
Surf Forecasts:
Thompsons Bay surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 7 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 18s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 18s period, S swell with 5,349 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period with SSE 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 Saturday (Sep 05) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m and 10s. 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 18s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 8AM. 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 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thompsons Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, it’s Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for our little stretch of coast. Let’s be real, the next couple of weeks are a mixed bag. We’ve got a few promising windows, but you’ll need to be patient and pick your moments. The first few days look rough, but there’s some serious potential on the horizon if you know where to look.
We start off the outlook on Saturday the 5th of September, but it’s not looking good. The wind is a nasty cross-on at 9 mph, and the swell is a messy 7ft from the SSE. It’s choppy and poor, with combined wave energy sitting at 990. Not worth paddling out. Sunday the 6th is a different story. The swell drops right down to 3ft from the SSW with a solid 11-second period, but the real winner is the wind. It goes glassy. That’s right, a flat calm, 3 mph Easterly breeze. The water is about average for this time of year, and the energy is a modest 481. It’s not going to be pumping, but for a small, clean session, Thompsons Bay will be a dream. It’s a sheltered spot, so this small swell might just offer up a few fun, clean lines.
Now, hold onto your boards, because Monday the 7th of September is the standout. The morning brings a solid 10ft groundswell from the S with a massive 17-second period. That’s very long-period energy, folks, and it’s pushing a combined wave energy of 5534. That’s a lot of power. The wind is a clean cross-off from the NNE at 9 mph. This is going to be excellent for experienced surfers only. It’s a big, powerful, clean swell. The long period means it’ll be handling beautifully at Thompsons Bay, a sheltered spot, but it’s not for the faint of heart. The afternoon looks a bit more marginal as the wind picks up to 16 mph, so get on it early.
After that, we get a long, ugly stretch. From Tuesday the 8th right through to the end of the first week, it’s a write-off. The wind is onshore or cross-shore, and the swell is a jumbled mess. There’s a mix of windswell and short-period stuff, and the energy is all over the place but the conditions are just poor. You’ll be fighting chop and strong breezes.
The second week offers a couple of glimmers. Friday the 11th of September afternoon shows a glassy 6ft swell from the ENE with a 9-second period. That could be a nice, clean, mellow session. Then Saturday the 12th gets a bit bigger, but the wind is up and the quality is only marginal. The real other potential is on Wednesday the 17th of September. The morning sees a 7ft swell from the ENE with a decent 10-second period, and the wind is a clean cross-off from the SW. The energy is a healthy 1349. The forecast says marginal, but with that wind, it could actually be a cracking morning session for anyone who can handle a mid-sized swell. The long gap in quality surf makes this a promising, if uncertain, target.
The very end of the run, on the 18th and 19th, fades out. The swell drops right off, and the wind gets messy again. It’s back to small, weak, or blown-out conditions.
So, if you want the best wave of the outlook, it’s the Monday morning (7th September) at Thompsons Bay. It’s a big, powerful, clean swell for experts. For a smaller, more relaxed, and guaranteed clean surf, you can’t beat the glassy Sunday morning (6th September). Keep an eye on that Wednesday the 17th too, it might just surprise you.
Stay stoked,
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun night, min 16°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Fri night, calm by Sun afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Wed morning, min 17°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the ENE on Tue afternoon, light winds from the NNE by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | E 10 | E 9 | SSW 11 | S 21 | S 17 | S 16 | S 14 | S 13 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
1814 | 830 | 537 | 290 | 194 | 191 | 1081 | 5226 | 2824 | 1159 | 555 | 738 | 518 | 417 | 1040 | 763 | 581 | 636 | 698 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 8:09PM1.32m | 8:54AM1.15m | 10:29PM1.18m | 12:09PM1.17m | 00:53AM1.29m | 1:34PM1.39m | 1:53AM1.48m | 2:20PM1.61m | 2:34AM1.65m | 2:57PM1.80m | 3:09AM1.78m | 3:30PM1.95m | 3:41AM1.87m | ||||||
Low Tide | 2:38AM0.68m | 3:21PM0.74m | 5:23AM0.74m | 6:26PM0.71m | 7:14AM0.57m | 7:44PM0.51m | 8:04AM0.37m | 8:28PM0.32m | 8:41AM0.18m | 9:05PM0.17m | 9:14AM0.04m | 9:37PM0.06m | |||||||
— | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | |
5:40 | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:44 | — | |
mm | 3 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 21 |
Feels °C | 13 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | S 21 | S 17 | S 16 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SE 13 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | ENE 8 |
1524 | 830 | 537 | 290 | 192 | 155 | 1081 | 5226 | 2824 | 1159 | 555 | 356 | 209 | 176 | 93 | 88 | 106 | 96 | 521 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | S 15 | E 8 | E 10 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | ESE 6 | E 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SE 15 | SSE 11 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SE 11 |
31 | 112 | 152 | 273 | 194 | 191 | 129 | 118 | 92 | 56 | 18 | 242 | 58 | 13 | 55 | 64 | 9 | 8 | 32 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 17 | E 10 | S 14 | SSW 12 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 10 | — | — | E 10 | E 10 | S 18 | SSE 14 | S 16 | SW 11 | S 16 | — | — | S 19 |
23 | 48 | 148 | 81 | 95 | 77 | 133 | — | — | 48 | 31 | 6 | 40 | 5 | 5 | 5 | — | — | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 10 | ENE 10 | NE 4 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
1814 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 190 | 160 | 22 | 212 | 738 | 518 | 417 | 1040 | 763 | 581 | 636 | 698 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 93 | 741 | 42 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 891 | 116 | 514 | 929 | 258 | 462 | 722 | 0 | 42 | 42 | 37 |
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.










