Scarborough Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on offer for this stretch of coast.

Alright, look, the next little while is a bit of a mixed bag for Scarborough Beach. We've got some solid swell on the way, but the wind is going to be the main character for a lot of it. The water’s sitting at 64°, which is a good few degrees colder than what you'd expect for this time of year, so that winter wetsuit is a must.

The first real chance at something decent kicks off on Monday morning the 13th. The swell is a healthy 7ft from the WSW with a long 17-second period, packing a heap of energy. The wind is light and offshore from the ESE, which is the key. That will clean it right up, making it a proper session for the experienced crew. It’s a standout, but with that size and power, it's not one for the beginners.

Monday afternoon sees the wind shift, but Tuesday afternoon the 14th could be another winner. The swell drops a touch to 6ft from the WSW, but the wind is back offshore from the ENE, giving us those clean, groomed lines. It’s a bit more manageable than Monday morning, but still a quality option for those who know what they're doing.

Now, we hit a rough patch. From Wednesday the 15th right through to the end of the weekend of the 19th, it’s a mess. The wind is either cross, cross-on, or straight onshore, and the wave quality goes right out the window. The 18th sees a big jump in size with 15ft swell, but it’s blowing a gale onshore, so that’s a total write-off for surfing. If you’re into kites, that massive, windy swell might be your thing, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a hard pass.

Things start to look up again on Wednesday the 22nd. The morning shows a 6ft WSW swell and a clean, glassy feel with barely a breath of wind from the ENE. That’s a window for the experienced surfers to get back out there. The swell is still solid, but the conditions should be primo.

Then, the real standout for the long-range is Friday morning the 24th. We’ve got a 8ft WSW groundswell with a 16-second period, pumping serious energy. The wind is light and cross-offshore from the SSE, leaving it clean. It’s a powerful, long-period swell, so it could be a bit straight at the beach, but if the banks are there, it’ll be a ripper. This one looks promising, but we’re a couple of weeks out, so keep an eye on it.

After that, the swell fades out through the 25th and 26th, turning small and messy. The 27th shows a bit of a clean-up with a 3ft swell, but it’s nothing to get excited about.

So, to sum it up: the best windows are the Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon of the 13th and 14th, and the long-range standout is the Friday morning of the 24th. The rest of the time, you’ll be fighting the wind.

Rusty.

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