Surf Forecasts:
Towan surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 25 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 10s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 9s period, WNW swell with 791 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 25 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 10s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Towan this week:
The surf forecast for Towan over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 4s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Towan in the next 16 days are 2.3m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Towan over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get stuck into the outlook for Towan. I’m looking at a pretty bleak stretch ahead, so let’s be honest about it.
Right off the bat, the next week and a half looks like a write-off. We’ve got a long gap here with nothing worth paddling out for. The first real sniff of anything decent doesn’t come until Tuesday the 25th, and even that is just a “maybe.” The water temp is sitting at 66°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t be freezing while you’re sitting there waiting for a wave that never comes.
From the 18th through to the 24th, it’s a mess. We’ve got moderate to fresh cross-offshore winds blowing, which would be fine, but the swell is tiny and weak, and most of the time the wave comment is just “poor.” The energy is weak, barely into triple digits on the best days, and the swell direction is mostly from the west, which is perfect for Towan’s sheltered setup, but there’s just no power behind it. On Thursday the 20th, the swell bumps up to 8ft from the WNW, but with a fresh cross-offshore wind and poor conditions, it’s not going to be any fun—probably a messy, blown-out wall. That size is also a bit much for the beginners, so steer clear.
Tuesday the 25th morning is the first time we get a light breeze and a bit of a clean face. Swell is a weak 3ft from the WNW at 10 seconds, with a combined energy of just 144. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the south. It’s surfable, but it’s ordinary. For the experienced surfer, it’s a chance to get the board wet, but don’t expect much. The crowds at Towan can be a problem, especially when it’s small, so expect a bit of a scrum for those little waves.
Then we jump to Thursday the 27th morning. This is the closest thing to a standout, but it’s still nothing to write home about. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the WNW, a 6-second period—which is short and weak—and a light offshore wind from the WSW. The energy is a paltry 169, and it’s only rated as “surfable but very ordinary.” The water is clean, but the swell is too short-period to shape up nicely. It’s a slight step up, but that’s it.
After that, it’s more of the same dross until we finally get a decent day on Tuesday the 1st of September. The afternoon shows some real promise. We’ve got a 6ft swell from the west at 9 seconds, with moderate offshore winds from the southwest. The combined energy jumps to 565—that’s moderate energy, and the conditions are described as “good surf.” This is the best call of the whole 16-day window. It’s a solid, clean wave with proper shape for Towan. The offshore wind will keep the faces clean, and the size is right for most competent surfers. It’s not huge, but it’s the best we’ve got. Expect a crowd if it looks this good.
Overall, don’t bother with the next ten days. It’s a blank run. The 1st of September is the one to circle on your calendar, and even that is a week and a half away, so keep an eye on the forecast. It might tighten up as we get closer.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Thu night. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue afternoon, min 15°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Wed afternoon, light winds from the ENE by Thu night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon morning, min 14°C on Fri afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | ||||||||||||||
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) | W 6 | W 7 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 | W 9 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
143 | 157 | 235 | 287 | 430 | 791 | 639 | 282 | 136 | 64 | 51 | 65 | 40 | 23 | 24 | 19 | 20 | 13 | 14 | 12 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on |
High Tide | 9:53PM5.75m | 10:13AM5.43m | 10:34PM5.22m | 10:57AM4.97m | 11:25PM4.73m | 11:55AM4.57m | 00:36AM4.36m | 1:20PM4.36m | 2:10AM4.29m | 2:52PM4.47m | 3:30AM4.52m | 3:57PM4.83m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:08AM1.28m | 4:27PM1.49m | 4:48AM1.75m | 5:13PM1.94m | 5:40AM2.17m | 6:19PM2.31m | 6:58AM2.45m | 7:54PM2.45m | 8:37AM2.43m | 9:24PM2.25m | 9:51AM2.12m | 10:24PM1.87m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | |
8:35 | — | — | 8:32 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:27 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:22 | — | |
mm | — | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 3 | 2 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 |
Feels °C | 14 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | SW 17 | W 9 | SW 16 | W 10 | SW 14 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 9 | WNW 6 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 6 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 |
11 | 12 | 235 | 10 | 45 | 8 | 639 | 282 | 136 | 64 | 33 | 39 | 12 | 14 | 24 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 16 | — | WSW 15 | — | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 15 | W 9 | WNW 5 | WSW 14 | W 9 | WNW 4 | N 4 | WNW 4 | SW 13 |
— | — | 10 | — | 23 | — | 21 | 18 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 24 | 6 | 19 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | — | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 21 | 21 | — | 19 | 20 | 7 | 7 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 7 | — | W 9 | W 8 | WNW 9 | — | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 | N 5 | N 4 | N 4 | N 5 | — | — | — |
143 | 157 | — | 287 | 430 | 791 | — | 21 | 42 | 55 | 51 | 65 | 40 | 23 | 19 | 8 | 4 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 218 | 137 | 72 | 218 | 284 | 137 | 59 | 21 | 1 | 41 | 271 | 264 | 232 | 41 | 42 | 391 | 243 | 401 | 392 | 42 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Cornwall | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the Towan Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Towan provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Towan can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Towan 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 (Towan) 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 Towan 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.
Towan is 1 km (1 miles) from Newquay. If you plan a holiday in North Cornwall, look for hotels and other accommodation in Newquay. Newquay has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











