
Surf Forecasts:
Salcombe surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 16 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 18 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 13s period, W swell with 663 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 16 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s 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 Wednesday (Sep 16) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 10s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Salcombe in the next 16 days are 1.4m 13s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 18) at 4PM. 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 6s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 17) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Wed 16th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Wed 16th Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Fri 18th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Salcombe over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim, if I’m being honest. We’ve got a real dry spell on the cards, with barely anything worth paddling out for. There’s a small window of hope mid-week, but you’ll need to pick your moment and lower your expectations.
The start of the period is a write-off. Monday and Tuesday are just poor. The swell’s small, around the 3ft mark, and the winds are all over the place. It’s clean, sure, but there’s no power behind it – just weak, disorganized lines. The combined energy is weak, sitting around 135-141. It’s the kind of surf where you spend more time sitting on your board than actually riding.
Now, Wednesday the 16th is the one little glimmer. The swell pushes up to 5ft in the morning from the west, with a period of 10 seconds. The wind goes offshore, light to moderate from the northwest, and the water’s clean. The energy jumps up to a moderate 426. It’s still not firing, but it’s the most rideable it’s going to be. The afternoon pushes it a bit more – 5ft and a longer 11-second period, energy up to 564 – but the wind picks up fresh from the WNW and makes it a bit more challenging. Thursday morning holds similar size and shape but the wind is stronger, and the whole thing just looks more difficult. Inconsistent, too – you’ll be waiting between sets.
After that, it just fades away. Friday the 18th has some pulse with a 5ft, 13-second swell in the afternoon, but the wind is cross-off and the energy is moderate at 831. Still, the guidance calls it marginal, and I’d agree. It’s not clean enough to be fun.
From Saturday the 19th onwards, it’s a slow death. The swell drops, the period goes short, and the winds turn onshore or cross-shore. The energy falls off a cliff, dropping below 100 by mid-week. It’s small, weak, and increasingly chopped up. By the 23rd, we’re looking at ankle-biters with energy in the 80s and 90s.
The last few days of the period, around the 27th and 28th, the swell does push back up – 8ft on the 28th – but it’s a messy, windblown mess. Strong east winds, cross-onshore, lumpy, and just plain ugly. That’s not surf for paddling, that’s more like a kite-surfing kind of day. The period is short at 7 seconds, so even if the size is there, the shape will be terrible.
Overall, nothing here is a standout. Wednesday morning is your best bet, and even that’s a soft, inconsistent day. If you’re keen, you’ll be out there, but don’t expect much. The water’s a touch warmer than usual for this time of year at 63°F, so that’s something.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon morning, min 14°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Thu morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Thu morning, light winds from the W by Sat night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 10 | W 10 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 7 | W 9 | W 10 | W 13 | W 12 | WSW 6 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
138 | 132 | 94 | 156 | 298 | 356 | 426 | 564 | 216 | 450 | 159 | 343 | 262 | 663 | 425 | 100 | 191 | 202 | 194 | 158 | 272 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:11PM4.05m | 9:27AM3.90m | 9:40PM3.82m | 9:54AM3.70m | 10:09PM3.55m | 10:23AM3.45m | 10:40PM3.25m | 10:57AM3.18m | 11:20PM2.95m | 11:45AM2.91m | 00:18AM2.68m | 12:57PM2.70m | 1:46AM2.52m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:38PM-0.01m | 2:55AM0.04m | 3:10PM0.17m | 3:26AM0.29m | 3:42PM0.43m | 3:56AM0.60m | 4:13PM0.74m | 4:27AM0.93m | 4:47PM1.09m | 5:01AM1.27m | 5:30PM1.43m | 5:50AM1.59m | 6:59PM1.72m | ||||||||
6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | |
— | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:27 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:21 | — | — | 7:19 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 18 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | WSW 8 | W 11 | — | — | W 10 | — | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 16 | W 10 | W 13 | — | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 13 |
138 | 132 | 94 | 37 | — | — | 426 | — | 216 | 125 | 44 | 21 | 262 | 663 | — | 89 | 191 | 202 | 194 | 158 | 272 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | S 12 | W 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 13 | W 13 | — | S 16 | S 4 | S 14 | S 14 | SW 14 | S 13 |
3 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 168 | 168 | — | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | W 8 | W 8 | W 10 | NNW 4 | W 11 | W 4 | W 10 | W 7 | W 9 | — | — | W 12 | WSW 6 | W 7 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 156 | 298 | 356 | 7 | 564 | 16 | 450 | 159 | 343 | — | — | 425 | 100 | 43 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 95 | 95 | 95 | 217 | 217 | 0 | 0 | 169 | 169 | 498 | 217 | 0 | 96 | 169 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 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.










