Scarborough South Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this stretch is a tough one. We’re looking at a pretty flat, mostly blown-out run for the next couple of weeks. There’s no real swell of note and the wind is all over the shop, so we’re not going to see any classic days. It’s going to be a patience game, and you’ll want to pick your moments carefully.

Right at the start, it’s not looking good. Sunday the 2nd has a tiny 1ft of windswell with a weak energy reading (49), and a glassy morning is about the only saving grace. But it’s just too small and weak to bother with. That afternoon, the wind swings onshore from the ESE at 12 mph and chops it right up. We then go through Monday the 3rd with onshore winds and a building, but messy, 4ft short-period swell (116 energy)—not worth your time.

The first real chance, and I mean *chance*, comes Tuesday morning the 4th. We get a light offshore SW breeze at 6 mph, and the swell bumps up slightly to 4ft from the ENE with a 7-second period. Energy is moderate at 150, and it’s clean. Conditions are ordinary, but it’s surfable. The Scarborough South Bay (Yorkshire) is a beach and point setup that’s fairly exposed to north swells, which is what we’ve got. It’s about the best on offer for a few days, but still pretty average.

After that, it’s more of the same. Wednesday the 5th has a cross-offshore wind but only 2-2ft of swell—flat. Thursday the 6th is small and weak. Friday morning the 7th has a cleaner 4ft with a light offshore, but the wind swings onshore in the afternoon. The weekend of the 8th and 9th is small, with some cross-shore junk. Everything is just too weak and inconsistent to get excited about. For a few days there, from the 9th to the 12th, we’re looking at a pretty sad run of sub-3ft waves with onshore winds. It’s a gap where you might as well not even check the surf.

There’s a glimmer on the 14th (Friday) afternoon—a pulse of 4ft from the N with 7 seconds and moderate energy (150), but it’s got a cross-onshore wind making it choppy. Not great.

Now, here’s the one to watch, but you’ll need to wait for it. Sunday the 16th of August, the morning shows a bigger pulse: 5ft from the north with an 8-second period and strong energy at 334. It’s still got a light cross-onshore wind, but this is the biggest swell of the whole window. It’s a bit of a last-hurrah, and considering how weak and messy everything else is, this is the standout. It’s not huge, but it’s got some push. The afternoon looks like it goes onshore, so the morning is your window. It’s eight days out, so treat it as promising but not set in stone. That’s your best bet.

Water temp is 62°—about a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so not a big deal for a wetsuit, but you won’t need the thickest one.

So, bottom line: don’t hold your breath for the next week. If you’re desperate, Tuesday the 4th morning is the cleanest of a bad lot. But if you want anything with a bit of size, keep your eye on Sunday the 16th. That’s your shot.

Rusty.

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