Surf Forecasts:
Swanage surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 23 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 6s period, ESE swell with 135 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Swanage this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Swanage in the next 16 days are 1.5m 6s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) 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 1.4m 5s 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 | 10AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Swanage over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let's be real. The next 16 days are a proper struggle for the Swanage area. There's a big, quiet gap at the start, with nothing worth getting wet for. The first many days are flat or just tiny dribbles, with poor conditions across the board. You're looking at a long wait until the 23rd of August before you see any real size, and even then, it's a mess.
Most of this period is a write-off. The forecast shows heaps of days with tiny swell and either howling offshore winds or onshore junk. There's a real lack of consistent, clean energy. It's one of those runs that can only get better, but for now, the pickings are slim.
The only real event in the whole 16 days hits on Sunday morning, the 23rd of August. We get a spike of swell, a 5ft wave from the ESE, but the period is a short 6 seconds. That's windswell, and it's coming with a fresh onshore breeze from the ENE. The combined energy is moderate at 141, so there's a lot of push, but it's going to be a choppy, lumpy mess at this beach. This setup is more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer, to be honest.
Other than that, the best of a bad bunch might be the Saturday morning of the 29th of August. The swell is tiny, just 1ft from the WSW, but the wind is clean and cross-offshore from the WNW. The period is 8 seconds, so it's small, weak stuff. The combined energy is weak at 32. It's not a standout, but it's the cleanest tiny wave you'll find.
The water temperature is a notable 69°F, which is much warmer than normal for the time of year, a real anomaly. That's a big positive if you're just floating around.
Honestly, I'd be checking the forecasts again in a few days. This run is a tough one for consistent waves.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Mon afternoon, min 16°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Wed afternoon, calm by Fri morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | |||||||||||||||
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 8 | WSW 7 | W 7 | W 5 | W 7 | WSW 5 | W 9 | WSW 5 | W 8 | WSW 4 | WSW 5 | S 15 | WSW 9 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | SW 6 | WSW 9 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | E 4 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 6 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 29 | 0 | 37 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 33 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | glassy | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-on |
High Tide | 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 | 5:02PM0.89m | 5:56AM0.83m | 5:56PM0.96m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 9:38AM0.65m | 11:44PM0.68m | 12:36PM0.69m | 1:41AM0.55m | ||||||||
 | |  | |  |  |  | | | | |  | | | | |  | | | | | |
 | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — |
 | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:15 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 18 | 22 | 23 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 20 | 21 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 8 | E 4 | W 7 | W 5 | W 7 | — | W 9 | — | W 8 | — | — | S 15 | WSW 9 | — | WSW 5 | SW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | E 4 | WSW 10 |
| kJ | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | 5 | 29 | — | 37 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 8 | WSW 7 | — | W 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 9 | SW 9 | WSW 9 | W 9 | SW 11 | SW 5 | — |
| kJ | 6 | 5 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 1 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 14 | — | — | SW 12 | W 8 | SW 11 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 6 | 1 | 5 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 5 | — | — | W 5 | WSW 3 | WSW 5 | WSW 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | WSW 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | NNW 3 | NNE 3 | — | — | — | — | E 4 |
| kJ | 4 | — | — | 7 | 3 | 26 | 10 | 46 | 42 | 20 | 105 | 107 | 66 | 71 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 33 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 155 | 343 | 405 | 320 | 246 | 345 | 409 | 1007 | 342 | 599 | 246 | 633 | 224 | 320 | 32 | 320 | 307 | 244 | 330 | 337 | 14 |
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.
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