Surf Forecasts:
Cape Schanck surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 23 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 18s period, SW swell with 2,630 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 23 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 13s 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 Sunday (Aug 23) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cape Schanck in the next 16 days are 2.1m 18s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 17s period and expected on Friday (Aug 28) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4PM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 4PM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cape Schanck over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s break down what Cape Schanck is looking like for the next couple of weeks.
We’ve got some solid swell coming in on Sunday the 23rd, but the big standout is going to be Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1st of September. There’s a bit of a lull in between, so let’s get into it.
Sunday morning the 23rd, we’ve got a solid 8ft SW swell rolling in with a 14-second period. The combined energy is cranking at 2503 – that’s serious power. Wind’s a light NNW cross-off, so the surface should be clean. This is an advanced reef break, and at that size it’s for experienced surfers only. The water temp is about 57°, which is roughly a degree warmer than normal for this time of year – a bit mild.
Sunday afternoon the 23rd drops to 6ft, still SW, and the wind goes light northerly – still cross-off. That’s going to be super clean, and the energy is still high at 1895. A solid afternoon.
Monday the 24th, the swell backs off to 5ft, but a strong northerly wind at 22 mph is going to mess it up. The energy drops to 874. Marginal.
Tuesday the 25th is similar – 5ft SW swell with an easterly cross-off at 16 mph. Energy is 802. Not great. Tuesday afternoon sees a light SW onshore and the swell drops to 5ft. Still average.
Wednesday the 26th and Thursday the 27th are poor. Strong SW onshore winds on Wednesday ruin the 6ft and 5ft swells. Thursday morning the swell drops to 4ft, and the cross-shore wind isn’t helping. Thursday afternoon looks a bit better with a light NNW cross-off and a 4ft SW swell, but it’s nothing special.
Friday the 28th morning, we get a spike – 7ft SW swell with a very long 18-second period. The combined energy is huge at 2691, but the wind is a moderate NW cross-shore, creating a cross-chop. This long-period groundswell is better for reefs and points, but with the chop it’s marginal.
Saturday the 29th is a write-off – a 5ft SW swell with cross-shore wind and chop, then a tiny 3ft SW onshore in the arvo.
Sunday the 30th brings back size – 8ft SW swell with a 16-second period and strong energy at 2570, but the wind is cross-onshore and choppy. Not clean.
Now for the real highlight. Monday the 31st of August and Tuesday the 1st of September are the pick of the bunch. Monday morning we’ve got 7ft SW swell at 15 seconds, combined energy of 2208, and a light NNW cross-off wind. That’s clean, powerful, and for advanced surfers only. Monday afternoon is just as good – 7ft SW, same long period, light NNW cross-off, energy at 1967. Tuesday the 1st of September morning drops to 6ft but still with a nice 14-second period and clean cross-off wind, energy at 1290. These few days are the standout – good size, clean wind, and proper groundswell.
After that, it gets messy. Wednesday the 2nd of September has a howling northerly at 22 mph and a tiny 1ft swell in the morning, then a 6ft SW swell in the afternoon but still strong wind. Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th are poor with strong winds and chop. Saturday the 5th is flat and messy. Sunday the 6th of September has a tiny 2ft SW swell with a very long 18-second period in the morning – that’s a glassy, clean morning but tiny. Sunday afternoon picks up to 6ft SW with a glassy wind – that could be a sneaky good session, but it’s a long way out.
Monday the 7th of September is a write-off with a near-gale and a 10ft SW swell that’s blown to bits.
So the takeaway: Sunday the 23rd is a good start, but the real gold is Monday the 31st through Tuesday the 1st of September. After that, it’s mostly a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Tue morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 9°C on Sun morning). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 9°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 5 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1919 | 1299 | 1602 | 874 | 715 | 710 | 802 | 710 | 1271 | 1344 | 905 | 732 | 349 | 440 | 757 | 2630 | 58 | 1694 | 1016 | 37 | 543 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 6:04PM1.37m | 7:47AM1.31m | 6:44PM1.29m | 8:59AM1.27m | 7:41PM1.21m | 10:20AM1.29m | 9:06PM1.17m | 11:26AM1.34m | 10:40PM1.18m | 12:14PM1.41m | 11:52PM1.26m | 12:51PM1.48m | 00:48AM1.36m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:26PM0.81m | 00:53AM0.40m | 1:16PM0.89m | 1:46AM0.46m | 2:29PM0.95m | 2:53AM0.50m | 4:09PM0.95m | 4:09AM0.51m | 5:29PM0.87m | 5:17AM0.49m | 6:22PM0.75m | 6:13AM0.45m | 7:01PM0.62m | ||||||||
6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | |
— | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 12 |
Feels °C | 7 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 18 | WSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
1919 | 1299 | 1602 | 874 | 715 | 710 | 802 | 710 | 1271 | 1344 | 905 | 732 | 349 | 440 | 757 | 2630 | 2323 | 1694 | 1016 | 822 | 543 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 16 | — | — | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | — | S 15 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 22 | SW 20 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | — | — | SW 6 |
522 | 596 | — | — | 15 | 50 | 78 | 381 | — | 4 | 12 | 66 | 76 | 119 | 872 | 61 | 58 | 50 | — | — | 44 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 23 | SW 22 | SSW 20 | — | — | — | — | — | SW 19 |
62 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 51 | 73 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | 133 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NW 3 | NNW 3 | NNW 3 | — | ENE 3 | — | SW 3 | SW 6 | SW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 5 | — |
— | — | 4 | 7 | 2 | — | 4 | — | 9 | 72 | 694 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 37 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 12 | 0 | 2 | 41 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 13 | 62 | 48 | 21 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 17 | 2 | 13 | 17 | 23 | 13 |
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.











