Surf Forecasts:
Thompsons Bay surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 15s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 26 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 17s period, S swell with 4,396 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 15s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Thompsons Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Thompsons Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 5s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Thompsons Bay in the next 16 days are 3.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 11PM. 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 Tuesday (Sep 01) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Wed 26th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thompsons Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get this out there. The long-range models are showing a pretty bleak run for Thompsons Bay, to be honest. The start of this stretch is a write-off, and it’s going to be a long wait before there’s anything even worth paddling out for. The water temp is sitting at 71°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so at least that’s not messing with our heads.
The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t even show up until we get to Thursday, September 3rd. The morning is still marginal, with a 8ft ENE swell but a cross-on breeze that will chop it up. Not great. But then the afternoon gets a bit more interesting. The swell jumps to a solid 13ft from the ENE, and the wind drops to a light breeze. It’s still cross-on, so it won’t be perfect, but the energy is there. The combined energy is around 2443, which is a moderate, pushing on strong pulse. It’s something, but the direction isn't ideal for this sheltered setup. It’s a start.
The real standout, and I mean the only one worth getting excited about, is the morning of Saturday, September 5th. The swell is predicted to be a massive 18ft from the south with a 14-second period. The combined energy reading is a massive 11880, which is just raw, powerful ocean. The wind is a moderate cross-shore from the ENE, which isn't perfect but it’s workable. The problem is, this is way over the limit for most people. At 18ft, this is expert-only territory. It’s the biggest, most powerful swell of the entire window by a long shot. But it's also likely to be too big for this break, which is a sheltered spot. It could be a complete washing machine. The period is long, which is good for a point or reef, but at a sheltered bay like this, it could just close out. Still, if you are a charger and the banks hold, this is the day. After that, things taper off quickly. The following Sunday, September 6th, has 16ft but it's onshore, which is a no-go. By Monday the 7th, it’s down to 8ft from the SSE, but it’s still not clean.
The second week looks pretty poor. There’s a small window on Tuesday, September 8th, in the afternoon where the wind goes glassy and the swell is a clean 3ft from the south, but it’s weak. Then it’s pretty much over. It’s a long, bleak forecast, but that’s the nature of it. We’ve got one day that looks like a proper event, and a whole lot of waiting in between. Hang tight, and keep an eye on that Saturday morning.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 25°C on Fri afternoon, min 16°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed night, strong winds from the NE by Thu afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Warm (max 27°C on Sat afternoon, min 18°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NE on Sat afternoon, calm by Mon morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | ||||||||||||||
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 18 | S 16 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | S 8 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 2979 | 3528 | 1487 | 891 | 757 | 465 | 1008 | 675 | 780 | 1401 | 1022 | 695 | 435 | 386 | 251 | 268 | 198 | 249 | 142 | 176 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 3:18PM1.67m | 3:24AM1.72m | 3:43PM1.81m | 3:50AM1.81m | 4:09PM1.91m | 4:17AM1.87m | 4:35PM1.97m | 4:44AM1.88m | 5:03PM1.99m | 5:12AM1.86m | 5:31PM1.95m | 5:41AM1.79m | 6:01PM1.86m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:19PM0.27m | 9:31AM0.13m | 9:46PM0.16m | 9:56AM0.03m | 10:13PM0.08m | 10:22AM-0.03m | 10:41PM0.04m | 10:48AM-0.04m | 11:09PM0.04m | 11:16AM-0.01m | 11:39PM0.09m | 11:46AM0.06m | 00:10AM0.18m | |||||||
 |  | |  |  | | |  | | | | | | |  | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — |
 | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — |
mm | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 3 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 23 | 25 | 19 | 24 | 27 | 23 | 24 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 22 |
Feels °C | 20 | 20 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 18 | 19 | 13 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 15 | 14 | 19 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | S 16 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | S 7 | E 9 | ENE 7 |
| kJ | 2979 | 3528 | 1487 | 891 | 757 | 455 | 297 | 181 | 243 | 187 | 71 | 695 | 435 | 251 | 251 | 268 | 198 | 17 | 93 | 176 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 12 | — | S 17 | — | — | SSE 16 | S 15 | — | — | — | SSE 14 | SSE 14 | SSE 12 | S 7 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 |
| kJ | — | 6 | — | 278 | — | — | 86 | 161 | — | — | — | 19 | 18 | 14 | 92 | 111 | 43 | 29 | 10 | 6 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 15 | — | — | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SE 10 | — | — | SSW 14 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | 12 | 11 | 4 | — | — | 19 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | SSW 11 | SSW 6 | S 8 | — | — | — | ENE 9 | ENE 6 | NE 6 |
| kJ | — | — | 98 | 432 | 415 | 465 | 1008 | 675 | 780 | 1401 | 1022 | 217 | 418 | 386 | — | — | — | 249 | 142 | 153 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 39 | 42 | 732 | 750 | 314 | 442 | 592 | 462 | 471 | 592 | 261 | 68 | 626 | 39 | 42 | 722 | 0 | 42 | 373 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in KwaZulu-Natal North Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Thompsons Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Thompsons Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Thompsons Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Thompsons Bay 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 (Thompsons Bay) 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 Thompsons Bay 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.
Thompsons Bay is 3 km (2 miles) from the city of Ballitoville. If you plan a holiday in KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in Ballitoville. Ballitoville has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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