Planning a surf around Cornwall? Whether you're checking the Atlantic swell before an early morning session, deciding when to head to the beach, or simply curious about what's happening in the ocean, understanding the conditions makes all the difference.
At Shore Surf School, we've spent more than 25 years in the water around St Ives Bay, Godrevy and the north Cornwall coast. We're passionate about helping people enjoy the ocean, and that starts with understanding it.
That's why we've introduced our new Live Swell & Weather section: a dedicated place to explore offshore wave observations, swell information and current weather conditions around Cornwall, alongside an easy-to-follow guide to reading a surf forecast.
Whether you're a regular local surfer, planning a visit to the Cornish coast or just starting to learn about surfing, our new page gives you a useful starting point for understanding what's happening out in the Atlantic.
Explore the Live Swell & Weather page at Shore Surf School →
Live Surf Conditions for St Ives Bay and Cornwall
Cornwall's surf is shaped by the Atlantic. Swell travels across open water before meeting our coastline, where beach orientation, headlands, wind, tide and seabed shape all influence the waves we eventually surf.
That means a promising swell reading offshore doesn't automatically guarantee perfect waves at Gwithian, Godrevy or elsewhere in St Ives Bay. Understanding the bigger picture helps you make a more informed decision about where and when to surf.
Our live conditions page brings together information from offshore monitoring locations and local weather data to help you build a better picture of the conditions.
Perranporth Wave Buoy
The Perranporth wave buoy provides measurements of offshore sea conditions, including wave height, swell period and direction. These readings help build a picture of the swell approaching the north Cornish coastline.
By following changes in wave height and period, you can start to understand whether the Atlantic is building, easing or producing longer-period swell that may bring more energy to exposed beaches.
Seven Stones Light Vessel
Positioned offshore to the west of Cornwall, Seven Stones offers another useful view of Atlantic marine conditions. Its observations can help you understand what's happening further out to sea and how the wider swell may be developing.
Comparing offshore observations with local conditions can help you build a more complete picture of the surf, rather than relying on a single forecast number.
St Ives Bay Weather
Offshore swell is only part of the story. Local wind can make the difference between clean, organised waves and a choppy sea.
The weather information on our live page helps you check conditions around St Ives Bay, including relevant measurements such as wind speed, wind direction, gusts and air temperature where available.
Combining local weather with offshore swell data gives you a more useful overview when deciding whether to head to the beach.
How to Read a Surf Forecast
If you've ever looked at a surf report and wondered what all the numbers mean, you're not alone. The good news is that you don't need to be a seasoned surfer to start making sense of the forecast.
Here are five important things to look at when checking surf conditions in Cornwall.
1. Wave Height: How Big Is the Swell?
Wave height describes the size of the waves being measured at a buoy or forecast location. It's a useful starting point, but it doesn't tell you exactly how big the waves will be when they break on the beach.
Local exposure, sandbanks, headlands and the direction of the swell can all change what you see on the shoreline. Offshore wave height should therefore be treated as an indication of the wider sea state, not a guaranteed beach wave size.
2. Swell Period: Understanding Wave Energy
Swell period is the time, measured in seconds, between successive wave crests. It helps describe how waves are spaced and gives an indication of their energy.
- 7–9 seconds: Generally shorter-period swell.
- 10–13 seconds: Often more organised swell.
- 14 seconds or more: Long-period swell that can carry considerable energy.
These are useful general guides, not fixed rules. Longer-period swell can produce more powerful surf when it reaches a suitable beach, even when the offshore wave height doesn't look particularly large.
Always consider wave period alongside height, direction, wind and local beach conditions.
3. Swell Direction: Which Beaches Will Work?
Swell direction tells you where the incoming waves are coming from. This is particularly important in Cornwall, where the coastline has many different orientations and levels of exposure to the Atlantic.
A west or west-northwest swell may affect beaches differently from a swell arriving from the south. Headlands can shelter some locations while leaving others more exposed.
Learning how your favourite beach responds to different swell directions is one of the most useful skills you can develop as a surfer.
4. Wind: Offshore or Onshore?
Wind has a major influence on surf quality. Offshore winds blow from the land towards the sea and can help smooth the wave face. Onshore winds blow towards the beach and can create choppy, less organised conditions.
In St Ives Bay, easterly winds are generally offshore, although the exact effect depends on the beach and its orientation. A promising Atlantic swell can still deliver disappointing surf if the local wind is unfavourable.
Check wind direction and speed alongside the swell data rather than judging conditions from wave height alone.
5. Tide: When Will the Beach Work Best?
Tides change the depth of water over the seabed and can dramatically affect how waves break. The same swell can look completely different at low, mid or high tide, depending on the beach and its sandbanks.
There's no single tide that works best everywhere. Get to know your chosen beach, check the tide times and observe how the waves change throughout the tidal cycle.
Why Live Swell Data Is Only Part of the Picture
One of the most important things to remember is that offshore observations are not the same as a live measurement of breaking waves on your local beach.
The Perranporth buoy and Seven Stones monitoring location provide information about conditions where they are positioned. Local weather data adds further context, but none of these measurements can tell you everything about the waves at Gwithian, Godrevy or another beach in St Ives Bay.
The best approach is to combine the numbers with local knowledge, tide information and a visual check of the beach. Conditions can change throughout the day, and different beaches can respond very differently to the same swell.
Forecasts and monitoring data are useful planning tools, not guarantees of safe conditions. Always check local beach safety information, pay attention to lifeguard advice and never enter the water beyond your ability.
Surfing St Ives Bay with Shore Surf School
Founded in 1999, Shore Surf School has been helping people experience the waves around St Ives Bay for more than 25 years. Our local knowledge and passion for the ocean are at the heart of everything we do.
We welcome surfers of different abilities, from complete beginners catching their first wave to more experienced surfers looking to develop their skills. Our qualified beach lifeguard and surf instructor team puts ocean awareness and beach safety at the heart of every lesson.
We operate from two locations in St Ives Bay, including our headquarters at St Ives Bay Beach Resort and our beach camp at Godrevy.
If you're visiting Cornwall and want to get into the water, explore our surf lessons in St Ives Bay and discover the coastline with our experienced team.
Check the Conditions and Plan Your Next Session
Whether you're a local surfer, visiting Cornwall for a coastal getaway or simply learning more about the ocean, our new live swell and weather page is a useful place to start.
Check the offshore wave observations, look at the local wind, learn what swell period means and put the information together before heading to the beach.
The more you understand about swell, wind, tide and coastal conditions, the better equipped you'll be to make informed decisions and get more from your time in the water.
Check the Live Swell & Weather forecast for Cornwall →
Shore Surf School — St Ives Bay, Cornwall. Surf lessons, local ocean knowledge and good times in the water since 1999.
