
Surf Forecasts:
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, 5PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 7,655 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 31 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 12s 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 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 18s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Scarborough Beach in the next 16 days are 4.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 06) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5PM (Fri 31st Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Wed 5th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Thu 6th Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Scarborough Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's see what Scarborough Beach has cookin' for us over the next couple of weeks.
Alright, we're looking at a bit of a slow start, but the real story here is a massive pulse of energy that's going to be way too big for this spot most of the time. The first few days are small and clean, but after that, it's all about the giants.
Friday morning, the 31st, we kick off with some small, clean waves. There's a 4ft SW swell rolling in with a solid 12-second period, giving it some decent shape. The water is sitting at 59°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year. The wind is light and cross-off, so it'll be a bit crinkly but totally rideable. The energy is moderate (484). This is a beginner-friendly spot, so it's a good session for someone finding their feet, but it's nothing to write home about.
Now, hold onto your board. Saturday morning, the 1st of August, is the standout. The wind goes glassy, dead calm from the NE, and the swell bumps up a touch to 4ft from the WSW with a long 14-second period. The water gets that mirror finish. The combined energy jumps to a solid moderate (663). For a beach break, that long period can make it a bit straight, but with the wind being absolutely glassy, it's going to be the cleanest, most fun waves of the early run. This is the one to get out for.
The pattern continues small and clean through Sunday and Monday morning, but the waves are a bit mixed up with cross-shore winds. Monday afternoon, the 3rd of August, things get interesting. The swell builds to 6ft from the SW, and the wind goes glassy again. The energy is strong (1012), and the report says it's excellent for experienced surfers. That's a cracking session for anyone who's got their bottom turn wired.
Then, from Tuesday the 4th, things get weird. The wind goes onshore and the quality drops off.
But the main event is from the 5th of August onward. The swell absolutely nukes. We're talking 10ft to 16ft swells from the SW and WSW with massive energy levels (3412 to 11163). The wind is often clean or cross-off, but the wave height is way over the 8ft mark. This is expert-only territory, and frankly, for a beach break like Scarborough, it's going to be a washing machine. The sheer power will be incredible to watch, but for a paddle surfer, it's a no-go. This stretch from the 5th to the 8th, and again from the 11th to the 15th, is for the big-wave chargers with a death wish, or maybe the kite surfers who can handle the open ocean. The rest of us will be watching from the shore.
There's a brief window of smaller, more manageable surf on the 9th and 10th, but the wind is messy and the quality is poor. The 14th and 15th of August see another massive pulse of groundswell, with a 13ft to 16ft WSW swell and a very long 15-second period. Again, too big for this break.
So, in a nutshell: get out there on Saturday, the 1st of August, for the best clean, small waves. Monday afternoon, the 3rd, is a solid second choice for the more experienced crew. After that, it's a giant, angry ocean for the experts or the kite crowd.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat night, min 16°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Wed morning). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, fresh winds from the N by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
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 | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
471 | 355 | 255 | 663 | 486 | 543 | 535 | 428 | 744 | 811 | 1012 | 769 | 493 | 286 | 640 | 3325 | 3480 | 7274 | 5878 | 7655 | 5161 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | glassy | glassy | cross | on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | 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 | |||||||
7:39 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | |
— | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
Feels °C | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | WSW 10 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
471 | 355 | 255 | 663 | 486 | 543 | 535 | 428 | 744 | 811 | 1012 | 769 | 493 | 286 | 460 | 3325 | 3480 | 4380 | 5878 | 7655 | 5161 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SW 18 | WSW 16 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SW 15 | SE 10 | SW 13 | SE 12 | SE 11 | ESE 10 | W 11 | SW 15 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | — | WSW 13 | — | — |
57 | 78 | 212 | 57 | 43 | 50 | 52 | 232 | 28 | 326 | 34 | 30 | 10 | 57 | 640 | 33 | 19 | — | 2123 | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | — | SE 9 | — | — | S 9 | S 9 | SE 9 | SW 16 | SE 12 | SE 12 | — | SW 18 | SW 16 | W 10 | — | — | — | ESE 10 | — | — |
13 | — | 49 | — | — | 15 | 6 | 23 | 67 | 36 | 21 | — | 12 | 39 | 52 | — | — | — | 9 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | SE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | NW 3 | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | W 4 | NW 4 | NNW 5 | NW 6 | WSW 13 | — | — | — |
150 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 17 | 12 | 87 | 390 | 7274 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 30 | 424 | 180 | 31 | 9 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











