
Surf Forecasts:
Salcombe surf forecast from 2 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 5 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 7s period, WSW swell with 387 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Salcombe this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Salcombe in the next 16 days are 1.9m 7s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Wed 5th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 7s |
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 on the menu for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – it’s a rough start. The first few days of August are looking pretty grim. We’ve got a dribble of weak, short-period swell coming in from the west, but the wind is all over the shop, mostly cross or cross-on, and it’s just not coming together. You’ll be scratching your head for the first week. The water temp is sitting at 66°, which is a touch warmer than you’d expect for this time of year, so at least you won’t freeze while you’re waiting for a wave.
The real kicker is that there’s a solid gap here. You’re looking at a stretch of nothing but poor conditions until the morning of the 15th of August. That’s the first time we see a "surfable" rating, but even then it’s described as "very ordinary." On the morning of the 15th, we get a 2ft swell from the west with a 9-second period, and the wind goes glassy. That’s a clean window, but the energy is moderate (347) and the waves are going to be a bit fat and unexciting. It’s a chance to get wet, but don’t expect any heroes.
The one standout, and this is the one to circle on your calendar, is the morning of Sunday the 16th of August. That’s where it all clicks. We’ve got a 6ft west swell with an 8-second period, but the wind is clean offshore from the WNW. The combined energy is strong (407), and it’s the only time in the whole outlook where the forecast says "expect good surf conditions." This is the best on offer, no question. With that size, it’s still manageable for most, but the offshore wind will make it clean and punchy. The only downside is that this spot is a sheltered, inconsistent spot that rarely breaks, and crowds are inevitable when it does. So get there early.
The tail end of the forecast (17th of August) shows another pulse of 5ft-7ft swell, but the wind is mostly cross-off and the energy is high (470), but the forecast is calling it "marginal" with questionable tide conditions. Something to keep an eye on, but it’s a long-range call so take it with a grain of salt.
So don’t hold your breath for the first week. The real action is that Sunday morning the 16th. That’s your window.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sun afternoon, min 17°C on Sun morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the NE on Sun night, fresh winds from the SW by Tue afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Thu afternoon, min 14°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Wed afternoon, calm by Fri morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | |||||||||||||||
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) | W 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | S 13 | W 9 | W 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
35 | 23 | 49 | 73 | 75 | 53 | 178 | 164 | 295 | 387 | 385 | 205 | 89 | 79 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 3 | 335 | 235 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:43PM4.00m | 10:06AM3.71m | 10:14PM3.91m | 10:39AM3.64m | 10:49PM3.77m | 11:16AM3.52m | 11:30PM3.58m | 12:01PM3.37m | 00:21AM3.35m | 12:58PM3.21m | 1:27AM3.13m | 2:13PM3.10m | 2:57AM3.01m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:03PM0.21m | 3:27AM0.09m | 3:39PM0.26m | 4:03AM0.17m | 4:17PM0.38m | 4:43AM0.33m | 5:00PM0.57m | 5:28AM0.57m | 5:51PM0.82m | 6:25AM0.85m | 7:01PM1.06m | 7:44AM1.08m | 8:36PM1.16m | ||||||||
5:43 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | |
— | 8:57 | — | — | 8:55 | — | — | 8:53 | — | — | 8:52 | — | — | 8:51 | — | — | 8:49 | — | — | 8:46 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 17 |
Feels °C | 14 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | — | — | — | S 13 | SW 13 | S 13 | SW 12 | W 10 | WSW 6 | WSW 5 | W 9 | W 9 | S 11 | S 11 | S 12 |
35 | 23 | 49 | 73 | 75 | 53 | — | — | — | 3 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 11 | — | — | E 6 | E 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 12 | W 10 | W 9 | SW 12 | SW 11 | S 13 | — | — |
— | 2 | — | — | 24 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 17 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 3 | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 12 | S 12 | W 6 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 3 | ENE 4 | ENE 3 | E 6 | — | SW 3 | WSW 8 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | W 4 | — | WSW 5 | W 4 | W 5 | W 9 | W 8 |
5 | 2 | 1 | 51 | — | 2 | 178 | 164 | 295 | 387 | 385 | 205 | 89 | 79 | 8 | — | 15 | 11 | 85 | 335 | 235 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 252 | 115 | 90 | 83 | 104 | 95 | 169 | 269 | 169 | 434 | 295 | 1 | 1 | 489 | 217 | 419 | 484 | 107 | 24 | 217 | 151 |
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.











