Scarborough Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.19° S 18.37° E

Scarborough Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 am 31 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Scarborough Beach sea temperature is
15.0° C
0.6° 

Scarborough Beach surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Scarborough Beach surf forecast from 31 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 5 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-shore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 6 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 9,681 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 31 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 13s period with SW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Scarborough Beach this week:

The surf forecast for Scarborough Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 31) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 13s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Scarborough Beach in the next 16 days are 5.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 06) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 7s period and expected on Friday (Jul 31) at 8AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Fri 31st Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 13s
Best Surf 8AM (Wed 5th Aug)10ft (3.0m) 14s
Most Powerful 2PM (Thu 6th Aug)16ft (5.0m) 14s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Scarborough Beach over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here, let’s have a look at what’s coming our way for Scarborough Beach over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, things are looking a bit mixed. There’s some rideable swell kicking off this Friday morning, but the real standout window is going to be later. The first few days offer clean conditions but nothing that’ll blow your mind. Hang tight, because the best of the bunch is shaping up for Monday the 3rd of August, and then again way down the line on Saturday the 15th.

We kick off on Friday, July 31st. Morning sees a modest 4 ft SW swell with a 12-second period, and a light SE cross-off breeze keeping things tidy. Wave energy is moderate at 484. It’s clean, but nothing to get too excited about. The afternoon drops a touch to 4 ft.

Saturday morning, August 1st, is a real treat. We’ve got a 4 ft WSW swell, a juicy 14-second period, and glassy conditions with an ENE offshore breeze at just 3 mph. This is about as clean as it gets for a beginner-friendly wave. Water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The crowd factor says “sometimes,” so expect a few locals but nothing too hectic. This is the first standout of the forecast – a proper little gem.

Sunday morning, August 2nd, the wind swings NNW and goes cross-shore at 6 mph, and the 4 ft SW swell is still there with a 13-second period. It’s rideable but the tide might be playing games – the report flags it as marginal. Afternoon goes a bit onshore and messy.

Now, here’s where it gets serious. Monday, August 3rd. Morning brings a 6 ft SW swell, 14-second period, and glassy conditions with a NW breeze at 3 mph. Wave energy jumps to 1154 – moderate but punchy. This is in the sweet spot for experienced surfers, not too big, not too small. The afternoon is even better: 6 ft SW, 13-second period, and dead calm, glassy conditions. That’s excellent, clean surf and right in the expert range. This is the real standout – the best on offer.

Tuesday the 4th, morning glass again with 5 ft SW and an 11-second period, energy at 603. Good shape, clean. But by afternoon the wind swings onshore from the WSW at 9 mph and it gets ugly – poor conditions, steer clear.

Wednesday August 5th and Thursday August 6th are for big-wave chargers only. The swell jumps to 12 ft and 10 ft with massive energy readings (over 5000 and 8000 respectively). The break is exposed to this SW groundswell, and with periods up to 15 seconds, it’s a long-period groundswell. This is only for experts – it’ll be too big for anyone else. If you’re not solid, give it a miss. Friday August 7th morning is still over 8 ft and glassy, but by afternoon it drops to 8 ft with a cross-shore breeze and marginal conditions.

From Saturday August 8th through to Thursday the 13th, it’s a mixed bag of lumpy, onshore, and windy days. There’s a brief moment on Tuesday August 11th afternoon where things clean up again: 5 ft SSW swell, 12-second period, glassy with a light WNW breeze. That’s a nice little window of clean, manageable waves.

The final standout comes on Saturday August 15th. Morning looks brilliant: 8 ft WSW swell, 12-second period, and dead calm, glassy conditions with the wind at 0 mph. Wave energy is 1877 – strong. This is a morning for experienced surfers, with clean, powerful lines. That’s the second best of the whole outlook.

So, to wrap it up: if you’re looking for the best clean, user-friendly waves, hit Saturday August 1st. For the best all-around power and cleanliness, Monday August 3rd morning and afternoon are your go-to. The big stuff from the 5th to the 7th is for experts only. And the glassy session on August 15th is a great long-range promise – just don’t set your watch by it just yet.

Stay stoked, catch you in the line-up.
Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Fri afternoon, min 16°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon morning, min 13°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, fresh winds from the NNW by Wed afternoon).

Friday
31
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
3
1
3
2
2
3
4
3
3
0
0
2
!
0
!
!
!
!
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.3
SW
12
1.1
SW
12
0.7
WSW
16
1.3
WSW
14
1.2
SW
13
1.3
SW
13
1.3
SW
13
1.2
SW
12
1.5
SW
13
1.4
WSW
14
1.8
SW
12
1.7
SW
12
1.4
SW
11
1.4
WSW
10
1.5
SW
15
3
SW
14
3
WSW
14
4
WSW
14
4.5
SW
14
4.5
SW
14
4
SW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
471
355
255
663
486
543
535
428
744
743
996
822
485
401
936
3863
3869
5502
7899
9255
6120
Wind (km/h)
10
SE
15
SE
5
E
5
ENE
10
SSE
10
SE
10
NNW
10
NW
5
NE
0
NNW
5
S
0
S
10
WNW
20
W
20
NNW
35
N
35
NNW
15
SW
15
SE
15
SE
5
E
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
glassy
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
off
High Tide
4:33PM1.52m
4:40AM1.42m
5:03PM1.53m
5:13AM1.39m
5:34PM1.52m
5:47AM1.34m
6:08PM1.48m
6:27AM1.27m
6:48PM1.41m
7:14AM1.18m
7:38PM1.32m
8:18AM1.10m
8:47PM1.23m
Low Tide
10:18AM0.12m
10:42PM0.20m
10:47AM0.12m
11:13PM0.20m
11:16AM0.16m
11:47PM0.22m
11:48AM0.21m
00:24AM0.26m
12:25PM0.29m
1:09AM0.32m
1:10PM0.38m
2:07AM0.39m
2:12PM0.48m
3:28AM0.45m
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
mod rain
part cloud
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:39
7:39
7:39
7:37
7:37
7:35
7:35
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:05
6:06
6:06
6:07
6:07
6:07
6:08
 mm
7
Temp °C
20
22
21
21
21
22
19
20
17
16
16
16
15
15
14
13
15
15
14
14
15
Feels °C
16
18
18
18
18
18
15
16
15
15
14
13
14
14
11
8
8
8
11
10
14
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Scarborough Beach Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Scarborough Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Scarborough Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Scarborough Beach 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 (Scarborough Beach) 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 Scarborough Beach 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.

Are you planning a holiday in Cape Town? If you are looking for accommodation near Scarborough Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Cape Town, consider staying in Cape Town which is 30 km (19 miles) away. Other places in and around Cape Town where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Bellville which is 40 km (25 miles) away, Robben Island, Stellenbosch and Kayamnandi.

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