Surf Forecasts:
Swanage surf forecast from 14 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 6s period, WSW swell with 127 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Swanage this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Swanage in the next 16 days are 1.3m 6s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Swanage over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, grab a coffee, let’s have a look at the next couple of weeks for Swanage.
To be straight with you, this is a tough stretch for surf. The finder is showing a big fat zero across the board for any decent recommendation for the entire 16 days. There is nothing that’s going to be worth paddling out for properly. We’re looking at a real blank run here, and for this area, that’s not too out of the ordinary, but it’s still a bummer.
The water is currently 69°, which is a massive 7° warmer than usual for the time of year. That’s really unusual, so at least when you’re sitting there staring at flat waves, you won’t be cold.
For the first week, from the 14th through to the 21st, it’s just tiny. We’re talking knee-high slop at best, with weak energy readings of 15 (that’s really weak). Friday the 14th has a little 0.7ft to 2ft west swell, but it’s minimal. Saturday the 15th, there’s a 2ft north windswell with a short 4-second period, but it’s cross-shore and chopped. A couple of mornings, like the 20th, turn glassy, but with only a 1ft swell and a 5-second period, it’s just not doing anything. The period is too short to have any push, and it’s breaking straight anyway. You’d be fighting for a dribble.
There’s a bit of a lull from Monday the 17th through to Tuesday the 19th, where the energy drops to nothing (0). It’s just flat, with clean westerly winds, but no waves to blow on. That gap feels longer than it is because there’s just nothing to get excited about.
Around the 23rd and 24th, a bit of easterly windswell shows up, but the wind is onshore and blowing 19-28 mph, so it’s going to be messy, lumpy, and bumpy. The energy bumps up to 54-58, which is still weak, and with a 5-second period, you’re just getting chopped-up closeouts. I wouldn’t bother. It’s more like a wind-blown washing machine than a surfable wave.
The first real pulse of energy comes in on Friday the 28th of August. It’s still weeks away, but the models are showing a surge. Swell jumps to 8ft out of the southwest with a period of 7 seconds. Combined energy is strong, hitting 758 and then 1224 on Friday afternoon. That’s proper energy. But here’s the catch: the wind is an onshore mess, with 28 mph gusts. This setup looks a lot more interesting for the kite crew than for paddle surfing. It’s just going to be a big, wind-blown, cross-onshore mess. Saturday the 29th drops a touch to 8ft, but still with strong cross-shore winds. For the experts only if you’re desperate out back, but the quality isn’t going to be there.
So that’s it. As I said, it’s a tough run. The 28th and 29th have size, but the wind won’t play ball. Keep an eye on it, because things can change, but for the next fortnight, the board stays in the car.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Fri afternoon, min 15°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the N on Fri night, light winds from the WSW by Sun morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Mon afternoon, min 15°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Wed morning, calm by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | |||||||||||||||
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 | W 9 | WSW 4 | N 4 | WSW 7 | WSW 4 | WSW 8 | SW 3 | WSW 4 | W 4 | WSW 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | W 5 | S 14 | WSW 4 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
8 | 41 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 24 | 4 | 7 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross | cross | off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 9:33PM1.65m | 10:05AM1.39m | 10:12PM1.60m | 10:42AM1.36m | 10:49PM1.49m | 11:18AM1.30m | 11:26PM1.35m | 11:55AM1.22m | 00:03AM1.19m | 12:32PM1.11m | 00:41AM1.03m | 1:16PM0.98m | 1:28AM0.87m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:17PM0.03m | 5:41AM-0.29m | 5:57PM0.08m | 6:20AM-0.18m | 6:37PM0.16m | 6:58AM-0.01m | 7:17PM0.28m | 7:35AM0.17m | 7:56PM0.40m | 8:12AM0.36m | 8:37PM0.52m | 8:50AM0.52m | 9:27PM0.63m | ||||||||
5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | |
— | 8:30 | — | — | 8:28 | — | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:19 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 26 | 28 | 21 | 24 | 26 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 19 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 18 |
Feels °C | 24 | 25 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 6 | W 9 | WSW 4 | WSW 5 | — | WSW 4 | WSW 8 | — | WSW 4 | W 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 6 | W 5 | S 14 | WSW 4 |
7 | 41 | 7 | 2 | — | 5 | 6 | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 88 | 24 | 4 | 7 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 9 | — | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | — | WSW 8 | — | ENE 3 | W 7 | W 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 |
8 | — | 7 | 6 | — | 6 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | W 10 | NE 4 | — | — | N 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 14 |
— | — | — | 2 | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 2 | WSW 4 | N 3 | N 4 | WSW 7 | N 3 | NNE 3 | SW 3 | NNW 2 | — | WSW 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | NW 3 | — | WSW 4 | NNW 3 |
1 | 11 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | 11 | 49 | 42 | 59 | 53 | 66 | 204 | 4 | — | 21 | 2 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 155 | 112 | 154 | 640 | 318 | 252 | 594 | 344 | 398 | 591 | 246 | 803 | 479 | 248 | 320 | 1000 | 184 | 12 | 137 | 108 | 108 |
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.











