Surf Forecasts:
Woolacombe surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 6s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 7s period, WSW swell with 239 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 28 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 6s period with WSW 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 28) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 10s. 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 7s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Woolacombe over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right then, let’s be straight with you. I’ve looked at the charts for Woolacombe, and honestly, it’s a tough one. There’s not a single session in the entire 16-day window that I’d pull on a wetsuit for. The score is a flat zero right the way through – it’s just not happening.
We’ve got a solid 16-day gap with no surf worth mentioning. The first proper recommendation just never arrives. The swell is tiny, the wind is almost always messy, or the periods are all wrong. For a beach-and-reef setup like Woolacombe, it’s a proper blank run. The water temp is about average for the time of year, but that’s the only good news.
Let’s walk through it. On Friday the 21st, we’ve got a weak 2ft W swell with a 9-second period, but a 25 km/h NNW cross-wind is tearing it apart. The combined energy is a feeble 76, and the comment is “poor surf conditions.” The afternoon’s no better – 3ft but cross-on and choppy. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd are flat as a pancake, with tiny 1ft to 2ft swells and even less energy. Monday the 24th has clean offshore wind, but the swell is only 1ft – it’s a lake out there.
The middle of the week, from the 25th to the 28th, is a mess. We get a bit of a pulse on the 28th morning with a 4ft WSW swell and a 7-second period, and the wind is a clean cross-off. The energy jumps to 157, but it’s still rated “poor surf conditions.” The period is too short, and the swell is weak. Then the afternoon of the 28th, the wind swings onshore and lumps it up.
The 29th of August sees a spike to 7ft from the W, but it’s onshore wind and a 7-second period – that’s just a washing machine. After that, it all falls apart again. The rest of the run into September is a mix of tiny swells, onshore gales, and heavy rain. The 4th of September has a clean offshore breeze, but the swell is just 1ft. It’s a write-off.
If you’re a kite surfer, the 29th of August afternoon with the 7ft swell and the strong wind might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer? Stay home. It’s a tough one, but it tends not to stay this poor for long, and forecasts can change.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Fri night. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun afternoon, min 14°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the N on Thu night, calm by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 25°C on Tue afternoon, min 16°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun night, strong winds from the E by Mon night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | |||||||||||||||
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 9 | WNW 8 | WSW 8 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WSW 11 | WSW 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | SW 13 | SW 5 | W 9 | SW 5 | SW 7 | WSW 8 | W 8 | W 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 54 | 90 | 23 | 29 | 28 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 22 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 31 | 37 | 96 | 43 | 51 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | off | cross | glassy | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 5:49AM7.78m | 6:07PM8.28m | 6:26AM8.24m | 6:43PM8.69m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 11:52AM2.00m | 00:11AM1.69m | 12:28PM1.59m | 00:46AM1.33m | |||||||
 | |  | | |  | | | |  | |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | | |  | |
 | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — |
 | — | 8:27 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:14 | — |
mm | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 8 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 5 |
Temp °C | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 23 | 20 | 24 | 25 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 17 | 20 | 18 | 16 |
Feels °C | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 13 | 19 | 21 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | SW 13 | WNW 4 | W 10 | W 9 | NNW 4 | W 9 | W 9 | WSW 11 | WSW 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | SW 5 | W 9 | W 8 | SW 7 | WSW 8 | W 8 | W 10 |
| kJ | 54 | 7 | 7 | 29 | 28 | 5 | 14 | 6 | 22 | 17 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 14 | 12 | 37 | 96 | 43 | 51 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 16 | W 16 | WSW 8 | — | SW 15 | W 9 | SW 14 | SW 14 | NW 4 | SW 14 | SW 9 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 8 | W 9 | SW 8 | W 12 | W 6 | SW 8 | ESE 3 | SW 8 |
| kJ | 5 | 5 | 23 | — | 9 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 27 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 13 | W 13 | SW 16 | SW 15 | W 12 | SW 15 | — | — | SW 14 | W 14 | SW 14 | SW 9 | SW 8 | SW 13 | SW 8 | W 13 | — | W 8 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 3 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 8 | — | — | 8 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | — | 21 | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 4 | WNW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 3 | E 3 | E 4 | E 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 3 | SSW 4 | SW 5 | — | SE 3 | SW 7 | WSW 4 |
| kJ | 14 | 90 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 18 | 22 | 15 | 1 | 11 | 31 | — | 2 | 33 | 20 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 43 | 239 | 41 | 6 | 157 | 41 | 66 | 109 | 6 | 402 | 98 | 268 | 281 | 290 | 119 | 226 | 255 | 3 | 49 | 402 | 49 |
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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