Surf Forecasts:
Woolacombe surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 25 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s period, W swell with 380 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 9s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Woolacombe this week:
The surf forecast for Woolacombe over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 4s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Woolacombe in the next 16 days are 1.6m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Tue 25th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Woolacombe over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Woolacombe over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a bit of a heartbreaker. We’ve got a real lack of quality windows, and most of the time the wind’s going to be blowing right in our faces or across the waves, making things messy.
The main issue is that nearly every single session is flagged as poor. The combined wave energy starts off weak, around 61, and jumps up through the moderate range, but it never quite lines up with a decent wind. For a beach and reef set-up like Woolacombe, that cross-onshore and onshore wind is a killer. The water temp is about average for the time of year.
The only glimmer of hope comes on Friday morning, the 21st of August. We get a brief window with a light NE breeze coming from the land, giving us a cross-offshore wind. That cleans things right up. The swell is tiny at 2 ft from the west, with a short period of 8 seconds, so it’s not going to be big or powerful, but the combined energy is a very weak 84. This is a session for the log or a fun board, perfect for a beginner to get some clean little rollers. The crowds are only *sometimes* a problem here, but on a clear morning like that, you might have the place to yourself.
That’s your standout. After that, it’s a long, dry stretch. The weekend is flat and clean but with no size to speak of – we’re talking 1 ft to 1 ft. The week that follows is a write-off, with onshore winds and messy conditions right through until the end of the month. Then, around the 31st of August and into September, the swell size starts to crank up, hitting over 10 ft and strong wave energy (2153), but it comes with a fresh to strong cross-onshore wind. That’s big, lumpy, and blown-out surf – more for skill than fun, and really only for experts if you even want to get in that mess.
So, overall, the pick of the entire 16-day forecast is that tiny, clean Friday morning on the 21st. It’s not a classic, but it’s all we’ve got. For the rest, you’re better off waiting for a better forecast.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue night, min 13°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Wed afternoon, light winds from the NE by Fri morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sat morning. Warm (max 20°C on Mon afternoon, min 14°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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) | W 6 | W 5 | W 7 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | WSW 8 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 44 | 74 | 371 | 337 | 380 | 130 | 66 | 49 | 23 | 29 | 26 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 77 | 359 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | off | off | cross-off | cross | off | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:56AM7.74m | 11:12PM7.55m | 11:33AM7.18m | 11:54PM6.94m | 12:28PM6.65m | 1:01AM6.42m | 1:59PM6.38m | 2:41AM6.29m | 3:35PM6.63m | 4:09AM6.66m | 4:41PM7.19m | 5:06AM7.23m | 5:28PM7.77m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:32AM2.08m | 4:46PM2.28m | 5:06AM2.63m | 5:29PM2.87m | 5:54AM3.20m | 6:38PM3.39m | 7:20AM3.61m | 8:18PM3.55m | 9:06AM3.53m | 9:45PM3.23m | 10:21AM3.06m | 10:46PM2.69m | 11:12AM2.50m | 11:32PM2.15m | |||||||
 |  |  | | |  |  | | | |  |  | | | | | |  | | | | |
 | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — |
 | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:27 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:19 | — |
mm | 1 | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 15 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 8 | SW 14 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | WSW 8 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 |
| kJ | 44 | 10 | 10 | 337 | 8 | 130 | 66 | 49 | 23 | 29 | 26 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 5 | 77 | 359 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | — | SW 16 | SW 15 | — | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | NW 6 | SW 15 | SW 15 | NNW 3 | SW 14 | SW 14 | — | SW 14 | SW 13 | — | SW 13 | — |
| kJ | 7 | — | 10 | 8 | — | 8 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 8 | — | 7 | 7 | — | 7 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | — | — | W 15 | — | SW 14 | W 16 | W 16 | SW 13 | SW 15 | — | SW 15 | SW 14 | — | — | SW 14 | — | W 13 | SW 13 | W 13 | — |
| kJ | 10 | — | — | 4 | — | 8 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 9 | — | 8 | 8 | — | — | 8 | — | 4 | 7 | 3 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 5 | W 7 | — | W 9 | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | NW 3 | NW 4 | — | NW 4 | NW 4 | — | — | NW 3 | — | — | WNW 3 | — | S 2 | SE 4 |
| kJ | — | 74 | 371 | — | 380 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 5 | — | 5 | 3 | — | — | 3 | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 12 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 474 | 279 | 69 | 64 | 43 | 12 | 0 | 48 | 256 | 6 | 48 | 41 | 41 | 146 | 91 | 310 | 354 | 310 | 78 | 0 | 3 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Devon | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Woolacombe Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Woolacombe provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Woolacombe can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Woolacombe 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 (Woolacombe) 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 Woolacombe 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.
Woolacombe is 14 km (9 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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