
Surf Forecasts:
Thompsons Bay surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 13 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 9s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, S swell with 2,163 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 9 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 14s 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 Sunday (Aug 09) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 9s is also forecast. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 3s 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 (Aug 10) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Friday (Aug 14) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thompsons Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here with the long-range picture. We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but there’s a few days of decent waves if you know when to look.
The first few days are basically a washout. The wind is all over the place, mostly cross and onshore, and the swell is short-period and junky. You’d be wasting your time paddling out. We’re looking at a few days of this, maybe four or five, before things start to clean up.
The real turning point is Sunday the 16th. The wind goes glassy in the morning, and we’ve got a 2.0m swell rolling in from the E with a 10-second period. The energy is moderate (826), but the clean conditions make it feel a lot better. This is the day to be out there. Water temp is 71°, which is pretty standard for this time of year, so you won’t need a hood.
Monday the 17th keeps the size up, with 2.2m from the E and a longer 11-second period. The energy is a bit stronger (1166), but the wind swings to a cross-shore, putting a bit of chop on the face. It’s still good, but Sunday is the cleaner of the two.
After that, it slowly fades. We get another glassy spell on Tuesday afternoon the 18th, with 1.8m waves, but it’s not the same quality. The second week is mostly small and wind-affected. The swell drops below a metre by the 21st, and the last few days are just not worth the paddle. There’s a small pulse from the S on the 23rd, but it’s tiny and onshore—not a goer.
So, mark your calendar for the morning of Sunday the 16th. That’s the pick of the fortnight. The E swell at 2.0m should be clean and lined-up, thanks to the glassy conditions. It’s a fairly consistent break, so you should get some waves, but it can get a little crowded, so be prepared to share. It’s an intermediate wave, so some push to it, but nothing scary. If you’re just starting out, that size might be a bit much, so maybe sit this one out.
The second-week stuff is more of a lottery. The models aren’t showing much, and the wind is iffy. I’d keep my expectations low for that far out.
That’s the skinny. A few rough days, then a window of clean surf. Be ready for it, because it doesn’t hang around.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Mon morning. Warm (max 29°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Tue morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the WSW on Sun morning, near gales from the SSW by Sun night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 38mm), heaviest during Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri morning, min 14°C on Thu morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Tue afternoon, light winds from the SSE by Wed night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | ||||||||||||||
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 6 | NE 6 | ENE 7 | SSW 15 | SSW 7 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 7 | S 13 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 10 | E 10 | ESE 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
211 | 203 | 114 | 135 | 765 | 1814 | 1517 | 970 | 559 | 522 | 892 | 803 | 516 | 800 | 575 | 453 | 232 | 342 | 470 | 322 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 4:58PM2.00m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 10:41AM-0.07m | 11:04PM0.05m | |||||||
— | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | |
5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 4 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 2 | — | 3 | 2 | — | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Feels °C | 23 | 19 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | SSE 8 | E 10 | E 9 | S 13 | S 10 | ESE 8 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 10 | E 10 | ESE 8 |
140 | 162 | 114 | 115 | 58 | 44 | 44 | 737 | 113 | 142 | 892 | 739 | 516 | 800 | 575 | 453 | 232 | 342 | 319 | 322 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 11 | E 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | NE 7 | — | — | E 10 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | E 9 | ESE 9 | S 9 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 10 | E 11 | S 8 | SSE 8 | S 10 |
24 | 65 | 78 | 135 | 7 | — | — | 68 | 71 | 276 | 171 | 576 | 388 | 70 | 112 | 73 | 112 | 32 | 81 | 7 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 14 | SSW 18 | E 9 | — | — | — | S 14 | — | — | — | SE 9 | SE 9 | SSW 22 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | S 10 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SW 15 |
— | 116 | 60 | 87 | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | — | 29 | 67 | 46 | 38 | 61 | 66 | 103 | 51 | 9 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 6 | NE 6 | SSW 4 | S 4 | SSW 7 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 7 | SE 8 | ESE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 10 | — |
211 | 203 | 8 | 30 | 765 | 1814 | 1517 | 970 | 559 | 522 | 277 | 803 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 470 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 258 | 6 | 39 | 117 | 897 | 443 | 368 | 39 | 922 | 1267 | 87 | 922 | 39 | 0 | 19 | 39 | 0 | 6 | 42 | 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.











