Surf Forecasts:
Thompsons Bay surf forecast from 31 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 9s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 6 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, S swell with 4,538 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 31 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s period with E 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 (Aug 31) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 6s. 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 16s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Mon 31st Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 8ft (2.4m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Sun 6th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thompsons Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the table for Thompsons Bay over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – this is a rough stretch. The water temperature is sitting at 69°, which is just about normal for this time of year, so that’s not the problem. The problem is that for the first week and a half, we’re looking at a whole lot of nothing worth paddling out for. The wind is almost always cross-onshore or worse, and the wave energy is weak to moderate at best, with readings like 515 and 288 in the first few days. The swell is small, around 3 ft to 4 ft, and mostly from the east or southeast, which isn’t ideal for this sheltered spot that prefers a SE direction. Honestly, the first real surf we see doesn’t kick in until the afternoon of Thursday the 3rd of September, when a bit of ENE swell at 5 ft bumps up the energy to 526 – but it’s still marginal, with a cross-off wind that’s cleaning it up a bit. That’s your best window early on.
Then things get wild. From Friday the 4th through to Tuesday the 8th, we’re looking at a massive, messy, windy swell train. The combined energy jumps into the thousands – 1660, 5122, 5884, even 9663 on the morning of Monday the 7th – but the wind is howling from the south, often gale force, and the surf is blown out and lumpy. This is big, dangerous, and ugly. The swell hits 18 ft at times, with periods around 10 to 12 seconds, so it’s powerful but completely unsurfable unless you’re a total masochist. Honestly, for a beach-and-reef setup like this, it’s more of a kite surfer’s dream than a paddle surfer’s.
The real standout, if you can wait, is the afternoon of Thursday the 10th of September. The wind goes light and onshore from the ESE, the swell is 8 ft from the ESE with a solid 12-second period, and the energy is at 1581. The conditions are described as “marginal,” but with that light wind and a decent swell direction matching the optimum SE, it’s the cleanest and most promising window in the whole 16 days. That’s your best bet – but it’s still a long-range call, so keep an eye on it.
After that, Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th drop off fast, with smaller swell, shorter periods, and cross-onshore winds creeping back in. By Sunday the 13th, it’s back to weak, messy energy, and the 14th is a write-off with strong onshores and tiny, weak swell.
So, to sum it up: the first two weeks are mostly a bust. The only real highlight is the afternoon of Thursday the 10th of September – a clean, moderate-sized swell with light wind. Mark it down, but don’t bet the farm on it yet.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 24°C on Tue morning, min 18°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 34°C on Thu morning, min 18°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed night, strong winds from the NE by Thu afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 6 | E 7 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSW 7 | S 8 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
207 | 207 | 220 | 235 | 76 | 151 | 148 | 169 | 424 | 402 | 220 | 996 | 651 | 877 | 2291 | 2290 | 1177 | 832 | 476 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | on | on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 5:12AM1.86m | 5:31PM1.95m | 5:41AM1.79m | 6:01PM1.86m | 6:12AM1.67m | 6:34PM1.71m | 6:46AM1.52m | 7:13PM1.53m | 7:30AM1.33m | 8:09PM1.32m | 8:54AM1.15m | 10:29PM1.18m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:09PM0.04m | 11:16AM-0.01m | 11:39PM0.09m | 11:46AM0.06m | 00:10AM0.18m | 12:18PM0.18m | 00:45AM0.33m | 12:54PM0.35m | 1:28AM0.50m | 1:43PM0.55m | 2:38AM0.68m | 3:21PM0.74m | |||||||
— | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | |
5:38 | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 5 | — | 1 | 4 |
Temp °C | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 34 | 33 | 29 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 18 | 21 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 8 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSE 8 |
207 | 207 | 220 | 235 | 76 | 82 | 148 | 159 | 109 | 402 | 192 | 85 | 227 | 80 | 84 | 48 | 92 | 90 | 476 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | SE 5 | SSW 9 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | E 8 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | E 8 | — | — | — | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | S 15 | S 14 | E 10 |
58 | 27 | 47 | 22 | 11 | 51 | 38 | 169 | 424 | 69 | — | — | — | 67 | 70 | 73 | 112 | 106 | 167 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 12 | SSW 10 | SSE 11 | SE 10 | S 10 | SSW 7 | S 7 | — | E 8 | NE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 8 | NE 7 | NE 6 | SSW 12 |
28 | 72 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4 | — | 88 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | 7 | 2 | 81 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ESE 5 | ENE 4 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | — | SW 2 | SSW 5 | — | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSW 7 | S 8 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | — |
— | — | 21 | 16 | 34 | 151 | — | 1 | 28 | — | 220 | 996 | 651 | 877 | 2291 | 2290 | 1177 | 832 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 39 | 39 | 0 | 42 | 13 | 0 | 68 | 118 | 0 | 258 | 443 | 172 | 117 | 1955 | 6 | 258 | 277 | 42 |
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.











