
Surf Forecasts:
Fence (Port Elizabeth) surf forecast from 7 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 13 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 9s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 14s period, S swell with 1,809 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 9s 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 Tuesday (Sep 08) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 13s. 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 2.1m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fence (Port Elizabeth) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let's talk about what's coming our way.
Alright, grab a coffee, because the next couple of weeks at Fence (Port Elizabeth) are a bit of a mixed bag. We've got some serious energy on the way, but the timing's going to be everything. The water temp is sitting at 64°, which is a touch colder than average for this time of year, so you'll want that spring suit.
We kick off the week with a solid 7ft S swell on Monday the 7th, but it's a write-off. We've got a strong cross-onshore wind from the ENE at 19 mph making it a lumpy, poor mess. Definitely not worth paddling out for that one. The energy is there, values up around 1996, but it's just not working.
Tuesday the 8th is where we start to see a glimmer. The morning drops to 5ft from the E, but the big story is the wind: glassy, dead calm. Combined energy drops way down to 635, showing it's a weaker swell. It's only been given a 2 out of 10, so we're talking rideable inside waves, not a classic. By the afternoon the onshore kicks back in, so hit it early.
Wednesday the 9th is small and clean with a light cross-offshore from the NNW, but the swell is down to 3ft and the period is a short 9 seconds. It's surfable, but very ordinary.
Thursday the 10th gets interesting in the afternoon. A long-period groundswell from the SSW pushes in at 4ft with a 17-second period. The combined energy is 934. The wind is a clean cross-off. This is a sneaky good window, especially for a point break setup; that long period will draw nice lines through the bay. Morning is still small.
Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th are mostly blown out with strong onshores and building but messy swells. Saturday afternoon hits 8ft from the ESE with a short 8-second period and 1006 combined energy, but with 28 mph onshore winds, it's a chalkboard. Skip it.
Now, here's your standout. Look at Sunday the 13th. The morning shows 5ft of SSW groundswell with a 15-second period, and the combined energy is a solid 1562. The wind is a light cross-onshore from the NE, just barely enough to keep the surface clean. The score says 'marginal', but I'm looking at that energy and that long period, and it has potential for a fun, open face if the tide plays nice. Crowds are possible here, so know that. Monday the 14th morning is another real highlight: offshore wind from the WSW at 12 mph, a clean 4ft SSW swell with a 13-second period. The forecast calls for "very good surf conditions". That's your pick for a clean, well-shaped session.
The second week gets more unsettled. Wednesday the 16th sees a big pulse of SW swell pushing 7ft in the morning and 8ft in the afternoon, with combined energy hitting over 2131. Wind is a strong cross-off. This is expert territory for sure, and the period is long, meaning it could be a freight train at the right spot. We'll have to see. The end of the run looks blown out or too small, so your best bets are without doubt that Tuesday the 8th early glass, the Thursday the 10th afternoon, and the Monday the 14th morning session.
Stay sharp.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 32°C on Wed afternoon, min 17°C on Mon morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the E on Mon afternoon, calm by Tue morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 20°C on Sat night, min 16°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the W on Thu night, strong winds from the ENE by Sat afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 14 | S 14 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SSW 15 | E 8 | SSW 15 | E 9 | ESE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1809 | 1261 | 965 | 318 | 234 | 162 | 155 | 225 | 159 | 116 | 651 | 647 | 412 | 241 | 374 | 469 | 432 | 1133 | 866 | 866 | 612 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross |
High Tide | 1:16PM1.50m | 1:38AM1.56m | 2:05PM1.68m | 2:24AM1.70m | 2:45PM1.84m | 3:02AM1.80m | 3:20PM1.95m | 3:36AM1.87m | 3:54PM2.02m | 4:08AM1.89m | 4:25PM2.02m | 4:38AM1.86m | 4:55PM1.98m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:38PM0.61m | 7:57AM0.49m | 8:23PM0.44m | 8:35AM0.36m | 9:00PM0.31m | 9:09AM0.25m | 9:33PM0.23m | 9:40AM0.19m | 10:04PM0.19m | 10:09AM0.17m | 10:33PM0.20m | 10:37AM0.20m | 11:01PM0.26m | ||||||||
6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | |
— | 6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 21 | 21 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 31 | 32 | 27 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 23 |
Feels °C | 14 | 15 | 20 | 27 | 24 | 24 | 29 | 32 | 27 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 20 | 24 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 14 | S 14 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | E 8 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | ESE 9 |
1809 | 1261 | 525 | 318 | 234 | 162 | 155 | 155 | 159 | 113 | 651 | 647 | 412 | 241 | 190 | 118 | 422 | 1133 | 816 | 557 | 612 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSE 10 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | E 10 | E 10 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 16 | — | — | SSW 14 |
— | — | 653 | 209 | 127 | 94 | 52 | 80 | 83 | 116 | 92 | 106 | 36 | 51 | 2 | 59 | 55 | 976 | — | — | 421 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | SW 11 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 5 | E 10 | — | — | SW 12 | SE 13 | SW 13 | — | — | — |
— | — | 115 | 106 | 77 | 47 | 31 | 29 | 17 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 66 | — | — | 48 | 7 | 537 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | E 8 | E 9 | — | — | — | — | E 9 | WSW 3 | WSW 4 | SW 4 | — | — | E 5 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | — | E 9 | E 9 | WSW 3 |
309 | 689 | 965 | — | — | — | — | 225 | 9 | 31 | 17 | — | — | 63 | 374 | 469 | 432 | — | 866 | 866 | 4 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 239 | 206 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 66 | 66 | 1 | 0 | 239 | 246 | 206 | 208 | 206 | 206 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
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.










