
Surf Forecasts:
Thompsons Bay surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 11s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 10s period, S swell with 1,320 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 12s period with SE 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 Monday (Jul 20) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 8s. 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 2.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Fri 24th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thompsons Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Thompsons Bay is lookin’ at a pretty tough run for the next couple of weeks. There’s a whole lot of junk between now and the start of August, so settle in for a long wait.
Right now, the water’s sittin’ at 73°, which is a tick warmer than usual for this time of year – not a huge deal, but it’s noticeable. The first real potential shows up on Monday the 20th of July, but honestly, it’s a write-off. We’ve got a 6ft SE groundswell with a 12-second period, but the wind is a messy 16 mph cross-onshore from the SSW, and it’s choppy as hell. Combined wave energy is strong at 1158, but the quality is just poor. That same swell hangs around into the afternoon with a lighter 3 mph onshore breeze, but the tide’s gonna mess with it – not worth paddlin’ out.
Tuesday the 21st through to Friday the 31st is a bleak stretch. Swell drops off, winds are mostly cross or cross-onshore, and the ratings are all in the gutter. There’s a big gap here with no decent recommendations – over a week of frustration. The wind never really lets up, and even when the swell size pops up – like an 8ft S swell on Friday the 24th – the 19 mph cross-onshore makes it a total mess (combined energy 1271). It’s the kind of setup that’d be more interesting for kite surfing than paddling.
Saturday the 1st of August is the stand-out, but it’s a long way off. We’ve got a solid 13ft SSW swell with a 10-second period rollin’ in. The morning is glassy – not a breath of wind – and the combined energy is massive at 3017. That’s a powerful, clean groundswell, but it’s big, so only for experienced surfers. The long 10-second period means better-shaped waves, but at a beach break like Thompsons Bay, it might close out a bit. Still, that morning glass is about as good as it gets around here.
Sunday the 2nd of August follows up with an 12ft S swell, period 10 seconds. The morning has a light NNE cross-off breeze at 9 mph, keepin’ it clean, and the energy is still strong at 2964. Another one for the crew who know what they’re doin’. The afternoon fades with a cross-shore chop.
Monday the 3rd of August morning sees a 8ft SSW swell, period 11 seconds, with a 19 mph cross-off breeze from the NE – clean but getting windy, energy at 2822. It’s still good for the experienced surfers, but the window is tight. After that, it’s back to lumpy junk again.
So, to sum it up: the next week and a half is a write-off. The real action is in the distance on the 1st and 2nd of August – those mornings are your best bets, but it’s a long-range call, so don’t lock it in yet. For the patient locals, that glassy 13ft swell is the one to dream on.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Wed afternoon, min 16°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Thu afternoon, min 16°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Thu morning, calm by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | NE 6 | SE 12 | SSW 6 | S 8 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | S 19 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | NE 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1010 | 1082 | 624 | 546 | 494 | 442 | 403 | 319 | 284 | 167 | 181 | 368 | 1207 | 1066 | 643 | 465 | 534 | 292 | 273 | 258 | 352 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | off | cross-on | cross | off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:51PM1.55m | 7:58AM1.35m | 8:34PM1.40m | 8:48AM1.22m | 9:34PM1.27m | 10:13AM1.12m | 11:13PM1.20m | 12:20PM1.12m | 00:56AM1.24m | 1:42PM1.22m | 1:58AM1.34m | 2:30PM1.34m | 2:40AM1.46m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:27PM0.34m | 2:01AM0.53m | 2:06PM0.49m | 2:49AM0.64m | 2:57PM0.64m | 4:01AM0.73m | 4:20PM0.74m | 5:53AM0.74m | 6:20PM0.75m | 7:24AM0.66m | 7:40PM0.66m | 8:16AM0.54m | 8:28PM0.54m | ||||||||
6:46 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | |
— | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:19 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 18 |
Feels °C | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 12 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SE 12 | SSW 10 | SE 11 | S 20 | S 10 | SSE 9 | SSW 17 | SSE 9 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
1010 | 1082 | 624 | 546 | 494 | 442 | 403 | 319 | 154 | 88 | 108 | 141 | 60 | 194 | 643 | 238 | 534 | 126 | 273 | 253 | 129 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | S 10 | SSW 9 | S 8 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SE 12 | SE 12 | ENE 7 | SE 11 | E 10 | SE 11 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSE 8 | SSW 15 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 |
46 | 47 | 110 | 37 | 91 | 193 | 376 | 261 | 236 | 167 | 47 | 103 | 2 | 42 | 480 | 297 | 116 | 292 | 108 | 72 | 32 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | E 10 | E 9 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | E 9 | E 9 | — | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | — | NE 8 | NE 7 | E 10 | SE 11 | S 19 | SSW 10 | ESE 10 | SSE 11 | — | — |
31 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 53 | 14 | 6 | — | 135 | 56 | — | 28 | 2 | 8 | 29 | 465 | 56 | 10 | 25 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 5 | — | — | — | ENE 3 | NE 4 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | — | SSW 6 | S 8 | S 10 | S 11 | — | NE 3 | ENE 4 | NE 5 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | NE 7 |
71 | — | — | — | 4 | 16 | 23 | 129 | 284 | — | 181 | 368 | 1207 | 1066 | — | 2 | 13 | 25 | 38 | 258 | 352 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 277 | 368 | 0 | 42 | 42 | 0 | 42 | 514 | 0 | 118 | 118 | 39 | 368 | 39 | 0 | 42 | 42 | 0 | 548 | 732 | 258 |
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.










