Surf Forecasts:
Salcombe surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 12s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 7PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 11s period, W swell with 1,271 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 4 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Salcombe this week:
The surf forecast for Salcombe over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Salcombe in the next 16 days are 2.4m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Fri 4th Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 8ft (2.4m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Salcombe over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the pipe for Salcombe.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is looking pretty grim. There’s a big gap of poor conditions staring us in the face from now until Friday morning, September 11th. That’s a solid nine days of mostly messy or weak surf. The wind is just relentless, blowing strong from the southwest and west, keeping everything choppy and cross. There’s a lot of energy in the water, but it’s all wrong – we’re talking combined swell energy readings of (401) to (783) in the early days, which is moderate to strong, but that 7 ft to 6 ft swell is getting hammered by 18-25 mph winds. It’s just not surfable for a paddle board.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on Friday morning, September 11th. The wind finally swings around to the northwest at a light 6 mph, giving us a clean offshore breeze. The swell will be a mix, with a 5 ft west swell at a 10-second period. The combined energy is a solid (645). The water is running a touch warmer than normal for this time of year at 65°F. This is easily the best window in the whole 16-day forecast. It’s a stand-out for the clean conditions and decent energy, but don’t expect a five-star day – the swell isn’t massive, and the consistency is a bit hit-and-miss here. For a sheltered spot like Salcombe that needs a south swell, this west swell is a secondary option at best, but with that offshore wind, it’s your best bet by a long shot.
After that Friday morning window, it goes quiet again. The wind picks back up, and the swell drops away. The rest of the second week sees tiny waves, with heights barely reaching 2 ft to 3 ft and combined energy falling to weak levels (40-255). Strong winds, including a gale and near-gale on Wednesday and Thursday, September 16th and 17th, will make it a complete write-off. There’s a day with a very long period swell (12 seconds) on Monday the 14th, but with 25 mph winds, it’s going to be a battle to even get out.
So, to sum it up: the entire 16-day window is a tough one. There’s a tiny window on Friday morning, September 11th, that’s worth a look if you’re desperate, but otherwise, this is a classic English summer washout for the surf. Stay patient.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Thu morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Thu night, calm by Sat morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun morning, min 15°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (light winds from the S on Sat afternoon, fresh winds from the W by Mon night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 7 | W 8 | W 9 | W 12 | W 12 | W 10 | SE 5 | W 9 | E 5 | W 9 | WSW 11 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 392 | 336 | 296 | 220 | 315 | 405 | 360 | 334 | 327 | 271 | 102 | 44 | 39 | 6 | 556 | 783 | 709 | 544 | 450 | 513 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross | cross-on | on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:21PM3.80m | 10:44AM3.62m | 11:03PM3.52m | 11:30AM3.37m | 11:58PM3.20m | 12:34PM3.12m | 1:18AM2.93m | 2:07PM2.98m | 3:10AM2.85m | 3:58PM3.10m | 4:53AM3.07m | 5:20PM3.43m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:16AM0.25m | 4:36PM0.45m | 5:00AM0.60m | 5:27PM0.80m | 5:56AM0.98m | 6:38PM1.14m | 7:21AM1.29m | 8:28PM1.28m | 9:12AM1.28m | 10:06PM1.04m | 10:31AM1.00m | 11:09PM0.66m | ||||||||
 |  |  | |  | |  | |  | | | | | | | |  | |  |  | |
 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — |
 | 7:58 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — |
mm | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 13 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | W 9 | W 12 | W 12 | W 10 | W 9 | SSE 4 | E 5 | WSW 12 | — | — | W 9 | — | — |
| kJ | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 334 | 327 | 271 | 102 | 42 | 15 | 4 | 117 | — | — | 544 | — | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | W 9 | SE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 39 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 13 | E 5 | SW 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 7 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 7 | W 8 | — | — | — | ESE 3 | SE 5 | — | WSW 4 | W 9 | WSW 11 | W 9 | — | W 9 | W 10 |
| kJ | 392 | 336 | 296 | 220 | 315 | 405 | 360 | — | — | — | 7 | 44 | — | 54 | 556 | 783 | 709 | — | 450 | 513 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 169 | 169 | 95 | 157 | 223 | 137 | 216 | 0 | 0 | 95 | 83 | 109 | 117 | 95 | 179 | 451 | 271 | 347 | 262 | 169 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Devon | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Salcombe Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Salcombe provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Salcombe can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Salcombe 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 (Salcombe) 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 Salcombe 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.
Salcombe is 21 km (13 miles) from the city of Dartmouth. If you plan a holiday in South Devon, look for hotels and other accommodation in Dartmouth. Dartmouth has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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