
Surf Forecasts:
The Breakwater-St Ives surf forecast from 9 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 12 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 11s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 16 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 7s period, NNW swell with 355 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 11s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Breakwater-St Ives this week:
The surf forecast for The Breakwater-St Ives over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Breakwater-St Ives in the next 16 days are 1.8m 7s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Wed 12th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Wed 12th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Breakwater-St Ives over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get this out there. The next couple of weeks are going to be a proper test of patience, that’s for sure. The swell is gonna be small and the wind is gonna be a headache for the most part. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor surf, but there are a couple of windows where it might just come together, if you’re willing to wait.
First up, the outlook for The Breakwater-St Ives is pretty grim for the next little while. This spot is inconsistent at the best of times, and this stretch is looking like a write-off. The water’s sitting at 65°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t be freezing while you’re staring at the flatness.
The first few days are a total no-go. Sunday the 9th and Monday the 10th, we’ve got tiny, weak swell—around 1ft to 2ft—with onshore and cross-onshore winds making it messy. The energy is weak, with values in the 30s and 60s [36, 35, 66]. It’s just not worth suiting up.
We get a bit of a clean-up on Tuesday the 11th with some cross-offshore winds, but the swell drops right off to nothing – 0.7ft to 1ft. It’s clean but there’s just nothing to ride. The energy is really weak, down in the 20s and 30s [26, 31].
Then we see a little pulse of energy arrive on Wednesday the 12th. The swell bumps up to 3ft to 3ft from the west, with a period around 9-10 seconds. The energy readings get into the moderate range, around 132 and 139. But the wind still isn't playing ball, mostly onshore or cross-onshore, so it’s going to be lumpy and uninviting. Still a poor outlook.
Thursday the 13th is the first time we see a bit of size, with 4ft of west swell and a period of 11 seconds. The energy is getting more solid, up to 281. But the wind is still on it, from the north, making it choppy and poor. It's a tease, nothing more.
The weekend of the 16th and 17th brings the biggest swell of the period so far, but it’s all wrong. We’re looking at 5ft on Sunday the 16th, but it’s short-period, wind-driven stuff from the north with a period of only 7 seconds. Winds are fresh and onshore, so it’s going to be a messy, stormy mess. The energy is moderate, up around 254, but the quality is zero. This is not a surf option.
After that, the swell just fades away again. Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th are back down to tiny, weak surf – 1ft to 0.3ft. There’s a long-period groundswell from the southwest on Tuesday the 18th, with a period of 16-17 seconds, but the height is only 0.3ft. It’s not even a ripple.
The following week, things pick up a touch, but it’s still not good. Around the 19th and 20th we get some cleaner conditions with cross-offshore winds, but the swell is still small, around 2ft to 3ft, and the energy is weak to moderate at best [53, 82, 92, 99]. It’s rideable for a log if you’re desperate, but it’s not what we’re after.
The real standout, if you can call it that, looks like it’s going to be Monday the 24th. The swell is forecast to build to 6ft, with a period of 7 seconds, and the energy is strong, at 473. The wind is forecast to be light from the north, which could actually groom it a bit. It’s still a short-period swell, which means it could be a bit walled, but it’s the biggest and most powerful swell in the whole window. The 23rd also shows a pulse of 5ft on Sunday afternoon, but the wind is on it, so it won’t be as clean.
Sadly, none of this is looking like classic conditions for The Breakwater-St Ives. The swell direction is mostly from the west to northwest, which is what you want, but the wind and the inconsistent nature of the break are holding it back. For the first week-and-a-half, it’s going to be a battle just to find a ripple. The second week is a bit more promising, but it’s still far from a sure thing. Hold tight, and check back in a few days.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Tue morning, min 17°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Wed morning, min 17°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 5 | WNW 8 | W 8 | WNW 8 | W 13 | W 11 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | N 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
26 | 25 | 26 | 28 | 22 | 33 | 19 | 13 | 116 | 125 | 139 | 173 | 279 | 239 | 183 | 129 | 95 | 132 | 89 | 87 | 278 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on |
High Tide | 2:43PM4.82m | 3:21AM4.90m | 3:53PM5.21m | 4:25AM5.26m | 4:50PM5.66m | 5:18AM5.62m | 5:39PM6.05m | 6:04AM5.90m | 6:24PM6.31m | 6:47AM6.05m | 7:06PM6.40m | 7:27AM6.06m | 7:46PM6.31m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:20PM1.33m | 9:53AM1.21m | 10:29PM0.91m | 10:53AM0.80m | 11:25PM0.47m | 11:44AM0.41m | 00:13AM0.12m | 12:29PM0.13m | 00:56AM-0.08m | 1:10PM0.00m | 1:36AM-0.10m | 1:50PM0.04m | 2:14AM0.05m | ||||||||
6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | |
— | 8:52 | — | — | 8:51 | — | — | 8:49 | — | — | 8:46 | — | — | 8:45 | — | — | 8:43 | — | — | 8:40 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 5 | WNW 5 | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | W 11 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 |
26 | 25 | 26 | 28 | 10 | 33 | 19 | 11 | 116 | 125 | 139 | 173 | 279 | 239 | 183 | 129 | 95 | 132 | 89 | 87 | 39 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | SW 7 | SW 6 | WNW 8 | N 4 | N 4 | W 9 | SW 6 | SW 6 | SE 6 | ESE 4 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | WSW 8 | S 12 | SW 12 |
4 | 4 | 16 | 14 | 22 | 9 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 3 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WNW 8 | SW 6 | SW 6 | SW 6 | W 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | — | — | S 11 | — | S 11 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | — | — | S 20 |
6 | 6 | 6 | 24 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 6 | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | WNW 4 | — | N 4 | — | SE 3 | SE 3 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | E 6 | — | E 5 | NNW 3 | NNW 3 | NW 3 | WNW 3 | — | — | N 6 | N 7 |
— | — | 16 | — | 9 | — | 2 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 78 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 73 | 278 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 393 | 215 | 215 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 392 | 216 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 24 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 214 | 14 | 97 | 254 | 254 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Cornwall | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the The Breakwater-St Ives Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Breakwater-St Ives provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Breakwater-St Ives can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Breakwater-St Ives 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 (The Breakwater-St Ives) 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 The Breakwater-St Ives 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.
The Breakwater-St Ives is 11 km (7 miles) from Camborne. If you plan a holiday in North Cornwall, look for hotels and other accommodation in Camborne. Camborne has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











