United Kingdom ยท Atlantic Europe
Each location is refreshed once every three hours. The hourly view, 7-day forecast, luck factor and packing notes come from the same stored update.
We compare the 7-day forecast with the version-matched historical observations available for the same time of year at Porthmeor. The delta shows whether conditions look better, worse or about the same as a typical late July.
We score each day of the 7-day forecast using the same algorithm as the leaderboard, and highlight the highest scorer.
Open-Meteo's Marine API (swell height, period, water temperature) and Weather API (wind and conditions).
Barely any swell. Not much to work with today. Short-period wind swell: expect weak, crumbly faces. Full onshore mess. Not worth the paddle unless you are desperate. Conditions improving through the afternoon. Not enough swell to get this spot firing properly.
PeakWave scores are planning signals, not safety clearance. Check local authorities, official bulletins and on-site conditions before you go. Read our editorial policy.
Porthmeor is a highly scenic, semi-sheltered beach break situated in the town of St Ives on the north coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The bathymetry features an expanse of highly compacted, pristine sand enclosed between two prominent rocky headlands. Because the beach faces north, it heavily filters the extreme violence of raw westerly Atlantic winter storms, allowing more organised, moderate swell energy to enter the bay. The location operates optimally on a north-westerly groundswell paired with a southerly offshore wind. The gradual sandy gradient ensures the waves break with a workable profile, generating highly manageable A-frame peaks offering both left and right-hand rides. The forgiving mechanics, combined with the structural protection from extreme weather, make Porthmeor highly suitable for intermediate surfers. It provides predictable walls for carving manoeuvres, serving as an excellent, consistent urban training ground when fully exposed regional beaches are overloaded by heavy swell.
Heads up: jellyfish: high.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
The air here is 71% cleaner than the average comparison city right now.
Significantly cleaner air than a typical city. Ideal for outdoor exercise with minimal respiratory strain.
Not a pollutant. Ozone is naturally higher at altitude and near the coast, and lower in cities where traffic exhaust breaks it down. High readings here typically indicate clean air. Can cause short-term airway irritation during intense exercise but is not linked to the long-term health risks of particulate pollution.
Additive health score: each pollutant contributes points relative to its WHO 2021 guideline and long-term health impact (PM2.5 9, NOโ 5, Oโ 3, PM10 2, SOโ 1 at WHO limits). Data via Open-Meteo. City markers show live readings. Red line marks the WHO guideline. Updated 15:12
Moderate water clarity: ~8m visibility
Updated 10:31
Daily scores over the last 12 months at Porthmeor
Historical quality only. Safety is not reconstructed for this view.
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Create Profile โPartly. The model uses stored spot geometry, swell ranges and tide preferences where configured. It cannot see changing banks, crowds, access, closures or everything visible on a local cam, so treat it as a starting point.
The best week for surf at Porthmeor is the week of 23 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
Local knowledge and community tips for Porthmeor
Porthmeor is St Ives' surf beach, a semi-sheltered stretch of golden sand facing north-northwest at the foot of the town. The Tate St Ives gallery overlooks the beach. It picks up north-westerly swells that wrap around the Island headland. The beach is compact and produces fun, workable waves that suit intermediate surfers. Not as powerful as the open north coast beaches but more consistent than you might expect for a town beach.
Best on north-westerly swells that wrap around the headland. A south-easterly offshore wind provides clean conditions. The sheltering effect means it needs a decent swell running to produce good waves. Mid-tide often offers the best shape. Works October through April most consistently. Handles 2-5ft; above that the sections become disorganised.
The beach is relatively small with peaks forming in the centre and towards the eastern end. The inside section near the Tate is gentler. On bigger swells, an outside peak forms that offers longer rides before reforming on the inside bars. The take-off zone is fairly obvious from the lineup of local surfers.
Rocks at both ends of the beach are exposed at low tide. The headland (the Island) creates currents on bigger days. The beach is small so collisions are possible when busy. Overall a relatively safe spot compared to the exposed north coast. The main hazard is probably the distractingly beautiful setting.
St Ives car parks are limited and expensive. The park-and-ride from Lelant is recommended in summer. Alternatively, the train from St Erth drops you in town. The beach is a short walk through the cobbled streets from any direction. Facilities everywhere given it is a major tourist town.
Busy in summer with a mix of surfers, bodyboarders, and swimmers. The beach is small so it feels crowded quickly. Local surfers know the peak well. Out of season it quietens dramatically, with winter mornings sometimes offering just you and a couple of others. Surf schools operate on the inside.
Porthmeor works when the open north coast spots (Gwithian, St Agnes) are too big or when the wind is wrong. It is a good fallback rather than a primary destination. Early mornings before the town wakes up are magic here. If it is flat, the Tate gallery is genuinely world-class. The cafe on the beach serves excellent coffee. Check the sunset from the Island headland after your session.
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Combining historical conditions with school holiday crowd pressure to find the sweet spot.
The timing score combines two signals: historical conditions quality (how good the skiing or surfing typically is in a given week, based on 5 years of weather data) and crowd pressure (how many of this destination's feeder markets have school holidays that week).
Crowd pressure is weighted by each feeder country's share of visitors. If 40% of a resort's visitors come from France and France is on holiday, that contributes 0.40 to the crowd pressure score. Crowds can reduce the timing score by up to 35%, ensuring conditions still matter most.
Scores: 5 = great conditions with low crowds (the sweet spot). 4 = great conditions with moderate crowds, or good conditions with low crowds. 3 = average. 2 = below average conditions or very crowded. 1 = poor conditions or peak holiday chaos.
Last 30 days of logged conditions.
Based on historical weekly averages
Conditions at Porthmeor tend to be best between 06:00 to 09:00 in July.
Average score during this window: 24/100
See timing scores, school holiday busyness, and lift pass pricing to find the best time to book.
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