Surf Forecasts:
Tolcarne surf forecast from 30 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, W swell with 1,476 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Tolcarne this week:
The surf forecast for Tolcarne over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 5s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tolcarne in the next 16 days are 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 1AM. 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 Sunday (Sep 06) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Mon 31st Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tolcarne over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab a coffee and listen up. This is a tricky one, but I’ll give it to you straight.
The next 16 days are looking grim for Tolcarne. The water’s a touch warmer than the long-term average for this time of year, sitting at 65°F, but that’s about the only thing that’s comfortable. We’re looking at a long, long stretch of poor surf conditions, with a massive gap right at the start. There’s no surf worth mentioning from now until late on the 1st of September. After that, it’s a whole lot of nothing special until we get a tiny glimmer of something surfable right at the end of the forecast.
The main issue is the wind. For the first week, it’s mostly a fresh breeze from the SW or WNW, which is cross or cross-on, trashing any chance of a clean wave. The swell is there, sometimes pushing 6 ft to 10 ft, with moderate to strong energy (521 to 1403), but it’s completely ruined by the wind. The period is mostly short, around 8 seconds, which is weak and messy. It’s a real kicker.
Best of the Bunch (and it’s not saying much)
The only two windows that even look remotely surfable are the morning of the 12th of September and the afternoon of the 12th of September. Now, don’t get your hopes up, but it’s the best we’ve got.
On the 12th, Saturday morning, the wind is light and offshore from the SSE, with a 4 ft swell from the west. The energy is a moderate 230, and the period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s not going to be groundswell, but the offshore wind will make it clean. It’s still a “surfable but very ordinary” situation, so it’s for experienced surfers who just need a paddle. The crowd factor is a concern, as Tolcarne is often crowded, so you’ll have company.
The afternoon of the 12th is even more interesting for a glassy, clean session. The wind drops to almost nothing, a glassy condition from the WSW, with a 4 ft west swell. The energy is a low 184, and the period is 9 seconds. It’s small and weak, but glassy conditions are a major positive. It’s the only time in the entire 16 days you’ll see that word. If you’re a beginner, this is the only time you should even consider it, because anything over 5 ft is too big for you, and the 4 ft is just about right.
The Long, Dry Spell
From now until the 1st of September, there is zero surfable surf. The whole period from the 30th of August through the 11th of September is a write-off, a solid 13-day gap with no recommendations. The conditions are constantly “poor” with ratings of 0 out of 10. The wind is too strong or the angle is wrong. It’s a proper blank run.
The Latter Part
From the 1st of September onward, the swell drops off significantly. We’re talking 1 ft to 5 ft, with weak energy, often under 100 or 200. The wind is still messy, but it’s a little lighter. The 10th of September afternoon has a 5 ft swell from the WSW with a moderate breeze and clean conditions, but it’s still a 0/10 rating which tells you the quality is poor. The 12th of September is the only calendar date that stands out, but it’s more of a last resort than a standout.
The Kite Factor
Given the strong cross-shore winds and the beach setup, particularly on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th of September with 18-25 mph winds, this is looking more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The messy, lumpy conditions are a dream for a kite, but a nightmare for a surfer.
The Verdict
If you’re desperate, the 12th of September is your only shot. It’s small, clean, and glassy. For everything else, it’s a long wait. This is a hard one, but that’s how it goes sometimes.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun morning, min 16°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Sun afternoon, light winds from the W by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 16°C on Fri afternoon). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 7 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 12 | W 8 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
366 | 521 | 1476 | 1403 | 983 | 407 | 188 | 120 | 105 | 269 | 464 | 334 | 329 | 347 | 963 | 535 | 994 | 543 | 360 | 234 | 113 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross |
High Tide | 7:32PM6.75m | 7:50AM6.54m | 8:07PM6.69m | 8:25AM6.45m | 8:43PM6.48m | 9:03AM6.22m | 9:24PM6.14m | 9:46AM5.87m | 10:12PM5.68m | 10:38AM5.44m | 11:12PM5.19m | 11:48AM5.04m | 00:35AM4.84m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:30PM0.26m | 1:50AM0.22m | 2:03PM0.29m | 2:23AM0.32m | 2:37PM0.44m | 2:58AM0.56m | 3:15PM0.71m | 3:38AM0.92m | 4:00PM1.10m | 4:27AM1.36m | 4:58PM1.53m | 5:33AM1.79m | 6:21PM1.87m | ||||||||
6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | |
— | 8:09 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:06 | — | — | 8:04 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:57 | — | |
mm | 3 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 |
Feels °C | 14 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 4 | — | — | — | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WSW 16 | SW 15 | W 8 | WSW 15 | W 12 | WNW 11 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 |
1 | — | — | — | 983 | 407 | 188 | 120 | 10 | 10 | 24 | 8 | 329 | 23 | 963 | 180 | 994 | 543 | 360 | 234 | 113 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | N 6 | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 | — | — | — | — | WSW 15 | — | WSW 15 | — | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | NNW 4 | N 5 |
— | — | — | — | 16 | 14 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 21 | — | 23 | — | 20 | 19 | 7 | 6 | 4 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 18 | W 18 | SW 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 13 | SW 13 |
— | — | — | — | — | 6 | 6 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | W 9 | W 10 | — | — | — | — | W 8 | W 7 | W 8 | W 8 | — | W 8 | — | W 8 | — | — | N 4 | — | — |
366 | 521 | 1476 | 1403 | — | — | — | — | 105 | 269 | 464 | 334 | — | 347 | — | 535 | — | — | 6 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 240 | 490 | 146 | 232 | 132 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 20 | 494 | 214 | 218 | 259 | 1 | 45 | 141 | 43 | 53 | 43 | 37 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Cornwall | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Tolcarne Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Tolcarne provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Tolcarne can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Tolcarne 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 (Tolcarne) 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 Tolcarne 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.
Are you planning a holiday in North Cornwall? If you are looking for accommodation near Tolcarne, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in North Cornwall, consider staying in Newquay which is 2 km (1 miles) away. Other places in and around North Cornwall where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Padstow which is 17 km (11 miles) away, Truro, Saint Austell and Bodmin.











