Surf Forecasts:
Zanzibar surf forecast from 20 Oct 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 20 Oct, 11AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s period, NNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 27 Oct, 11AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 13s period, N swell with 398 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 20 Oct, 11AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s period with NNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Zanzibar this week:
The surf forecast for Zanzibar over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Oct 20) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Zanzibar in the next 16 days are 1.1m 13s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Oct 27) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Oct 24) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Tue 20th Oct) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Tue 20th Oct) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Tue 27th Oct) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Zanzibar over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 29°C on Wed afternoon, min 27°C on Tue morning). Winds increasing (calm on Wed night, fresh winds from the E by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 29°C on Sat afternoon, min 28°C on Fri morning). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 20 | Wednesday 21 | Thursday 22 | Friday 23 | Saturday 24 | Sunday 25 | Monday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NNW 15 | NNW 13 | NNW 12 | NNW 11 | N 11 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 11 | NNW 11 | NNW 11 | NNW 13 | NNW 12 | NNW 12 | N 12 | N 11 | N 11 | N 11 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 84 | 137 | 145 | 123 | 143 | 98 | 48 | 61 | 49 | 47 | 38 | 65 | 66 | 38 | 95 | 115 | 107 | 180 | 114 | 206 | 242 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:13PM0.27m | 3:09PM0.27m | 9:45PM0.23m | 2:53PM0.26m | 3:18AM0.24m | 2:15PM0.26m | 4:23AM0.25m | 1:45PM0.28m | 5:30AM0.26m | 7:08AM0.26m | 2:09PM0.31m | ||||||||||
Low Tide | 6:22AM0.14m | 7:41PM0.23m | 00:42AM0.22m | 7:02AM0.17m | 8:14PM0.19m | 7:37AM0.20m | 8:49PM0.15m | 8:09AM0.22m | 9:26PM0.10m | 8:31AM0.25m | 10:07PM0.05m | 8:09AM0.26m | 10:52PM0.01m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — |
 | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:40 | — |
mm | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
Feels °C | 30 | 31 | 32 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 10 | NNW 13 | NNW 12 | NNW 11 | N 11 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | NNW 11 | NNW 11 | NNW 11 | NNW 13 | NNW 12 | NNW 12 | N 12 | N 11 | N 11 | N 11 |
| kJ | 70 | 137 | 145 | 123 | 143 | 98 | 48 | 61 | 49 | 47 | 32 | 65 | 66 | 38 | 95 | 115 | 107 | 180 | 114 | 206 | 242 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 15 | N 9 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | NNW 10 | NW 10 | NNW 11 | NNW 10 | NNW 10 | NNE 9 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | N 15 | N 14 | N 14 | N 12 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 |
| kJ | 84 | 38 | 22 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 18 | 25 | 45 | 39 | 38 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 38 | 89 | 58 | 75 | 8 | 7 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 14 | ESE 6 | NNE 12 | NNE 13 | ENE 7 | E 7 | NE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | NNW 14 | NNW 12 | NE 11 | NW 11 | NE 12 | NE 12 | ENE 8 | NNE 13 | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | S 4 | S 4 |
| kJ | 36 | 7 | 29 | 16 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 18 | 30 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 6 | — | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 8 | E 4 | ESE 4 | E 4 | E 4 | E 5 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 5 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 |
| kJ | 10 | — | 5 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 37 | 11 | 17 | 19 | 40 | 56 | 78 | 67 | 74 | 47 | 59 | 43 | 93 | 74 | 59 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 146 | 4 | 4 | 146 | 471 | 444 | 458 | 4 | 146 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Caribbean | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Montserrat | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Zanzibar surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
Information about the Zanzibar Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Zanzibar provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Zanzibar can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Zanzibar 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 (Zanzibar) 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 Zanzibar 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.
Nungwi Reefs is 49 km (30 miles) from the city of Pangani. If you plan a holiday in Zanzibar, look for hotels and other accommodation in Pangani. Pangani has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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