Surf Forecasts:
Woolacombe surf forecast from 22 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, WSW swell with 1,081 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 Thursday (Aug 27) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 5s period and expected on Friday (Aug 28) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Woolacombe over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, Rusty here again, looking at Woolacombe in feet. It’s gonna be a quiet one. The swell is small and the quality is poor for nearly the whole run. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny waves, with combined energy sitting in the weak zone, around 39 to 40 for the first weekend. The water temp’s about what you’d expect for this time of year.
Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd might look clean in the morning with an east-northeast offshore breeze, but the waves are only about 1 foot from the west. It’s basically flat. Monday the 24th brings a strong offshore wind at 25 mph, but that’s too much wind for the 0.7 ft waves. You’d be fighting to paddle into those little bumps. Energy is weak (23).
We see a spike Thursday the 27th when the swell hits 5 ft in the morning, but it’s a short-period (5 sec) slop with cross-shore wind. By the afternoon, it jumps to 7 ft with a combined energy of 531, but it’s onshore and messy. Not worth the paddle.
The only thing that might get you out of bed is Wednesday the 2nd of September. That afternoon there’s a 7 ft west-southwest swell with a light cross-onshore breeze and energy of 880. It’s marginal but it’s the most power we see. Then Thursday the 3rd morning delivers the biggest swell of the outlook at 8 ft (1464 energy) from the west-southwest, but the wind is cross-shore and lumpy. Period is 11 sec, so there’s some grunt, but the wind ruins the surface. At 8 ft, that’s expert-only territory.
No true standout here. The clean days have no waves, and the days with waves have messy wind. For a beach and reef break like Woolacombe, it’s a tough run. Could be more interesting for kites on some of those blowy, bigger days. Not much for a surfer to get excited about.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 23°C on Mon afternoon, min 14°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNE on Sun afternoon, fresh winds from the E by Mon morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Wed morning. Warm (max 23°C on Tue afternoon, min 15°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the E on Mon night, light winds from the SE by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | |||||||||||||||
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 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WSW 14 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | SW 7 | WSW 5 | W 8 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | W 8 | SW 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 29 | 28 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 15 | 24 | 21 | 22 | 100 | 531 | 181 | 86 | 29 | 54 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross | on | on | on | on | on |
High Tide | 1:59PM6.38m | 2:41AM6.29m | 3:35PM6.63m | 4:09AM6.66m | 4:41PM7.19m | 5:06AM7.23m | 5:28PM7.77m | 5:49AM7.78m | 6:07PM8.28m | 6:26AM8.24m | 6:43PM8.69m | 7:01AM8.61m | 7:17PM9.00m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:20AM3.61m | 8:18PM3.55m | 9:06AM3.53m | 9:45PM3.23m | 10:21AM3.06m | 10:46PM2.69m | 11:12AM2.50m | 11:32PM2.15m | 11:52AM2.00m | 00:11AM1.69m | 12:28PM1.59m | 00:46AM1.33m | 1:01PM1.29m | 1:20AM1.07m | |||||||
 | |  | | |  |  | |  |  | |  |  | | | |  | | | |  | |
 | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — |
 | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:12 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
Feels °C | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | SW 7 | E 3 | — | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | W 8 | W 7 |
| kJ | 29 | 28 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 15 | 24 | 21 | 22 | 1 | — | 181 | 86 | 29 | 51 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 4 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | — | W 9 | SW 9 | SW 13 | SW 8 | SW 8 | SW 8 | SW 8 | SW 7 | W 8 | — | — | — | W 8 | — | SW 10 |
| kJ | 1 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 18 | — | 7 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 18 | — | — | — | 22 | — | 54 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | W 12 | SW 15 | — | — | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 9 | W 11 | SW 13 | WSW 2 | W 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 11 |
| kJ | 9 | 3 | 8 | — | — | 8 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 19 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NNW 3 | — | — | — | E 3 | E 4 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | — | — | SW 4 | SE 2 | WSW 5 | W 8 | — | NE 4 | NNE 6 | NNW 4 |
| kJ | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | 7 | 10 | 16 | 10 | 5 | — | — | 8 | 2 | 100 | 531 | — | 12 | 200 | 14 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 6 | 105 | 41 | 91 | 83 | 40 | 317 | 268 | 226 | 216 | 108 | 41 | 41 | 341 | 104 | 0 | 41 | 41 | 95 | 438 | 44 |
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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