
Surf Forecasts:
Scarborough South Bay surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s period, NNE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 10s period, NNE swell with 983 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s period with NNE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Scarborough South Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Scarborough South Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Scarborough South Bay in the next 16 days are 2.3m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 6s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Scarborough South Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you, this is a tough one for Scarborough South Bay. For the next 16 days, we’re looking at a whole lot of nothing. The entire 16-day window is a write-off, with practically every single session flagged as "poor surf conditions." The only glimmer of life we get is on Sunday the 26th of July, but even that's a stretch.
Let's break it down. The whole stretch from Friday the 17th through to the start of August is a battle against the wind. Strong, cross-shore winds are the main culprit, churning up a lumpy, cross-choppy mess. Even when the swell bumps up to 5ft (Saturday 18th) and 8ft (Sunday 19th), the combined wave energy gets into the moderate range (327 on the 18th, 963 on the 19th), the fresh breeze ruins it. The swell is mostly from the NNE, with a short period of 7-10 seconds, so it's weak, wind-swell. The longer period of 10 seconds on the 19th is a bit more organised, but it just doesn't matter with the wind.
The one potential window is the morning of Sunday the 26th of July. It's the only time in the whole 16 days we see glassy conditions, with no wind and a 4ft NNE swell, period of 8 seconds, and weak to moderate energy (198). The file says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions," and honestly, that's a generous call. With that short period and a cross-shore wind expected later in the day, it's not going to be a classic. The rest of the period is a desert – from the 28th of July onwards, swell drops to near zero, and the wind is either cross-off or clean, but there's nothing to ride.
For an area where the beach and point setup is "fairly consistent," to see a blank 16-day run like this is a bit of a shock, but it happens. The key takeaway is, don't hold your breath. The Sunday the 26th of July morning is the only time worth a look, but keep expectations low. This setup is so wind-affected that it might be more interesting for the kite surfers than anyone with a paddle.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue morning, min 13°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNW on Sun night, fresh winds from the NNW by Wed morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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) | N 4 | N 4 | N 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 10 | NNE 10 | NNE 9 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | N 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | N 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
9 | 22 | 60 | 175 | 327 | 678 | 963 | 923 | 528 | 262 | 179 | 76 | 36 | 38 | 21 | 73 | 151 | 227 | 207 | 132 | 55 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | off | cross | cross | off | cross-on | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 6:47AM5.16m | 7:29PM4.69m | 7:32AM5.09m | 8:16PM4.51m | 8:17AM4.89m | 9:01PM4.28m | 9:04AM4.60m | 9:48PM4.04m | 9:53AM4.27m | 10:37PM3.81m | 10:49AM3.94m | 11:32PM3.63m | 11:53AM3.69m | 00:34AM3.53m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:22PM-0.22m | 1:35AM0.60m | 2:07PM-0.07m | 2:17AM0.78m | 2:51PM0.21m | 3:01AM1.00m | 3:36PM0.57m | 3:46AM1.23m | 4:22PM0.95m | 4:36AM1.46m | 5:14PM1.31m | 5:36AM1.63m | 6:17PM1.57m | ||||||||
4:48 | — | — | 4:50 | — | — | 4:52 | — | — | 4:52 | — | — | 4:54 | — | — | 4:56 | — | — | 4:56 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:24 | — | — | 9:23 | — | — | 9:22 | — | — | 9:21 | — | — | 9:19 | — | — | 9:17 | — | — | 9:16 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 |
Feels °C | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 9 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | N 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | N 7 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 528 | 262 | 179 | 76 | 36 | 38 | 21 | 73 | 151 | 227 | 207 | 132 | 55 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 7 | ENE 5 | N 8 | N 9 | NNE 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 9 | — | NE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 4 | N 4 | N 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 10 | NNE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 2 | WNW 3 |
9 | 22 | 60 | 175 | 327 | 678 | 963 | 923 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 8 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 552 | 548 | 163 | 106 | 106 | 106 | 106 | 223 | 0 | 24 | 610 | 1 | 521 | 1085 | 42 | 610 | 633 | 0 | 20 | 99 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North East England | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Scarborough South Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Scarborough South Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Scarborough South Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Scarborough South Bay 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 South Bay) 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 South Bay 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.
Scarborough South Bay is 3 km (2 miles) from Scarborough. If you plan a holiday in North East England, look for hotels and other accommodation in Scarborough. Scarborough has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










