Surf Forecasts:
Thompsons Bay surf forecast from 7 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 9 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 6s period, NE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, S swell with 1,979 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 7 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 13s period with SSW 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 Friday (Aug 07) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be glassy 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 (Aug 10) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Fri 7th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thompsons Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s have a look at this one. The only break on offer here is Thompsons Bay, and to be honest with you, it’s a pretty grim run for the next 16 days. The forecast is basically a long stretch of messy, choppy, and onshore junk. Don’t get your hopes up.
We’re starting off right now and all the way through the first week and into the second, it’s a write-off. The wind is almost always cross or cross-onshore, often strong, and the swell is a total mess of short-period wind slop. There’s a solid stretch of days where the wave energy is strong to very strong – like the 10th of August with combined energy at 2024 and 1746 – but that’s all wrapped up in a big, nasty southerly storm swell with strong winds. That’s 12 ft of S swell, period of just 9 seconds, and it’s being hammered by 25 mph winds. That’s not a surf day; that’s a stay-on-the-beach day. Anything over 8 ft like that, it’s experts only, and even then, the conditions are just plain dangerous.
The best we can say is that around the 13th and 14th of August, things start to drop a bit. You’ve got a 6 ft swell from the ESE on the 13th afternoon with a score of 1 out of 10 – that’s just a marginal day, and the wind is still cross. The 15th of August Saturday morning has a clean-looking 3 ft E swell with a period of 11 seconds, and very light SE wind, but it’s cross-onshore. The water temp is about 71°F, which is normal for this time of year, nothing unusual there.
The last chance you get is the 20th of August Thursday morning and afternoon. We see a 6 ft NE swell, period of just 7 seconds – that’s short period, so it’s going to be a bit weak and fat – but the wind is light and onshore to cross. Again, marginal. The combined energy is moderate (589 and 590), so there’s some push, but the quality is just not there.
Thompsons Bay is a sheltered spot, and it’s fairly consistent normally, but with this pattern, it’s just not happening. The setup is a beach and reef, but with the wind and swell direction, it’s more of a kite-surfing show than a paddle-surfing one right now. There are no standouts, no hidden gems. The whole 16 days is a bust. But hey, it tends not to stay this poor for long, and forecasts can change.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Sun night. Warm (max 28°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri night, strong winds from the SSW by Sun night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 39mm), heaviest during Mon morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 11°C on Wed morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Tue afternoon, moderate winds from the SW by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | E 9 | E 10 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 8 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 9 | S 8 | S 8 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 143 | 98 | 83 | 113 | 181 | 271 | 150 | 137 | 1233 | 1979 | 1716 | 513 | 943 | 1119 | 1358 | 911 | 816 | 675 | 553 | 419 | 267 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:22AM1.20m | 10:32PM1.30m | 11:42AM1.17m | 00:36AM1.35m | 1:26PM1.32m | 1:52AM1.49m | 2:25PM1.53m | 2:43AM1.65m | 3:10PM1.72m | 3:24AM1.77m | 3:49PM1.88m | 4:01AM1.86m | 4:25PM1.97m | 4:35AM1.89m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:39PM0.64m | 5:15AM0.68m | 5:52PM0.66m | 7:06AM0.57m | 7:31PM0.52m | 8:10AM0.39m | 8:30PM0.35m | 8:55AM0.22m | 9:16PM0.20m | 9:33AM0.07m | 9:55PM0.10m | 10:08AM-0.03m | 10:31PM0.05m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | |  | |  |  |  |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — |
 | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 4 | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 28 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 19 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | SSW 16 | ENE 7 | ENE 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | SE 8 | E 10 | E 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 |
| kJ | 83 | 83 | 83 | 113 | 140 | 168 | 150 | 88 | 58 | 45 | 30 | 381 | 66 | 66 | 1358 | 911 | 816 | 675 | 553 | 419 | 267 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 17 | SSW 11 | E 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | — | — | — | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 10 | E 11 |
| kJ | 32 | 98 | 83 | 99 | 24 | 46 | 77 | 137 | — | — | — | 48 | 66 | 61 | 135 | 246 | 183 | 158 | 114 | 106 | 81 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | S 5 | SE 5 | SSW 12 | — | SSW 14 | SSW 18 | NE 6 | — | — | — | S 14 | — | — | SSW 14 | E 9 | E 9 | SW 22 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | S 10 |
| kJ | 143 | 14 | 5 | 45 | — | 116 | 60 | 18 | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | 195 | 45 | 6 | 18 | 35 | 107 | 48 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | SSE 5 | — | NE 4 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | SSW 5 | S 5 | SSW 8 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 9 | S 8 | S 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 47 | 10 | — | 15 | 181 | 271 | 42 | 88 | 1233 | 1979 | 1716 | 513 | 943 | 1119 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 39 | 118 | 0 | 42 | 258 | 0 | 117 | 2585 | 722 | 471 | 941 | 443 | 931 | 1267 | 87 | 258 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 6 | 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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