Surf Forecasts:
Swanage surf forecast from 1 Sep 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 1 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 9s period, WSW swell with 133 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Swanage this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Swanage in the next 16 days are 0.9m 9s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 03) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Swanage over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab a coffee and a towel, because it's a bit of a quiet sit-and-watch kind of fortnight for us here at Swanage.
Honestly, the 16-day window is looking pretty grim. We’ve got a long stretch of nothing special to work with right through the end of August and into September. The first hint of anything surfable is a tiny pulse on Monday the 31st of August, with a 5ft swell from the WSW. That’s where the water temp is sitting at 69°, which is a whopping 7° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, feels more like a tropical holiday than a UK surf trip. But the energy is only moderate at 327 and the wind is a fresh 19 mph offshore, making it clean. Unfortunately, it’s still a "poor surf conditions" call, and the waves are just too small and weak to get excited about.
After that, the whole first week of September is a total write-off. We’re looking at days of flatness or tiny, messy junkyard surf. The swell heights barely register, and when they do, it’s short-period windswell that’s either cross-off or just plain messy. The wind stays up, often in the 15-22 mph range, which is no friend to a sheltered spot like this. There’s a day on the 6th of September with a 3ft swell from the ESE, but the period is a pathetic 4 seconds and it’s cross-onshore – that’s just chop, not surf.
The second week doesn’t offer much relief. There’s a moment on Saturday the 12th of September where things nearly get interesting. The afternoon shows a 5ft swell from the east with a short 6-second period, giving us moderate energy at 174. The wind drops to a glassy 3 mph offshore, which is a major positive for clean conditions. But the wave comment is still "poor surf conditions," and the short period means it’s going to be a bit fat and rolly, not the kind of wave that’s easy to get into. It’s the best on offer, but that’s a low bar.
The rest of the second week is a mix of onshore wind and tiny, weak swell. The moderate energy pulses on the 14th and 15th of September are all cross-onshore from the SE, blowing straight into the beach and making it lumpy and choppy. For a sheltered spot that needs a clean SW swell, this is just frustrating. There’s simply no standout session here. For the experienced surfer, maybe the glassy afternoon on the 12th might be worth a paddle for a few small, clean ones, but for everyone else, it’s a time to fix your dings and wait for the next real groundswell.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Mon afternoon, min 15°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Fri afternoon, min 14°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Thu night, light winds from the SE by Sat morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | ||||||||||||||
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 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | SW 4 | WSW 7 | SW 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | S 14 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | S 14 | WSW 5 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 7 | ESE 4 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
327 | 161 | 44 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 5 | 29 | 57 | 41 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 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 | 6:20AM0.80m | 2:18PM1.03m | 3:30AM0.90m | 7:12AM0.89m | 4:35PM1.04m | ||||
Low Tide | 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 | 4:59AM0.78m | 10:57PM0.47m | 5:28AM0.88m | 00:35AM0.34m | |||||
— | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | |
7:55 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
Feels °C | 15 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | — | WSW 7 | — | — | — | S 14 | — | — | — | S 14 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 9 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | WSW 9 | SW 9 |
— | 161 | 44 | — | 5 | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | 4 | 15 | 7 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 3 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 8 | WSW 9 | — | SW 10 | SW 9 | SW 9 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 8 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 9 | — | — | SW 4 | WSW 4 | SW 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | NNW 3 | — | — | — | ESE 4 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 |
327 | — | — | 12 | 15 | 16 | 87 | 104 | 129 | 160 | 129 | 139 | 93 | 1 | — | — | — | 29 | 57 | 41 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 227 | 2 | 53 | 160 | 190 | 356 | 246 | 246 | 216 | 183 | 320 | 271 | 61 | 108 | 100 | 108 | 136 | 108 | 110 | 339 |
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.











