Surf Forecasts:
Salcombe surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s period, W swell with 539 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 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 Thursday (Aug 20) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m 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 1.8m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
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 Salcombe has in store for us.
Honestly, for the next week and a half, it's a flat, blown-out mess. We’re looking at a long, frustrating stretch of poor surf conditions that kicks off now and runs right through until the tail end of August. The swell is on offer at times, with moderate wave energy (453 to 541), but it's coming from the west with a nasty 19 mph cross-offshore wind and a short, weak 9-second period. That’s just messy, choppy stuff. Forget it.
Thursday morning the 21st of August offers a tiny bit of hope with a glassy 3ft swell from the west, but the energy is weak at only 169, and the wave comment tells the story: poor conditions. It's going to be frustrating. This blank run of bad surf stretches for over a week.
Now, the first glimmer of something decent arrives on Saturday the 29th of August. Saturday morning sees a clean 7ft west swell with a fresh 19 mph offshore wind from the northwest, and a combined energy of 572. The period is a short 8 seconds, so it won't be the best shape, but after all this nothing, clean 7ft faces will feel like a gift. That’s the standout of the whole run for me. Sunday the 30th is back to onshore slop.
Then, hold on to your boards. Monday the 31st of August gets interesting. We've got a solid 8ft west groundswell rolling in with a very long 12-second period. The combined energy is a hefty 1818. That’s proper energy. The wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-offshore, so it could be clean. This is a big, powerful swell, so it’s for experienced surfers only. The long period might mean it wraps in a little too straight for the beach, but it's a serious offering. It’s a promising but less certain long-range call. Tuesday the 1st of September cleans up a little, with a 5ft west swell and a gentle cross-offshore breeze.
The rest of the forecast into early September looks weak again. There’s no real consistency here, and the long wait for anything good is a normal pattern for this sheltered spot. Keep an eye on the 31st.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu morning, min 13°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Thu afternoon, calm by Fri morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun afternoon, min 15°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNE on Sat night, strong winds from the ENE by Mon night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | E 6 | SW 6 | SW 8 | SW 8 | W 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 445 | 533 | 332 | 157 | 90 | 33 | 45 | 26 | 25 | 13 | 11 | 35 | 222 | 401 | 302 | 76 | 41 | 0 | 304 | 349 | 124 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | off |
High Tide | 11:45AM3.15m | 00:03AM2.99m | 12:31PM2.91m | 00:56AM2.73m | 1:35PM2.72m | 2:16AM2.57m | 3:13PM2.68m | 4:13AM2.61m | 4:59PM2.88m | 5:36AM2.86m | 5:56PM3.20m | 6:22AM3.16m | 6:36PM3.52m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:11AM0.96m | 5:31PM1.18m | 5:52AM1.30m | 6:25PM1.50m | 7:00AM1.59m | 8:23PM1.69m | 9:13AM1.65m | 10:11PM1.55m | 10:32AM1.45m | 11:08PM1.28m | 11:20AM1.17m | 11:49PM0.96m | 11:58AM0.87m | 00:23AM0.64m | |||||||
 | |  |  | |  | |  | | | | | | |  | | | |  | |  | |
 | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — |
 | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:13 | — |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | 4 | 2 |
Temp °C | 19 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 |
Feels °C | 14 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | WNW 5 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WSW 9 | SW 9 | WSW 9 | SW 8 | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 5 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 |
| kJ | 8 | 8 | 332 | 157 | 90 | 12 | 45 | 26 | 25 | 13 | 6 | 35 | 22 | 8 | 11 | 76 | 38 | 3 | 25 | 22 | 124 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 14 | SW 13 | ENE 4 | W 8 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | ESE 5 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | W 9 | SW 8 | SW 9 | ENE 5 | — | W 12 | W 11 |
| kJ | — | — | 7 | 7 | 1 | 33 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 11 | 41 | 3 | — | 3 | 37 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | S 16 | SW 13 | SW 13 | S 12 | SW 12 | — | SW 14 | WSW 10 | — | W 10 | W 9 | SW 13 | SW 11 | W 10 | — | — | W 13 | SW 8 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 5 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 6 | — | 8 | 11 | — | 2 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 8 | — | — | 3 | 9 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 9 | — | — | — | N 3 | ENE 3 | E 4 | E 4 | E 4 | ESE 4 | E 4 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | — | — | SW 6 | SW 8 | SW 8 | SSW 8 |
| kJ | 445 | 533 | — | — | — | 2 | 5 | 18 | 9 | 6 | 11 | 10 | 222 | 401 | 302 | — | — | 214 | 304 | 349 | 88 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 498 | 169 | 0 | 24 | 152 | 24 | 83 | 90 | 92 | 105 | 115 | 92 | 324 | 205 | 179 | 152 | 104 | 94 | 152 | 117 | 1 |
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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