
Surf Forecasts:
38 Line surf forecast from 10 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 15 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 6s period, NNE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 18 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 7s period, E swell with 123 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 15 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 6s period with NNE 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 Tuesday (Sep 15) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 5s. 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 1.1m 7s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 18) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Monday (Sep 14) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (KST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 38 Line over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get real about the next couple of weeks here at Thirty-eight-line (Big Island). To be honest, it’s a pretty grim stretch for a while. The swell is tiny, the energy is weak, and we’re looking at a lot of days with nothing rideable. We’re talking about a solid gap of pretty much flat, or near-flat, conditions through this coming week. You won’t find a wave worth paddling for until Friday the 18th, and even then, it’s just barely surfable.
The good news is the water temp is sitting right where it should be for this time of year, so you won’t need to worry about a wetsuit unless you just want to. It’s pretty average.
So, this Friday the 11th through Thursday the 17th? You’re better off using the time to fix your dings, re-wax, or go for a run. The swell is minimal, there’s no push, and while some mornings have that glassy look, there’s just nothing to ride. The energy readings are weak, mostly single digits, and the swell direction isn't doing us any favors.
Finally, on the morning of Friday the 18th, there’s a tiny blip. We see a little knee-high bump, 3ft from the ESE with a short 6-second period. It’s glassy, but it’s marginal. It’s the first thing that resembles a wave, but it’s not worth getting excited about.
Saturday the 19th is a bit more interesting. The swell picks up to 4ft in the morning from the E, and the energy climbs to 142, which is a moderate amount. The wind is calm and it’s glassy, so it will be clean. But the period is still short, and by the afternoon the wind turns onshore and chops it up.
Sunday the 20th mirrors that, with a clean 4ft morning from the NE. But it’s short period, so it’ll be a bit crumbly.
Then we hit another lull for Monday the 21st. There’s some energy, but the wind is onshore and messy, and the surf is poor quality. Not a good look.
But hold on. Here’s the standout. Tuesday the 22nd is the day to circle. The swell jumps to 7ft from the NNE in the morning. The energy is strong, it’s a big jump to 539, and with a cross-off wind, it’s going to be clean. The period is only 8 seconds, which isn’t long, but it’s got some juice. This is a proper pulse of swell. For an intermediate surfer, this is on.
Wednesday the 23rd is still good, with 5ft from the ENE and a 9-second period. The morning wind is cross-off and clean, so the quality is still there. It’s not as big as Tuesday but it will be consistent.
After that, it fades fast. Thursday the 24th drops back down to 2ft. Friday the 25th and the whole weekend just look flat and poor again. That’s the way it goes sometimes.
So, in a nutshell: Wait out the first week, it’s a total blank. Then get on it Tuesday the 22nd, and to a lesser extent Wednesday the 23rd. Those are your windows. It’s a long-range call, so treat it as promising but don’t book the day off work just yet.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sun afternoon, min 19°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Mon morning, min 18°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NE 6 | ESE 5 | E 5 | E 5 | ESE 5 | E 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 6 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | E 5 | NNE 6 | NE 6 | NE 5 | NE 5 | SE 5 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | E 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
13 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 25 | 38 | 22 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 27 | 55 | 114 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | off | glassy | on | off | cross-off | cross | off |
High Tide | 2:44PM0.31m | 3:46AM0.25m | 3:34PM0.29m | 4:06AM0.26m | 4:23PM0.27m | 4:27AM0.27m | 5:13PM0.25m | 4:50AM0.28m | 6:07PM0.23m | 5:14AM0.28m | 7:12PM0.21m | 5:42AM0.29m | 9:06PM0.20m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:35PM0.05m | 9:25AM0.11m | 10:04PM0.08m | 10:10AM0.09m | 10:30PM0.11m | 10:56AM0.08m | 10:52PM0.14m | 11:43AM0.08m | 11:07PM0.16m | 12:34PM0.09m | 11:13PM0.19m | 1:32PM0.10m | 10:45PM0.20m | ||||||||
6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | |
— | 6:39 | — | — | 6:38 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:36 | — | — | 6:34 | — | — | 6:32 | — | — | 6:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 25 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 18 | 20 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | ESE 5 | E 5 | E 5 | NE 5 | E 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 6 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | E 5 | NNE 6 | NE 6 | NE 5 | NE 5 | SE 5 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | E 7 |
13 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 25 | 38 | 22 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 27 | 55 | 114 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 6 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 5 | — | SE 6 | — | — | — | — | E 5 | — | — | SE 5 | ENE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | — | — | — |
10 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | ESE 5 | SSE 2 | — | — | SSE 2 | — | N 4 | NW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 9 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 569 | 569 | 569 | 649 | 668 | 649 | 649 | 769 | 668 | 668 | 707 | 649 | 649 | 649 | 649 | 668 | 649 | 649 | 649 | 649 |
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.










