Surf Forecasts:
Swanage surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 6s period, E swell with 163 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 2.1m 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, folks, Rusty here. Look, I've got the charts for Swanage for the next sixteen days, and I'm not gonna sweet-talk you – it's a rough stretch. The first week is a total washout, and even when the swell does show up, it's not going to be pretty. We're looking at a long gap of underwhelming surf.
The window kicks off on Thursday, August 20th, and honestly, there's nothing to get excited about. The water is sitting at 70°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – a solid 7°F above average, which is very unusual. But that's the only highlight. For the first full week, the waves are tiny or non-existent, with hardly any energy in the water. The best we see is a bit of a pulse on Monday, August 24th, with a 5ft swell from the east, but that's blown out by a strong 25 mph onshore wind. The combined energy is only 178 (moderate), and the period is a short, weak 6 seconds. That's not surf – that's a washing machine.
You could say there's a glimmer on the morning of August 29th. The swell picks up to 5ft from the WSW with a moderate 16 mph offshore wind. The energy is climbing to 243 (moderate). It's still a short period (7 seconds) and the quality is poor, but it's the only time the wind is in the right place. The afternoon gets a bit bigger at 7ft from the WSW, but the wind freshens to 19 mph. That's getting into the size range where beginners will struggle, and it's still a short, choppy mess.
The best of a bad bunch is the morning of September 4th. A 5ft swell from the SW with a light, clean cross-offshore breeze from the NNW. The energy is 157 (moderate), and it's the cleanest looking window we get. But it's a week and a half away, so don't hold your breath. And even then, the period is a weak 6 seconds.
To be honest, with these conditions – significant swell colliding with strong wind and a beach setup – this is looking more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The combination of onshore winds and short-period swell will make for choppy, difficult conditions on a paddle board.
There's no real standout here. If you're desperate, the morning of the 29th of August and the morning of the 4th of September are your only chances. The rest is a flat, blown-out, or tiny mess. Swanage is a sheltered spot that rarely breaks, and this forecast proves it. It tends not to stay this poor for long, but for now, just give it a miss.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Mon night. Warm (max 21°C on Mon afternoon, min 16°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SE on Sun afternoon, strong winds from the ENE by Mon night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | ||||||||||||||
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 5 | SW 6 | SW 9 | WSW 6 | ENE 4 | WSW 10 | W 10 | S 14 | S 14 | WSW 12 | E 6 | SW 9 | SW 9 | E 5 | ESE 5 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | SSW 8 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 0 | 46 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 163 | 3 | 3 | 85 | 27 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 107 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross | cross | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | on |
High Tide | 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 | |||||||
 |  |  |  | | | | | | |  | | |  | |  | |  | | | |
 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 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 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | 1 | 5 | 1 | — | 32 |
Temp °C | 20 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 |
Feels °C | 15 | 13 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 16 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WSW 5 | SW 6 | SW 9 | WSW 4 | WSW 5 | E 4 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WSW 12 | SW 10 | SW 9 | SW 9 | SW 8 | SW 8 | ESE 4 | W 10 | W 9 | SSW 8 |
| kJ | — | 46 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 107 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | NE 4 | WSW 6 | W 10 | WSW 10 | W 6 | S 14 | S 14 | — | — | — | — | W 9 | — | W 8 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 16 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | S 15 | — | — | — | W 5 | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 | W 10 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 5 | NNW 3 | NNE 3 | SW 3 | NNE 2 | ENE 4 | — | — | — | ESE 3 | ESE 4 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 | E 5 | ESE 5 | SSW 4 | SW 5 | SSW 6 | SE 3 |
| kJ | 83 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 10 | — | — | — | 1 | 10 | 163 | 369 | 319 | 85 | 27 | 18 | 55 | 116 | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 246 | 12 | 155 | 108 | 108 | 154 | 250 | 186 | 234 | 227 | 186 | 337 | 226 | 280 | 280 | 234 | 217 | 251 | 108 | 12 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Coast of England | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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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