 | 243 | 0 | 553 | 488 | 307 | 116 | 41 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 293 | 167 | 0 | 19 | 15 | 0 | 0 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 9:20PM1.59m | 9:45AM1.43m | 9:52PM1.60m | 10:18AM1.46m | 10:27PM1.58m | 10:52AM1.45m | 11:04PM1.51m | 11:30AM1.40m | 11:45PM1.39m | 12:12PM1.30m | 4:51PM0.75m | 00:31AM1.22m | 5:18AM0.72m | 1:03PM1.16m | 1:32AM1.03m | ||||||
Low Tide | 4:59PM0.16m | 5:20AM-0.11m | 5:35PM0.16m | 5:55AM-0.07m | 6:13PM0.18m | 6:33AM0.01m | 6:53PM0.24m | 7:14AM0.12m | 7:37PM0.31m | 7:59AM0.26m | 4:12PM0.75m | 8:27PM0.39m | 4:34AM0.71m | 4:49PM0.80m | 9:30PM0.46m | ||||||
 |  |  |  |  |  | | |  |  | | | | |  |  | | | | | | |
 | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — |
 | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:46 | — |
mm | 8 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 |
Feels °C | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | — | WSW 8 | W 8 | — | — | — | — | WSW 8 | WSW 12 | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 116 | 41 | — | 12 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 12 | 15 | — | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 14 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 6 | SW 8 | WSW 9 | SW 9 | SW 5 | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | WSW 9 | — | — | SW 4 | WSW 5 | SW 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | SW 6 | SW 5 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 |
| kJ | 188 | 1217 | 784 | 243 | 129 | 553 | 488 | 307 | — | — | 12 | 28 | 26 | 133 | 293 | 167 | 110 | 51 | 46 | 211 | 135 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 395 | 194 | 110 | 173 | 139 | 302 | 80 | 227 | 12 | 216 | 110 | 246 | 356 | 227 | 246 | 2 | 320 | 320 | 323 | 184 | 179 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Coast of England | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Swanage Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Swanage provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Swanage can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Swanage 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 (Swanage) 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 Swanage 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.
Swanage is 13 km (8 miles) from the city of Poole. If you plan a holiday in South Coast of England, look for hotels and other accommodation in Poole. Poole has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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