- Home
- ...Africa
South Africa- Melkbosstrand
Conditions at Melkbosstrand in August
August: Late-Winter Intensity, Spring Tease
August is late winter, but it refuses to go quietly. The average swell height is still a very solid 9ft (2.8m) and the period holds at 12.4s. Swell direction continues to favor the west side of the compass: SW 17.5%, WSW 9.0%, W 2.4%, WNW 0.8%, and a healthy SSW contribution of 9.8%. This is one of the most consistent months of the year for rideable groundswell, with plenty of 6-8ft (2-2.5m) surf and a steady flow of 8ft-plus (2.5m+) waves.
The wintry weather pattern persists, with 3.31mm/day of rain and cool air averaging 11.8°C. Wind directions become slightly more variable: NNW is still high at 16.3%, NW at 7.4%, and WNW at 5.4%, but SSE (13.6%), S (10.3%) and SE (8.7%) offer plenty of clean windows. Ideal wind drops back to 44%, but that still means nearly half the days have surfable sideshore/offshore flow. Water temperature is 14.4°C. August asks for a good 4/3mm wetsuit, a flexible schedule, and an eye on the post-frontal lulls.
Average Spot conditions at Melkbosstrand in August
Swell history for August
Wind history for August
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Melkbosstrand during August. Based on historical data, there is a % probability of groundswell occurring this month. The chart below provides a detailed breakdown of the average wave height distribution, offering deep insights into the swell quality and surf potential you can expect at Melkbosstrand for your next trip in August.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Melkbosstrand for August. Our analysis shows that favorable offshore or side-shore winds coincide with surfable swell approximately % of the time. The accompanying graph illustrates the average size distribution of waves during these optimal wind windows at Melkbosstrand.