Surf Forecasts:
Woolacombe surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 7s period, W swell with 240 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Woolacombe this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Woolacombe in the next 16 days are 1.6m 7s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Woolacombe over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Woolacombe over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch.
We’ve got a massive gap at the start here. The first ten days or so are pretty much a write-off for any decent paddle. The water is sitting at an unusually warm 65°F right now, way above what you’d expect for the time of year, which is a nice touch if you’re just floating about, but the waves are just not there. From Friday morning the 24th right through to the end of July, almost every session is showing poor surf conditions. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell is tiny, often under 2ft.
There is a brief moment on the morning of the 30th of July where the wind swings to a light cross-offshore breeze, which will clean things up, but with the swell only at 1ft and a weak combined energy of 36, it’s really just a flat, glassy paddle. Not worth suiting up for a proper session.
The first real possibility comes on the 1st of August. Saturday morning shows a bit of life. We’re looking at 5ft of swell out of the west-southwest, with a solid 12-second period. The combined energy jumps to 683, which is decent. The wind is light and cross-shore from the north, just a slight air, so the surface should be clean. That’s your best window by far, but it’s a short-lived one. The afternoon sees the wind swing onshore again, and the quality drops off.
After that, the second week slips back into the same pattern of onshore wind and messy, marginal conditions. We get a bit of a pulse on the 5th of August with 6ft to 7ft of swell, but it’s coming in with a strong onshore wind at 16 mph, making it messy and lumpy. That’s really only interesting if you’ve got a kite.
In short, if you’re looking for a wave, the 1st of August Saturday morning is the standout. The swell is a solid 5ft from the west-southwest, and with that light northerly wind, it’ll be the cleanest we see all period. Woolacombe is a beach and reef setup with a fairly consistent reputation, and it gets crowded sometimes, so expect company if you’re out there. For beginners, that 5ft might be a bit of a push, but for the rest of us, it’s the only real chance. Everything else is a hard pass.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri afternoon, min 15°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NE on Fri morning, fresh winds from the WNW by Sun morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | |||||||||||||||
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 8 | W 8 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | W 4 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 5 | W 5 | W 11 | W 8 | W 10 | W 10 | W 7 | W 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 22 | 78 | 182 | 240 | 116 | 69 | 38 | 24 | 22 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 20 | 30 | 29 | 8 | 7 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 2:49PM6.78m | 3:20AM6.77m | 4:02PM7.00m | 4:30AM7.00m | 5:02PM7.39m | 5:25AM7.36m | 5:49PM7.81m | 6:10AM7.72m | 6:29PM8.17m | 6:48AM8.04m | 7:05PM8.46m | 7:23AM8.30m | 7:40PM8.69m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:56PM3.12m | 9:36AM3.08m | 10:07PM2.89m | 10:40AM2.76m | 11:05PM2.52m | 11:31AM2.37m | 11:52PM2.14m | 12:12PM2.02m | 00:32AM1.81m | 12:48PM1.74m | 1:08AM1.55m | 1:22PM1.52m | 1:43AM1.35m | ||||||||
 | |  | |  |  | | |  | | |  | | | | |  | | | | | |
 | 5:28 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:15 | — | — | 9:14 | — | — | 9:13 | — | — | 9:12 | — | — | 9:09 | — | — | 9:08 | — | — | 9:07 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 24 | 24 | 20 |
Feels °C | 17 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 3 | W 8 | WNW 4 | W 8 | — | W 6 | — | — | W 6 | W 7 | — | W 6 | W 6 | W 5 | W 5 | W 5 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 7 | W 6 |
| kJ | 2 | 5 | 5 | 1 | — | 78 | — | — | 116 | 69 | — | 24 | 22 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 30 | 29 | 8 | 7 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | — | W 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 |
| kJ | 5 | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 12 | W 11 | W 8 | — | — | — | — | W 8 |
| kJ | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | WNW 4 | W 4 | — | W 6 | W 7 | — | — | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | 6 | 22 | — | 182 | 240 | — | — | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 443 | 454 | 889 | 411 | 469 | 790 | 737 | 41 | 90 | 316 | 57 | 97 | 140 | 41 | 145 | 147 | 91 | 91 | 421 | 324 | |
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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