Surf Forecasts:
Woolacombe surf forecast from 27 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, WSW swell with 1,418 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Woolacombe this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Woolacombe in the next 16 days are 3.0m 8s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Woolacombe over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let`s get this straight. It`s been a grim stretch here at Woolacombe, and the charts aren`t giving us much to get excited about for a long while. We`re looking at a real dry spell for decent surf.
For the next week, from Thursday the 27th of August through to the end of the first week of September, it`s a write-off. The wind is howling from the southwest and west, smashing into the beach and making everything a messy, lumpy, cross-onshore mess. There`s swell in the water, sure, with a strong combined energy (1418) on Saturday afternoon, but with a 34 mph onshore wind, that 10 ft swell is just a washing machine. The water temp is a notable 67°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, but that`s small comfort when you can barely stand up.
We finally get a small window on Saturday the 5th of September. The morning sees a tiny 4 ft west swell, but the wind goes glassy from the SSE. For the first time in over a week, it will be clean. The energy is weak (197), and it`ll be small and ordinary, but at least it`s not a total battle. Then the afternoon jumps to 10 ft from the WSW with a light north cross-shore (724 combined energy) – that`s big, heavy, and probably closing out. It’s a real mixed bag, and honestly, it looks more like a kite-surfing day than a paddle surf day with that kind of size and power on a beach break.
After that brief tease, it`s back into the wind for the rest of the outlook. The second week is more of the same: strong breezes, cross-onshore slop, and generally poor conditions. There`s a tiny sliver of hope on the morning of Friday the 11th of September, when a clean 2 ft west swell shows up with a light cross-offshore breeze from the ENE. But it`s so small (53 combined energy) it`s hardly worth paddling out for.
Honestly, this 16-day window is a bust. The few moments of clean conditions are either too small or too big and messy. The consistent poor wind and onshore slop just won`t let up. We`ll be waiting for a proper break in the weather.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Fri night. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu morning, min 16°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SE on Thu morning, near gales from the WSW by Sat morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun morning, min 15°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Sun afternoon, light winds from the WSW by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | |||||||||||||||
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 7 | W 7 | SW 4 | SW 6 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | W 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 9 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | WSW 4 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 10 | 9 | 10 | 128 | 299 | 133 | 218 | 1418 | 646 | 422 | 402 | 1351 | 952 | 627 | 257 | 205 | 61 | 48 | 34 | 17 | 10 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 6:43PM8.69m | 7:01AM8.61m | 7:17PM9.00m | 7:34AM8.88m | 7:52PM9.21m | 8:08AM9.05m | 8:26PM9.30m | 8:42AM9.08m | 9:00PM9.23m | 9:15AM8.96m | 9:35PM9.00m | 9:49AM8.69m | 10:11PM8.60m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:28PM1.59m | 00:46AM1.33m | 1:01PM1.29m | 1:20AM1.07m | 1:33PM1.10m | 1:53AM0.92m | 2:04PM1.01m | 2:25AM0.90m | 2:35PM1.04m | 2:56AM1.02m | 3:06PM1.21m | 3:28AM1.29m | 3:40PM1.51m | ||||||||
 |  |  | |  |  | | | | |  |  |  | | | | | | |  | | |
 | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — |
 | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:09 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:06 | — | — | 8:02 | — | — | 8:00 | — |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | 10 | 8 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 4 |
Temp °C | 19 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Feels °C | 19 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | — | — | W 6 | — | — | W 9 | WSW 9 | — | — | — | — | W 9 | — | W 8 | W 8 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 |
| kJ | 10 | 9 | 5 | — | — | 81 | — | — | 646 | 422 | — | — | — | — | 257 | — | 35 | 21 | 34 | 17 | 9 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 7 | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 18 | W 16 | W 8 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
| kJ | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 3 | WSW 2 | SW 4 | SW 6 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | — | — | WSW 8 | WSW 9 | W 10 | W 9 | — | W 8 | W 6 | W 6 | — | W 6 | WSW 4 |
| kJ | 1 | 1 | 10 | 128 | 299 | 133 | 218 | 1418 | — | — | 402 | 1351 | 952 | 627 | — | 205 | 61 | 48 | — | 15 | 10 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 119 | 140 | 131 | 228 | 373 | 252 | 228 | 184 | 69 | 142 | 352 | 69 | 41 | 184 | 78 | 316 | 857 | 240 | 40 | 256 | 436 |
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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