Weather and Tides
Weather, climate and tide information for Swansea Bay, Mumbles and Gower (south-west Wales, UK).
Weather
The weather in Swansea Bay is variable throughout the year, due to south-west winds from the Atlantic.
We don’t often get extremely cold, or extremely hot weather: Winters are generally relatively mild, while summers remain relatively cool. Our average annual rainfall is around 1100mm.
If you’re a sunshine lover, then the coast is often the place to head for in summer, when we enjoy, on average, 7.5 hours of daily sunshine.
Mean temperatures range from a 9°C average in January, to a pleasant 20°C average in July, with a cooler breeze on the coast.
For further information, and to check the current and forthcoming weather for Swansea Bay or Gower, visit the BBC weather forecast for Swansea.
Tides
Mumbles has the second highest tidal range in the world, and as a result, our beaches can greatly vary in size, depending on whether the tide is in or out.
When visiting Swansea Bay and Gower beaches, please keep an eye on the tides. Some beaches – such as Pobbles, Three Cliffs, Tor Bay and Oxwich – are joined up when the tide is out, but become separate coves when the tide is in, which may affect your access.
It is also very important that when crossing onto promontories such as Worm’s Head or Burry Holms, you are aware of tide times to avoid being cut off from the mainland.
Access for activities such as watersports, fishing, and some walks, will also be affected by the state of the local tides.
To check tides times for Swansea Bay and Gower in advance:
- The BBC website has detailed tide times for Swansea and surrounding areas on its website
- …Or you can purchase a tide table from Mumbles and Gower Tourist Information Centres.