Westward Ho Surf Break

Lat Long: 51.05° N 4.23° W

Westward Ho Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 am 20 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Westward Ho sea temperature is
18.9° C
2.4° 

Westward Ho surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Westward Ho surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 8s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 9s period, W swell with 435 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 8s period with W swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Westward Ho this week:

The surf forecast for Westward Ho over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Westward Ho in the next 16 days are 1.7m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 1PM. 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 Monday (Aug 24) at 7AM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Thu 27th Aug)2.5ft (0.7m) 8s
Best Surf 1AM (Thu 27th Aug)2.5ft (0.7m) 8s
Most Powerful 1PM (Thu 20th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 9s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Westward Ho over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, it’s a tough stretch. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, but you’re gonna have to be patient. The first real chance of anything worth paddling out for doesn’t show up until the 30th of August, and even then, it’s a bit of a gamble. Before that, it’s mostly small, wonky, and blown-out. There’s a big gap of flat or poor conditions from now until the 30th, so about 10 days of pretty much nothing.

The one spot we’ve got is Westward Ho, and it’s a beginner-friendly beach break that’s fairly exposed to the west-northwest. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Let’s run through it. The 20th and 21st of August are a write-off—onshore winds, lumpy, choppy, with swell around 6 ft to 5 ft, but it’s just messy. The combined energy is still moderate (372 on the 20th morning), but the wind’s ruining it. From the 22nd right through to the 29th, it’s mostly tiny—0.3 ft to 3 ft—with clean conditions on a few mornings (like the 23rd with light offshore wind), but there’s simply not enough push to surf. That easterly offshore on the 22nd and 23rd morning is a tease, but with swell at 1 ft to 1 ft, you’d be floating.

The first mention of anything surfable is the afternoon of the 30th. That afternoon, we’ve got some cross-offshore wind with a 7 ft swell from the west-southwest, period around 8 seconds. The combined energy hits 560—that’s moderate to strong—so there’s some push. It’s only a 1 out of 10 rating, but it’s the best we’ve got. The wind is clean, so the waves could be a bit shaped. For the beginners, 7 ft is getting a bit big, and the break is a beach, so it might be a bit dumpy and hard to paddle into. Still, if you’re keen, this is the closest to a standout in the whole run. But be warned, crowds are sometimes an issue here.

Then it turns sour again. The 31st of August sees a big jump in swell—10 ft in the morning with a long period of 11 seconds. That’s expert-only territory, especially with onshore winds making it lumpy and choppy. Combined energy is massive at 1762—strong to very strong—but the wind’s cross-onshore, so it’s more of a beast than a treat. The afternoon is similar with 8 ft. Into September, it drops back down to small, weak stuff with onshore or cross-shore winds, barely worth a mention.

If you’re a paddle surfer, the 30th afternoon is your best bet, and it’s only a maybe. Honestly, given the windy, lumpy conditions and the beach setup, this stretch looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a regular surfer on most days.

Stay tuned, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Thu morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 25°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun night, fresh winds from the ESE by Tue morning).

Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
W
8
1.6
W
9
1
W
9
0.7
W
8
0.4
W
8
0.4
W
8
0.4
W
10
0.4
W
9
0.3
W
9
0.3
W
9
0.2
W
9
0.3
WSW
9
0.2
W
9
0.2
W
9
0.2
W
9
0.2
W
8
0.3
W
10
0.4
W
9
0.6
SW
6
0.6
W
8
0.7
W
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
368
404
162
66
21
22
29
27
14
14
8
17
8
7
7
5
17
25
30
46
55
Wind (km/h)
25
WNW
25
WNW
20
N
20
N
20
NW
10
NE
10
E
20
NNW
10
NNE
10
ENE
20
N
5
ESE
25
ESE
25
ESE
35
E
35
ESE
25
SSE
10
ESE
25
S
20
SSE
10
SE
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-off
off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
11:44AM6.37m
00:10AM6.06m
12:40PM5.85m
1:18AM5.59m
2:03PM5.55m
2:54AM5.47m
3:38PM5.68m
4:17AM5.77m
4:46PM6.14m
5:12AM6.28m
5:33PM6.72m
5:53AM6.83m
6:11PM7.30m
Low Tide
5:49PM2.45m
6:17AM2.75m
6:55PM2.94m
7:36AM3.12m
8:31PM3.14m
9:15AM3.11m
10:01PM2.91m
10:30AM2.74m
11:03PM2.44m
11:22AM2.21m
11:47PM1.89m
12:01PM1.66m
00:23AM1.35m
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
thunderstorm
rain showers
cloud
cloud
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:09
6:11
6:13
6:15
6:16
6:18
6:18
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:29
8:27
8:24
8:22
8:21
8:17
8:15
 mm
1
1
6
2
Temp °C
16
17
15
16
16
16
17
18
17
19
20
18
22
23
20
25
25
18
21
22
17
Feels °C
11
12
11
12
12
13
13
14
14
16
15
16
16
18
14
20
22
18
17
19
16
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Westward Ho Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Westward Ho provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Westward Ho can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Westward Ho 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 (Westward Ho) 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 Westward Ho 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.

Westward Ho is 2 km (1 miles) from Appledore. If you plan a holiday in North Devon, look for hotels and other accommodation in Appledore. Appledore has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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