Surf Forecasts:
Swanage surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 6s period, ESE swell with 173 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Swanage this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Swanage in the next 16 days are 1.6m 6s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.9m 6s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Swanage over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks. It’s pretty quiet to start, so don’t be in a rush.
The water’s sitting at 70°F—that’s more than 7°F warmer than usual for this time of year, so it’s feeling like a bath. Strange for August, but nice if you’re in a shorty or just boardshorts.
Right now, there’s nothing going on. Thursday the 20th is flat, and Friday the 21st has tiny, weak junk that’s not worth paddling out for. Saturday and Sunday are similarly small or messy. Monday the 24th sees a pulse of 5 ft from the ESE, but with 22–25 mph onshore wind, it’s blown-out and just a mess. That’s a hard pass.
We’ve got a long stretch of nothing until we finally get a real chance. The standout arrives on Saturday morning, August 29th, at Swanage. Swell from the SW at 8 ft, period around 9 seconds, and the wind is offshore out of the west at 12 mph. Wave energy is cranking at 949—that’s solid, punchy stuff. The break is very sheltered and rarely breaks, so when it turns on, it’s a treat. That size is getting into expert territory, but it’ll be clean and lined up. The afternoon gets windier and a bit sloppier, so the morning window is the one.
After that, Sunday the 30th through the first days of September drop back to small, poor conditions again. A few glassy or clean windows pop up but with barely any swell. Not worth chasing.
The second week stays quiet—tiny waves, mostly clean but no energy. Overall, that Saturday morning of the 29th is your one real shot. Don’t sleep on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Thu morning, calm by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 21°C on Mon afternoon, min 17°C on Sun morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the NE on Sun morning, strong winds from the E by Mon afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
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 | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 5 | SW 6 | SW 9 | WSW 6 | E 4 | WSW 10 | W 10 | S 14 | S 14 | WSW 11 | ESE 6 | SW 9 | SW 9 | E 5 | SW 8 | SW 8 | W 10 | WSW 10 | SW 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 0 | 0 | 51 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 173 | 3 | 3 | 33 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 112 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross | cross | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:16PM0.98m | 1:28AM0.87m | 5:02PM0.89m | 5:56AM0.83m | 5:56PM0.96m | 6:31AM0.89m | 6:30PM1.05m | 7:00AM0.97m | 7:00PM1.16m | 7:28AM1.05m | 7:28PM1.26m | 7:55AM1.13m | 7:55PM1.37m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:27PM0.63m | 9:38AM0.65m | 11:44PM0.68m | 12:36PM0.69m | 1:41AM0.55m | 1:46PM0.58m | 2:17AM0.41m | 2:22PM0.48m | 2:47AM0.28m | 2:53PM0.38m | 3:15AM0.15m | 3:22PM0.30m | 3:44AM0.04m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | | | | |  | | | |  | |  | | |  | |  | | |
 | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — |
 | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:09 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:06 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 17 | 3 |
Temp °C | 19 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 17 |
Feels °C | 13 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | WSW 5 | SW 6 | ENE 4 | WSW 3 | WSW 5 | E 4 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WSW 11 | WSW 9 | SW 9 | SW 9 | SW 8 | E 4 | SW 8 | W 10 | WSW 10 | SW 8 |
| kJ | — | — | 51 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 9 | 112 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | SW 9 | WSW 6 | W 10 | WSW 10 | W 6 | — | S 14 | — | — | — | W 9 | W 8 | SW 8 | E 4 | W 8 | — | W 8 |
| kJ | — | — | 16 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 1 | — | 4 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SW 8 | S 15 | — | — | S 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 | W 8 | — | — | W 10 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 4 | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | NW 3 | NNE 3 | WSW 6 | ENE 3 | E 4 | — | — | — | — | ESE 4 | ESE 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 5 | — | SSW 3 | SSW 5 | SW 6 | — |
| kJ | 80 | 160 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 3 | 9 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 173 | 297 | 196 | 33 | — | 1 | 64 | 147 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 491 | 246 | 12 | 155 | 108 | 154 | 155 | 209 | 170 | 234 | 236 | 188 | 570 | 226 | 329 | 236 | 234 | 186 | 197 | 170 | 110 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Coast of England | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Swanage surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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.
Nearest