
Surf Forecasts:
Swanage surf forecast from 2 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 9 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 6s period, WSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 7s period, WSW swell with 472 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 9 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 6s period with WSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Swanage this week:
The surf forecast for Swanage over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 09) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 6s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Swanage in the next 16 days are 2.3m 7s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 7AM. 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 Wednesday (Sep 02) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Wed 9th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Wed 9th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Fri 4th Sep) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Swanage over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on offer around Swanage. I've got to be straight with you – it's a quiet spell. We're looking at a solid 16-day window, but the first few days are basically a write-off. There's no surf to speak of until we get into the first week of September, and even then, we're really waiting for things to show a pulse around Friday the 4th.
The real story starts on Friday morning, the 4th. The forecast shows a bit of a pulse, with a 7ft swell from the WSW and a short period of 7 seconds. The combined energy is moderate, clocking in at (356). The wind is offshore from the W at 16 mph which will clean things up nicely. This is the first real chance for a paddle, but the short period means the waves won't have much grunt behind them – it'll be a bit soft and fat. Keep your expectations in check.
After that, we drift back into the doldrums. Saturday the 5th sees tiny 2ft waves, and by Sunday it's a cross-onshore mess at 3ft from the SE with a period of only 5 seconds. That's not worth getting wet for. The following week, from Monday the 7th right through to the 13th, it's a similar story: tiny swell, mostly under 1ft, with offshore winds that keep the surface clean, but there's just no power. Wednesday the 9th is the only flicker, with a 6ft swell from the WSW again, short period, and moderate wave energy (298), but it's still a far cry from anything special.
The water temperature at the start of the period is a very unusual 68°, which is a whopping 6° warmer than the long-term average for this time of year at Swanage. That's a real surprise, if you're getting in.
Now, Thursday the 17th morning deserves a mention. It's glassy – dead calm, with a light 3ft swell from the ESE and a short period of 5 seconds. Energy is weak (49), but for a tiny, clean, quiet morning on the water, it’s the calmest and most user-friendly option in this entire outlook. It's not a surfer's dream, but it's a nice paddle.
The bottom line? Friday the 4th is the only half-decent day for a wave, and even then it's only any good if you're not picky. For the rest of the window, you're looking at flat spells with clean but tiny bumps. If the swell doesn't arrive, you could be waiting a long time. I'm signing off.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Wed morning. Warm (max 20°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Thu night, light winds from the NW by Fri night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 21°C on Sun afternoon, min 15°C on Sat morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the NW on Sat morning, strong winds from the WSW by Mon afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | |||||||||||||||
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) | W 8 | SW 6 | WSW 6 | S 14 | SW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 | SW 8 | WSW 7 | SW 7 | WSW 7 | SE 5 | ESE 5 | SW 4 | WSW 13 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1 | 0 | 202 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 356 | 0 | 16 | 31 | 13 | 5 | 41 | 42 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 161 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 11:30AM1.40m | 11:45PM1.39m | 12:12PM1.30m | 4:51PM0.75m | 00:31AM1.22m | 5:18AM0.72m | 1:03PM1.16m | 1:32AM1.03m | 6:20AM0.80m | 2:18PM1.03m | 3:30AM0.90m | 7:12AM0.89m | 4:35PM1.04m | 6:20AM0.98m | 5:53PM1.17m | 6:45AM1.10m | 6:39PM1.31m | ||||
Low Tide | 7:37PM0.31m | 7:59AM0.26m | 4:12PM0.75m | 8:27PM0.39m | 4:34AM0.71m | 4:49PM0.80m | 9:30PM0.46m | 4:59AM0.78m | 10:57PM0.47m | 5:28AM0.88m | 00:35AM0.34m | 7:07AM0.98m | 1:05PM0.42m | 1:42AM0.14m | 2:04PM0.28m | 2:32AM-0.05m | |||||
6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
— | 7:51 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:37 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Temp °C | 17 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 15 |
Feels °C | 13 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | — | — | S 14 | — | — | — | — | SW 8 | WSW 7 | SW 7 | WSW 7 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | ESE 5 | WSW 13 | — | WSW 11 | — | — | — |
1 | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | 16 | 31 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 18 | — | 76 | — | — | — | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 14 | SW 12 | SW 10 | — | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 5 | 4 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 5 | SW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | SW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 | WSW 5 | — | — | — | SE 5 | ESE 5 | SW 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 |
51 | 209 | 202 | 112 | 110 | 148 | 356 | 111 | 31 | — | — | — | 41 | 42 | 26 | 44 | 171 | 161 | 90 | 151 | 198 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 356 | 246 | 246 | 216 | 188 | 352 | 318 | 318 | 137 | 108 | 108 | 159 | 137 | 196 | 155 | 511 | 227 | 339 | 511 | 467 | 444 |
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.










