Newquay weather in August
August in Newquay: nice, a little rain, with clean air — one of the best months to visit.
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
#1 of 12 months in Newquay · #556 of 1413 destinations to visit in August · comfort 83/100 (tier A)
- Days
- 20°C
- Nights
- 14°C
- Wet days
- 11
- Sun
- 10.1 h
- Humidity
- 80%
- Daylight
- 14 h

Traveller notes on Newquay in August
Newquay's forum is honest that August is a genuine gamble — regulars describe years that were dry, warm and sunny throughout, others that did nothing but rain, and plenty that landed somewhere in between. It's also the busiest month by far, so plan to set off early for the beach regardless of the forecast.
Other months in Newquay
Regulars are specific the local saying here is "we get a lot of weather," genuinely capable of turning warm and sunny or wet and cool within the same week, settled spells the exception rather than the rule. Our row backs that mild, genuinely wet read, 18C over 12.7C nights feeling 11C, with a substantial 99.5mm of rain across 14.5 days and a real 25.7 kph wind. Regulars are consistent if one coast of the peninsula looks poor, the other side can look completely different, with several long-time residents specifically rating this month as more reliably pleasant than June despite that reputation. Forecasting more than a few days out here is treated as genuinely pointless. The sea sits at 16.8C. The record: 8 hours of sun, humidity 82 percent and AQI 44.
Regulars are specific that this month suits surfers of every level, with genuinely fewer people in the water than a typical Tuesday in the busy summer months - a real trade for the colder water. Our row backs the cold spring read, 13.1C over 6.9C nights feeling 3C, with 63.5mm of rain across 11.9 days and a real 24.7 kph wind, against a properly cold sea at 10.8C, wetsuit territory regardless of the air. Regulars also flag that Cornwall's weather is notoriously localized, recommending checking a dedicated local forecast or radar rather than a generic regional one before planning a surf session. The record: humidity 78 percent, 10.1 hours of sun and AQI 45.
Regulars put April and May among the best weeks here and warn in the same breath that Cornish weather is local and unreliable - two beaches a few miles apart can have different days, and the forecast is pot luck. Our row gives 16C afternoons that feel like 14C in a 23 kph wind, 9.5C nights, and 54.1mm across 9.7 days. The water is the part visitors misjudge: the sea reaches 12.4C this month and rarely passes 18C even in summer, so a wetsuit is not optional at Fistral, it is the equipment. What May does have is light, 15.5 hours of it with 11.3 of sun, and beaches that are not yet full. The record: humidity 79 percent and AQI 45.
June is the month Newquay regulars name for coming before the crush: the schools break up in mid-July, so this is the last stretch of summer weather without them, and September after they go back is the other one. It is already peak season for booking, though, so beds go early. On surf they are positive - mid-June waves can be properly rough and the water busy with surfers - and the local habit is to check a surf forecast rather than a weather one, magicseaweed or windguru alongside the usual. Our row's 18.4C reads as 17C and the sea is 16.6C, so this is a wetsuit month whatever the sky does. The record: 12.4C nights, 74.3mm across 12 precipitation days, 11.2 hours of sun, a 22.8 kph wind and 16.4 hours of daylight.
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Newquay climate normals — August
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Newquay in August
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Peak crowdstravelers describe it as peak season, English school holidays, Boardmasters
Sourced from traveler notes: “…and plenty that landed somewhere in between. It's also the busiest month by far, so plan to set off early for the beach regardless o…” — Tripadvisor community
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Newquay's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Best weatherNewquay's weather peaks June–August.
August includes Boardmasters.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Newquay in August
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Opening
Lifeguarded beach season
1 May – 30 Sep · usuallySummer season opensRiskThe main beaches are patrolled from about May to the end of September and unpatrolled either side, when the rips at Fistral and Crantock are the same but nobody is watching them. Source ↗
- Holiday
English school holidays
18 Jul – 1 SepCrowdedBook earlyThe A30 into Cornwall backs up on changeover Saturdays and the town runs at capacity for six weeks. Car parks above the beaches fill before ten. Source ↗
- Season
Sea at its warmest
1 Aug – 30 Sep · usuallySea warm enoughThe water lags the air by about two months, so late August into September is the best of it. Most people still put on a wetsuit, and the ones who do not do not stay in long.
- Festival
Boardmasters
5–9 AugMusic festivalCrowdedBook earlySurf contest at Fistral, music on the clifftop at Watergate Bay, five days in early August. The town's roads and every bed within ten miles go with it, and the beach events are free. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Newquay — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Newquay?
Newquay in August — FAQ
- Is August a good time to visit Newquay?
- August in Newquay: nice, a little rain, with clean air — one of the best months to visit. It ranks #1 of 12 months for Newquay on SeasonMap's comfort score (83/100).
- What is the weather like in Newquay in August?
- In August, Newquay averages a daily high of 19.8°C and a low of 14.4°C, with about 66.1 mm of rain over roughly 10.9 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Newquay in August?
- Newquay has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 43 in August.
Within 300 km: Bristol's Balloon Fiesta on 7–9 Aug, and Bath's Roman Baths open late on 1 Jul – 31 Aug.