
Surf Forecasts:
The Harbour surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 13 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 7s period, SE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 12 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 7s period, SSE swell with 222 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 13 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 7s period with SE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Harbour this week:
The surf forecast for The Harbour over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 13) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 7s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Harbour in the next 16 days are 1.6m 7s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Wed 12th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Harbour over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for The Harbour.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a rough stretch. The Harbour (beach/groyne) is seeing a long, dry spell with hardly any swell worth paddling for. The first week and a half is basically a write-off. From now through the middle of August, the swell is tiny or flat, with combined energy readings stuck down in the weak range (0 to 44). The wind is often offshore or clean, but with no waves to work with, it doesn’t matter. The water temperature is sitting at about 58°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t get a shock jumping in.
There’s a brief flicker of hope on the morning of Thursday the 13th of August. A small SE swell of 4 ft with a gentle offshore breeze from the SW. The combined energy is still weak (94), and the period is only 6 seconds, so it’s a short-period, weak little pulse. The Harbour scores it as “surfable but very ordinary.” It’s really only for the keenest intermediate who’s desperate for a paddle. Crowds are sometimes a problem here, but with conditions this average, I wouldn’t stress about company.
The next real standout – if you can call it that – shows up on the afternoon of Friday the 21st of August. We get a 4 ft NE swell with a 6-second period and a clean cross-off wind from the SE. The combined energy is still on the weak side at 98, but it’s the best of a bad bunch. Again, the report says “surfable but very ordinary.” It’s a beach/groyne setup, so short-period swell like this (under 8 seconds) won’t give you much shape or power. It’s a small window for a beginner-to-intermediate session if you’re really jonesing.
Overall, there’s no true standout here. The Harbour is mostly poor or flat for the whole 16 days. If you’re a kite surfer, the chop on the 10th and 19th of August might be more interesting than anything for a paddle. But for a surf, you’re better off waiting. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a long, flat run.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Sat afternoon, light winds from the WSW by Sun morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Thu morning, min 10°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | ||||||||||||||
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) | NNE 7 | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | S 5 | S 5 | NE 8 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 5 | SE 5 | N 7 | NNE 9 | SE 2 | NNE 8 | SE 6 | SSE 6 | SE 7 | SE 6 | SSE 6 | SE 5 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 27 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 85 | 137 | 168 | 94 | 69 | 18 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:03PM3.43m | 9:35AM3.57m | 10:23PM3.48m | 11:01AM3.64m | 11:35PM3.65m | 12:14PM3.83m | 00:35AM3.90m | 1:14PM4.05m | 1:27AM4.17m | 2:06PM4.22m | 2:13AM4.39m | 2:51PM4.31m | 2:56AM4.53m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:02AM1.62m | 3:49PM1.58m | 4:32AM1.51m | 5:12PM1.53m | 5:50AM1.23m | 6:20PM1.36m | 6:52AM0.87m | 7:14PM1.16m | 7:43AM0.54m | 8:00PM0.97m | 8:29AM0.31m | 8:41PM0.84m | ||||||||
— | — | 5:18 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:26 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | |
— | 9:08 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:05 | — | — | 9:01 | — | — | 9:00 | — | 8:57 | — | — | 8:54 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 24 | 21 | 18 |
Feels °C | 13 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 21 | 21 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | NNE 9 | NNE 8 | N 8 | SSW 5 | SE 6 | N 7 | N 8 | NNE 7 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | NNE 8 | SE 6 | NNE 8 | SE 7 | SE 6 | SSE 6 | SE 5 |
29 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 17 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 29 | 45 | 62 | 40 | 85 | 11 | 168 | 94 | 69 | 18 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 10 | NNE 10 | NNE 9 | N 10 | N 9 | NE 8 | SE 6 | SSW 4 | SE 5 | N 10 | NNE 10 | — | — | — | NNE 8 | — | NNE 7 | N 7 | N 9 | SSW 4 |
2 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 18 | — | — | — | 25 | — | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | N 9 | N 8 | N 9 | SW 4 | SE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 9 | — | N 10 |
— | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | S 5 | S 5 | S 5 | SSW 5 | WNW 2 | — | — | N 7 | — | SE 2 | SE 4 | — | SSE 6 | — | SW 3 | SW 3 | SW 3 |
26 | 26 | 34 | 34 | 27 | 40 | 39 | 1 | — | — | 83 | — | 1 | 8 | — | 137 | — | 2 | 5 | 6 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 171 | 181 | 297 | 179 | 171 | 3 | 3 | 376 | 278 | 278 | 184 | 58 | 184 | 136 | 136 | 136 | 22 | 0 | 1 | 551 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Scotland - East Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the The Harbour Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Harbour provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Harbour can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Harbour 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 Harbour) 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 Harbour 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Scotland - East Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near The Harbour, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Scotland - East Coast, consider staying in Aberdeen which is 3 km (2 miles) away. Other places in and around Scotland - East Coast where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Charlestown which is 6 km (4 miles) away, Peterhead, Montrose and Fraserburgh.











