What is the Ocean Viewing Index (OVI) for Porthcawl Beach?

OVI is a 0-100 composite score combining sea color, water clarity, visibility, sea conditions, sunlight and water quality to help you decide if the sea is worth seeing today.

When is the best time to visit Porthcawl Beach for sea views?

Start with the current and 7-day OVI forecast for Porthcawl Beach, then choose a daylight period that also fits your plan. If you want tide pools, exposed shore, or a tide-dependent walk, check the local high and low tide times as well.

Should I use tide times or OVI for a visit to Porthcawl Beach?

Use tide times when your visit depends on water level, such as a sandbar, tide pool, or exposed rocks. Use OVI to compare likely sightseeing conditions including sea appearance, visibility, sea state, and lighting. For a coastal trip, read both together.

Porthcawl Beach Tides & Ocean Viewing Index

Wales, United KingdomEurope/London

Ocean View Index

64Fair

Next tide

—

Sunrise / Sunset

06:52 – 17:05

Local time

23:36

Porthcawl on Wales's south coast pairs family-friendly surf with pretty harbour sands, watched over by a landmark lighthouse.

Ocean Viewing Index

Updated · Oct 23, 2026 22:36

Reference time: local noon · 12:59 (Europe/London)

Estimated

Fair

Fair conditions. Sea color may appear muted.

Sub-Index Breakdown

Six dimensions feed the overall Ocean Viewing Index.

Sea Color
Clear blue-green · hue
74.4
Clarity
Very clear (below 1.5 NTU) · NTU
90.8
Visibility
15+ m horizontal · m
100
Sea State
Choppy (4+) · Beaufort
0
Lighting
Low / harsh light · lux
30.8
Water Quality
index
—

Weather Forecast

7-day marine weather forecast from Open-Meteo model.

TodayOct 23

Rain

13°9°

9.7 m/s

5.8mm

SatOct 24

Rain

16°11°

10.4 m/s

30.3mm

SunOct 25

Overcast

13°11°

11.2 m/s

MonOct 26

Rain

17°10°

7.8 m/s

28.3mm

TueOct 27

Light Rain

16°11°

9.4 m/s

3.8mm

WedOct 28

Light Rain

15°11°

5.5 m/s

5.1mm

ThuOct 29

Fog

13°9°

2.9 m/s

Visibility: 25 km·Cloud: 82%

48-Hour Hourly Forecast

Hour-by-hour marine weather for the next 48 hours.

Now13°7—

01:0012°6—

02:0011°51.0

03:0012°60.3

04:0011°50.3

05:0011°30.1

06:0011°40.1

07:0011°7—

08:0010°121.2

09:0010°132.0

10:009°140.7

11:009°15—

12:0010°140.1

13:0010°13—

14:0011°13—

15:0011°12—

16:0011°12—

17:0011°11—

18:0011°10—

19:0011°11—

20:0011°11—

21:0011°10—

22:0011°11—

23:0011°10—

00:0011°9—

01:0011°8—

02:0012°7—

03:0011°70.2

04:0012°70.2

05:0012°8—

06:0012°60.1

07:0012°80.6

08:0012°70.8

09:0012°82.4

10:0012°92.0

11:0012°101.1

12:0013°101.4

13:0013°122.4

14:0014°123.3

15:0015°146.1

16:0016°143.7

17:0016°151.5

18:0016°132.5

19:0014°130.6

20:0012°141.0

21:0013°150.2

22:0012°120.2

23:0012°13—

7-Day OVI Trend

Forecast ocean viewing conditions for the coming week.

Best on Thu: Viewing conditions are Good; aim for the golden hour just after sunrise or before sunset. Great for snorkeling and photography.

High & Low Tides Today

Times and heights of today's high and low water.

Mixed TideCoefficient: 77.6 / 120Higher coefficient means larger tide range; 120 is the largest spring, 20 the smallest neap.

Time	Type	Height
No tide extremes recorded today.

Fishing & Surf Forecast

Solunar feeding times and today's surf rating.

60Very Good76GoodView full forecast

48-Hour OVI Trend

Hour-by-hour ocean viewing outlook for the next 48 hours, dampened by rainfall.

Today's Tide Summary

A quick look at the day's high and low water.

Best Months to Visit

Average Ocean Viewing Index by month over the past year.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Based on historical climatology (Pitarch 2021)

Nearby Beaches

Other beaches closest to Porthcawl Beach.

153 km away

Fistral Beach

Cornwall, United Kingdom

153 km away

Bournemouth Beach

Dorset, United Kingdom

196 km away

Ryde Beach

Isle of Wight, United Kingdom

259 km away

Brighton Beach

East Sussex, United Kingdom

Frequently asked questions

What is the Ocean Viewing Index (OVI) for Porthcawl Beach?: OVI is a 0-100 composite score combining sea color, water clarity, visibility, sea conditions, sunlight and water quality to help you decide if the sea is worth seeing today.
When is the best time to visit Porthcawl Beach for sea views?: Start with the current and 7-day OVI forecast for Porthcawl Beach, then choose a daylight period that also fits your plan. If you want tide pools, exposed shore, or a tide-dependent walk, check the local high and low tide times as well.
Should I use tide times or OVI for a visit to Porthcawl Beach?: Use tide times when your visit depends on water level, such as a sandbar, tide pool, or exposed rocks. Use OVI to compare likely sightseeing conditions including sea appearance, visibility, sea state, and lighting. For a coastal trip, read both together.

Essential Information

Coordinates: 51.4770°, -3.7040°
Timezone: Europe/London
Region & Country: Wales, United Kingdom

Data sources

Tides: UHSLC / FES2022b · Weather: NOAA GFS · Sea color: NASA MODIS/VIIRS