
Surf Forecasts:
Cape Schanck surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 17 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 16s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 3,523 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 17 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 16s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cape Schanck this week:
The surf forecast for Cape Schanck over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 17) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cape Schanck in the next 16 days are 3.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 10s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Fri 17th Jul) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Fri 17th Jul) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Fri 24th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cape Schanck over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, it's Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for Cape Schanck over the next couple of weeks.
First up, we’ve got a solid pulse of SW groundswell arriving on Friday the 17th. The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year. Friday morning starts with a clean 7ft SW swell from a deep 16-second period, with a light cross-off breeze from the NNW. The combined energy is pumping at 2281, but this is a reef break that's only for the experienced crew. It’s big and powerful, and the set gaps will be noticeable with that long period. Still, the shape should be unreal. Friday afternoon is where it’s at though – the wind drops to a glassy 5 km/h from the north, and the swell holds at 7ft SW with 16-second intervals. The combined energy pushes to 2381, and it’s going to be absolutely smooth. This is the standout session. Keep in mind, this spot can get crowded often, so get in early.
Saturday the 18th still has some size, with 6ft SW in the morning, but a cross-shore breeze messes the face up a bit. The afternoon cleans right up with a glassy 5 km/h WNW wind and 5ft SW swell at 13 seconds, giving clean, workable waves, but the energy drops to 880. It’s a good option, but not as strong as Friday.
Sunday the 19th is a write-off for the morning – tiny 0.3ft swell with a 20-second period, which is just a ghost. The arvo picks up a little to 3ft SW, but with a cross-off breeze, it’s not worth the trip.
From Monday the 20th through to the end of the first week, it’s a pretty grim stretch. Small swells, cross-off winds, and a lot of days with marginal or poor surf. The swell fades hard, and the energy drops to tiny numbers, like 25 on Monday. There’s a small pulse on Tuesday the 21st with 4ft to 5ft SW, but the wind is cross-off and the scores are low. By Wednesday the 22nd, it’s choppy and cross-onshore, and then Thursday the 23rd brings a 8ft SW swell but with a strong onshore wind – that’s just a messy, blown-out affair. Not for the paddle crew; that’s more of a kite day.
The second week kicks off with some serious size but poor conditions. Friday the 24th has a 10ft SW swell, but the wind is howling from the WNW at 45 km/h, making it a cross-onshore mess. The combined energy is massive at 5447, but it’s lumpy and dangerous. Only for the hardcore, and even then, it’s a mission.
Saturday the 25th backs off a bit to 6ft SW, but the wind is a moderate cross-off, so it’s clean-ish. The energy is 1144, so it’s a possible session for the experienced, but it’s not a standout.
The run from Sunday the 26th to Thursday the 30th is mostly poor. Strong onshore winds, cross-onshore lumps, and big energies that are wasted. Thursday the 30th has a 2ft SW swell with a 22-second period, which is a very long-period groundswell, but the wind is a near gale – it’s just not surfable.
The last few days of the outlook (31st July to 1st August) are all poor, with strong winds and messy conditions. There’s a 6ft SW swell on the 1st, but it’s blown out by a 45 km/h SSW onshore.
Bottom line: your best bet is Friday the 17th, especially the afternoon glass-off. That’s the one to book in. The rest of the window is a mix of marginal and poor, with a few wind-affected pulses. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but this one’s a short-lived gem.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun afternoon, min 9°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 20 | SW 12 | SW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 10 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2035 | 2241 | 1563 | 1154 | 880 | 494 | 16 | 236 | 197 | 25 | 9 | 21 | 589 | 867 | 594 | 414 | 0 | 1259 | 2024 | 1615 | 1564 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | on | on | on | cross |
High Tide | 1:53PM1.78m | 1:46AM1.57m | 2:37PM1.80m | 2:45AM1.60m | 3:18PM1.79m | 3:39AM1.61m | 3:56PM1.76m | 4:30AM1.59m | 4:32PM1.70m | 5:18AM1.54m | 5:07PM1.62m | 6:04AM1.48m | 5:40PM1.53m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:00PM0.47m | 8:05AM0.10m | 8:49PM0.35m | 8:55AM0.18m | 9:35PM0.26m | 9:41AM0.28m | 10:18PM0.20m | 10:25AM0.40m | 10:59PM0.19m | 11:07AM0.52m | 11:39PM0.22m | 11:47AM0.64m | 00:17AM0.26m | ||||||||
7:33 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | |
— | 5:19 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — |
Temp °C | 10 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 10 |
Feels °C | 7 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | NW 4 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
2035 | 2241 | 1563 | 1154 | 880 | 494 | 364 | 236 | 167 | 587 | 461 | 437 | 589 | 867 | 594 | 414 | 3 | 1259 | 2024 | 1615 | 1564 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | — | — | — | SW 20 | SW 20 | SW 18 | W 4 | WSW 15 | SSW 15 | — | — | — | E 10 | — | — | SSW 15 | — | SSW 16 |
246 | 140 | 80 | — | — | — | 16 | 60 | 197 | 1 | 249 | 21 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 42 | — | 144 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 22 | WSW 20 | WSW 20 | SSW 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 10 | SE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | 9 | 39 | 75 | 20 | 25 | 9 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 2 | NNW 2 | NW 3 | NW 3 | NW 3 | NNW 3 | NNW 3 | NW 4 | WSW 12 | — | — | — | WNW 4 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 835 | — | — | — | 19 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 17 | 41 | 21 | 52 | 48 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Mornington Peninsula | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Cape Schanck Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Cape Schanck provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cape Schanck can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cape Schanck surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Cape Schanck) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Cape Schanck may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Cape Schanck is 34 km (21 miles) from Mornington. If you plan a holiday in Mornington Peninsula, look for hotels and other accommodation in Mornington. Mornington has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










