Surf Forecasts:
38 Line surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 17 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 5s period, SE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 7s period, SE swell with 62 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 5s period with SE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for 38 Line this week:
The surf forecast for 38 Line over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 17) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 5s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 5s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at 38 Line in the next 16 days are 0.8m 7s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (KST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 5s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 5s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 38 Line over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim out at 38 Line. We’ve got a whole lot of tiny, weak swell and barely any push to get excited about. Honestly, it’s a flat spell that’s going to feel like forever if you’re chasing waves.
Right now, into Saturday afternoon, there’s a touch of life in the water with a small NE swell at 1ft and a weak 6-second period. The wind is light and cross-onshore, so it’s not going to be pretty, but there is something to roll around on. It’s not going to be worth the paddle unless you’re super keen. The energy is weak, only hitting 15.
The whole first week is a struggle. The swell stays tiny, never getting above 3ft, and the period is stuck around 5 or 6 seconds, which means it’s short, weak, and unorganized. There are some glassy windows, especially Sunday morning and Monday afternoon, but the waves just aren’t there. It’s the kind of flat where you’re better off finding something else to do. The combined energy is consistently low, mostly in the single digits to the 20s, nothing worth writing home about.
We do get a little bump of energy around the 25th, a week from Tuesday. There’s a NE swell that shows some more promise, with a period jumping up to 9 seconds and the energy climbing to 49. It’s still small at 1ft, but that longer period is a sign of more proper groundswell trying to push through. The wind is light and glassy in the morning, which would make it clean, but the swell size is just so marginal. It’s a step in the right direction, but it’s still not a day you’d plan your life around.
Towards the end of the run, around the 27th and 29th, we see some more energy, but again it’s all pretty average. The swell direction swings around to SE and NE, but size remains pathetic. The 27th has a 3ft SE swell with a 6-second period, but the morning wind is cross-offshore and the energy is at 45, which is more of a moderate kick. It’s probably the most interesting day of the whole run, but “interesting” is a relative term. It’s surfable waves, but ordinary conditions. It’s the kind of day where you might get a few grovelly ones if you’re in the right spot at the right time.
After that, it just fades out. The last couple of days of the month are a total washout with strong winds and barely any swell. It’s a big, fat zero for surf.
So, bottom line: this is a stretch to forget. The water temp is sitting at a normal 77° for this time of year, so you won’t need a spring suit, but you will need a lot of patience. There are no real standouts in this window. The most promising days are the 25th and the 27th, but they’re still pretty weak. If you’re a beginner, you’re not missing anything. For the more seasoned crew, it’s going to be a lot of paddling for not much reward. Keep your board handy, but maybe don’t cancel your plans.
This is Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Warm (max 25°C on Mon afternoon, min 22°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Warm (max 28°C on Wed afternoon, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | ||||||||||||||
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) | NE 6 | NNE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 5 | SE 5 | SE 6 | SSE 6 | SE 7 | SE 6 | SE 6 | ESE 5 | SE 6 | SE 5 | ESE 4 | E 4 | SE 4 | SSE 3 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 30 | 40 | 16 | 52 | 23 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 17 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:24PM0.30m | 5:34AM0.24m | 5:14PM0.27m | 5:58AM0.25m | 6:07PM0.24m | 6:24AM0.26m | 7:10PM0.21m | 6:53AM0.27m | 8:43PM0.19m | 7:28AM0.27m | 8:17AM0.28m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 11:18PM0.06m | 11:12AM0.12m | 11:46PM0.09m | 12:08PM0.12m | 00:08AM0.13m | 1:10PM0.12m | 00:22AM0.16m | 2:22PM0.12m | 00:18AM0.18m | 3:45PM0.11m | 5:04PM0.11m | |||||||||
— | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | |
7:19 | — | — | 7:17 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:14 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:10 | — | |
mm | — | — | 5 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 19 |
Temp °C | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 |
Feels °C | 27 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 31 | 29 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 5 | NNE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 5 | NE 5 | SE 6 | SSE 6 | SE 7 | SE 6 | SE 6 | ESE 5 | SE 6 | E 5 | ESE 3 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 3 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 |
7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 40 | 16 | 52 | 23 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 11 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | ENE 6 | NNE 4 | NNE 4 | NE 5 | — | ESE 6 | SE 9 | NE 4 | NE 4 | SSE 5 | ESE 4 | — | ESE 4 | E 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 10 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | E 6 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 6 | E 5 | SE 7 | — | E 5 | SE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | ESE 3 | SE 5 | — | N 3 | — | — | ESE 5 | — | — | SE 5 | S 4 | — | — | SSE 3 | — | SE 4 | SE 5 |
— | — | — | 1 | 30 | — | 1 | — | — | 6 | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | 5 | — | 3 | 17 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 569 | 668 | 668 | 694 | 671 | 671 | 1009 | 0 | 634 | 707 | 634 | 668 | 1028 | 668 | 668 | 1017 | 668 | 668 | 707 | 582 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Korea | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Korea | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the 38 Line Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for 38 Line provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at 38 Line can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our 38 Line 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 (38 Line) 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 38 Line 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.
38 Line is 18 km (11 miles) from the city of Sokcho. If you plan a holiday in South Korea, look for hotels and other accommodation in Sokcho. Sokcho has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











