Surf Forecasts:
Thompsons Bay surf forecast from 13 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 15 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 14 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, ENE swell with 1,929 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 15 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period with ENE 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 Tuesday (Sep 15) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 2.5m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 13s is also forecast. 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 3.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 14) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Mon 14th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thompsons Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a decent paddle at Thompsons Bay. We’ve got a lot of wind, a lot of chop, and very little in the way of clean surf. If you’re set on getting wet, you’ll be fighting a mess most days.
The first real chance of anything even remotely surfable doesn’t show up until Sunday the 20th. That morning is still ordinary, with a light cross-onshore breeze and weak energy at 206, but the afternoon flips to glassy conditions with a tiny 0.9m SSW swell. It’s not going to be pretty, but it’ll be the cleanest the bay sees for a while. That’s your first genuine window, and honestly, it’s a marginal call.
Then we get a bit more size but the quality drops right off. Monday the 21st has a bit more push – 1.3m in the morning with a light cross-offshore wind, clean conditions, and 318 energy. That’s probably the most user-friendly waves of the whole stretch, but it’s still small. The afternoon looks more questionable with an onshore breeze and lumpy energy at 487.
After that, we go back into the grinder. From Tuesday the 22nd through to the end of the period, it’s all cross-shore winds, chop, and poor conditions. There’s a bump of size around Monday the 23rd – 2.0m plus – but it’s short-period ENE windswell, and the wind is fresh and messy. That’s not surf for anyone; that’s a washing machine.
The energy levels drop right down by Friday the 25th and the weekend, with tiny 0.8m to 0.9m swells and onshore breezes. Nothing to get excited about.
One thing to note: the water is sitting at 68°F which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so if you do go in, you’ll want a thicker wetsuit.
Bottom line: If you're desperate, Sunday the 20th afternoon or Monday the 21st morning are your best bets, but even then, it's pretty ordinary. The rest of the window is a write-off for anything decent. Keep the board in the car, but don't hold your breath.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 27°C on Mon morning, min 19°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun morning, near gales from the NE by Mon afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 92mm), heaviest during Fri afternoon. Warm (max 24°C on Wed morning, min 14°C on Fri afternoon). Winds increasing (calm on Wed morning, fresh winds from the SSW by Thu afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 9 | SSW 17 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | E 9 | E 10 | ENE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 7 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 274 | 315 | 268 | 650 | 1634 | 1599 | 771 | 796 | 710 | 586 | 586 | 434 | 569 | 1780 | 971 | 606 | 508 | 334 | 275 | 221 | 111 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross | off | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 4:56PM1.98m | 5:06AM1.84m | 5:22PM1.89m | 5:32AM1.74m | 5:47PM1.75m | 5:57AM1.61m | 6:10PM1.60m | 6:21AM1.47m | 6:34PM1.43m | 6:46AM1.30m | 7:00PM1.26m | 7:19AM1.13m | 7:45PM1.09m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:42AM-0.05m | 11:03PM0.04m | 11:09AM0.03m | 11:29PM0.13m | 11:35AM0.14m | 11:54PM0.24m | 12:01PM0.28m | 00:19AM0.38m | 12:26PM0.45m | 00:45AM0.53m | 12:53PM0.62m | 1:19AM0.70m | 1:29PM0.80m | 3:00AM0.86m | |||||||
 |  |  | | |  |  |  | | | |  |  | |  |  | |  | | | | |
 | 5:56 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — |
 | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 8 | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 25 | 36 | 9 | 15 | 20 |
Temp °C | 21 | 21 | 21 | 27 | 26 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 19 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 16 |
Feels °C | 21 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 18 | 15 | 23 | 24 | 19 | 23 | 22 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | SSW 17 | SSE 8 | SE 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | E 9 | SSW 12 | ENE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 |
| kJ | 164 | 315 | 85 | 132 | 79 | 63 | 771 | 27 | 710 | 586 | 586 | 434 | 394 | 296 | 194 | 137 | 104 | 334 | 275 | 221 | 111 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | S 9 | — | SSW 12 | — | S 11 | SSW 10 | S 10 | SSW 12 | — | — | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 |
| kJ | 71 | 50 | 196 | 81 | 2 | — | 29 | — | 21 | 10 | 8 | 29 | — | — | 17 | 15 | 13 | 132 | 78 | 74 | 69 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 19 | SSW 10 | E 9 | S 18 | — | — | — | — | S 17 | S 12 | SW 13 | S 10 | — | — | — | — | S 16 | SSW 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 |
| kJ | 274 | 33 | 52 | 54 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 11 | 7 | 8 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 11 | 93 | 70 | 66 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | — | E 10 | — | — | — | SSW 5 | SSW 7 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 274 | 206 | 268 | 650 | 1634 | 1599 | — | 796 | — | — | — | 30 | 569 | 1780 | 971 | 606 | 508 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 42 | 42 | 897 | 592 | 592 | 178 | 42 | 37 | 0 | 42 | 776 | 443 | 741 | 1268 | 6 | 39 | 741 | 93 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
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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