
Surf Forecasts:
Salcombe surf forecast from 26 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 8s period, W swell with 287 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Salcombe this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Salcombe in the next 16 days are 1.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be 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 Sunday (Jul 26) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Salcombe over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you about Salcombe. I’ve had a good look at the charts, and the next 16 days are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. There’s really nothing that shapes up as a decent wave for a surfer, so I’ll walk you through the sparse offerings and the long gaps.
The outlook starts off flat. The first few days are a write-off. Saturday the 25th of July has a tiny 0.3ft southerly swell, but with a strong 19 mph cross-offshore wind, it’s just not worth the drive. The water is warm at 66°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s the only highlight.
We then hit a gap with no real surf until Sunday the 27th of July. That morning gives us a 3ft west swell, but again, the wind is messy. The afternoon is a no-go.
The next tiny window is on Tuesday the 29th of July. A 2ft west swell pops up in the afternoon with a 10-second period and a gentle cross-offshore breeze, keeping it clean. The combined wave energy is weak (94), so it’s barely a ripple. Not a standout.
Another gap follows until Sunday the 2nd of August. That morning sees a 3ft west swell with a 7-second period, blowing offshore from the northwest at 16 mph. The energy is moderate (103), but the short period means the waves are likely to be choppy and weak. The afternoon is similar with a 3ft west-southwest swell.
Monday the 4th of August brings the biggest bump of the whole run, but it’s still poor. The morning has a 4ft west-southwest swell with a 7-second period, but the wind is a light cross-onshore, creating ripples. The energy is moderate (158), but the quality is missing.
The final little flutter is on Sunday the 9th of August. The afternoon shows a 5ft west swell with a 10-second period, and a fresh offshore wind from the west-northwest at 19 mph. The combined energy is strong (371), which is the most we see in the whole period. However, the surf quality is still marked as poor, so it’s not a session to bank on. With a period of 10 seconds, it’s not a groundswell, and the beach setup here means it’ll likely be a bit closed out.
Honestly, for a spot like Salcombe that’s sheltered and inconsistent, a blank run like this isn’t unusual. None of the breaks are consistent through this period. The best of a bad bunch is that Sunday the 9th of August afternoon, but it’s a long-range call and not a sure thing. If you’re a kitesurfer, that 5ft swell with a strong offshore wind might look interesting, but for paddle surfing, it’s a no-go.
Stay tuned, the forecasts can change. Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Mon afternoon, min 15°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Sun morning, calm by Mon night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Thu afternoon, min 17°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Thu afternoon, light winds from the E by Fri morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 11 | W 10 | W 6 | W 7 | W 8 | W 9 | W 4 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
2 | 2 | 0 | 271 | 266 | 148 | 0 | 64 | 42 | 41 | 26 | 14 | 88 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 65 | 35 | 24 | 18 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 4:37AM2.75m | 5:20PM2.98m | 5:53AM2.92m | 6:17PM3.21m | 6:43AM3.14m | 7:00PM3.46m | 7:22AM3.34m | 7:36PM3.69m | 7:57AM3.51m | 8:10PM3.87m | 8:30AM3.64m | 8:42PM3.98m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:29PM1.37m | 10:49AM1.27m | 11:22PM1.17m | 11:36AM1.07m | 00:05AM0.94m | 12:16PM0.85m | 00:42AM0.71m | 12:51PM0.64m | 1:17AM0.49m | 1:25PM0.46m | 1:49AM0.31m | 1:57PM0.32m | 2:21AM0.18m | |||||||
— | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | |
— | 9:08 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:06 | — | — | 9:05 | — | — | 9:02 | — | — | 9:01 | — | — | 9:00 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 16 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | W 10 | — | — | — | W 9 | — | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | E 4 | W 10 | W 8 | W 10 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 |
2 | 2 | — | — | — | 148 | — | 64 | 42 | 41 | 26 | 14 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 65 | 35 | 24 | 18 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 4 | — | — | — | ESE 4 | E 4 | — | W 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 12 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 8 | — | W 4 | — | — | — | ESE 3 | — | W 10 | W 4 | W 4 | W 4 | — | — | SE 4 | — |
27 | 108 | 164 | 271 | 266 | — | 54 | — | — | — | 2 | — | 88 | 28 | 25 | 35 | — | — | 1 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 479 | 652 | 749 | 217 | 1 | 217 | 157 | 117 | 92 | 99 | 93 | 104 | 169 | 251 | 154 | 216 | 117 | 83 | 117 | 95 |
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.










