Surf Forecasts:
Fence (Port Elizabeth) surf forecast from 9 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 16 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 8s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 11 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 14s period, S swell with 2,918 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 8s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Fence (Port Elizabeth) this week:
The surf forecast for Fence (Port Elizabeth) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Fence (Port Elizabeth) in the next 16 days are 2.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 15) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fence (Port Elizabeth) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s heading for Fence (Port Elizabeth). This 16-day run starts rough, with a long stretch of poor surf through the first part of August. The good stuff doesn’t really show up until the tail end of the second week and into the third week.
It kicks off on Sunday, August 9th, with a messy 8ft S swell and a near-gale cross-shore wind. The water is running much colder than normal for this time of year. Monday the 10th drops to 4ft from the SW but stays choppy. The rest of that week and into the second week is a washout: onshore winds, lumpy conditions, not worth paddling out. There’s a brief clean-up on Saturday the 15th morning – a 5ft E swell with a clean offshore cross-breeze (moderate energy at 446), but it’s only marginal. The 16th has a clean 4ft E swell with better cross-off wind, still not top quality. The 17th is small and poor.
The turn comes Tuesday the 18th of August morning: an 8ft E swell with clean cross-offshore winds, moderate wave energy (1093) – solid and clean for advanced surfers. By afternoon it’s building to 10ft (energy 1513) – that’s big, expert-only, but clean. Wednesday the 19th of August morning is the first true standout: 6ft of E swell (10-second period) with light cross-offshore breeze and 742 energy. The guidance says very good surf conditions. The E swell is right in the optimum direction for Fence. Clean, well-shaped, and manageable for strong intermediates through experts. Late on the 23rd, there’s a building 6ft SSW groundswell (16-second period) with clean cross-off wind, but the real prize comes next.
The absolute best is Monday the 24th of August morning. A 6ft SSW groundswell at 14 seconds – long-period energy that will wrap perfectly into this reef break. Wind is a whisper, cross-offshore, and the energy is strong at 1579. This is a long-period groundswell, so expect clean, peeling waves. Excellent conditions for experienced surfers. The afternoon turns onshore, so make it a dawn session.
To sum it up: the first 9 days are a bust. From the 18th things get clean, but the 19th and especially the 24th morning are the real standouts. Crowds can pop here sometimes, but a Monday morning that good might keep the numbers down.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun night, min 12°C on Sun afternoon). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Sun afternoon, moderate winds from the SE by Mon night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sat morning, min 13°C on Thu morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the ENE on Wed afternoon, light winds from the ENE by Fri afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | S 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | ESE 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | SSW 16 | E 7 | SSW 16 | E 8 | SSW 16 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 2499 | 694 | 407 | 894 | 2918 | 1156 | 619 | 428 | 358 | 546 | 675 | 705 | 520 | 612 | 447 | 273 | 634 | 273 | 403 | 488 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:36AM1.59m | 2:13PM1.60m | 2:30AM1.71m | 3:00PM1.76m | 3:15AM1.81m | 3:41PM1.89m | 3:55AM1.86m | 4:19PM1.96m | 4:32AM1.87m | 4:55PM1.98m | 5:07AM1.84m | 5:29PM1.95m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:26PM0.64m | 8:04AM0.48m | 8:24PM0.49m | 8:49AM0.35m | 9:11PM0.36m | 9:28AM0.24m | 9:51PM0.27m | 10:03AM0.18m | 10:27PM0.23m | 10:37AM0.16m | 11:02PM0.23m | 11:09AM0.18m | 11:35PM0.29m | |||||||
 |  |  | | | |  |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — |
 | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — |
mm | 9 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 24 | 22 | 25 | 28 | 26 |
Feels °C | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 11 | S 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | E 8 | SSW 16 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 |
| kJ | 30 | 694 | 407 | 894 | 2918 | 1156 | 619 | 288 | 202 | 158 | 553 | 705 | 446 | 612 | 277 | 273 | 373 | 273 | 228 | 265 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | — | E 8 | SSW 14 | — | — | SSE 8 | E 9 | SSW 22 | SSW 20 | SSW 11 | S 21 | SSW 20 | S 9 | SSW 15 | S 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | 49 | — | 37 | 118 | — | — | 221 | 28 | 263 | 399 | 51 | 229 | 395 | 2 | 372 | 1 | 188 | 173 | 163 | 121 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | E 9 | ENE 10 | — | — | — | SSW 24 | — | S 11 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 11 | S 9 | — | — | — | NNW 3 | S 11 |
| kJ | — | — | 16 | 31 | — | — | — | 57 | — | 56 | 31 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | 3 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | SSE 8 | S 7 | ESE 8 | — | SE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | N 3 | E 8 | E 8 |
| kJ | 2499 | 615 | 285 | 96 | — | 440 | 302 | 428 | 358 | 546 | 675 | 399 | 520 | 504 | 447 | 235 | 634 | 5 | 403 | 488 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 837 | 209 | 715 | 264 | 239 | 264 | 365 | 142 | 208 | 264 | 206 | 208 | 264 | 37 | 11 | 208 | 37 | 8 | 11 | 8 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape (South) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Fence (Port Elizabeth) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Fence (Port Elizabeth) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Fence (Port Elizabeth) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Fence (Port Elizabeth) 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 (Fence (Port Elizabeth)) 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 Fence (Port Elizabeth) 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 Fence is 6 km (4 miles) from the city of Port Elizabeth. If you plan a holiday in Eastern Cape (South), look for hotels and other accommodation in Port Elizabeth. Port Elizabeth has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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