Scarborough Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s shaping up for Scarborough Beach over the next couple of weeks.

Overall, we’ve got a solid run of groundswell on the way, but the wind is going to be the main character in this story. For a west-facing beach like this, we need the wind to play nice, and for the first few days, it’s going to be a battle. There’s a lot of energy in the water, but finding a clean window is going to take some patience.

The first real sniff of a surfable wave comes on Tuesday, August 4th, but it’s a tough one. We’ve got a 7 ft WSW groundswell with a very long 17 second period, pumping a massive 2623 units of energy. The problem? It’s onshore, and the water is a bit colder than normal at 63°. It’s marginal, and the tide won’t be helping. You’d have to be pretty keen.

Wednesday the 5th sees the swell build. By the afternoon, we’re looking at a solid 10 ft from the WSW with a 16 second period, and the energy jumps to 3951. The wind is light and onshore, but with a bit of luck, it could be okay. The morning is a cross-shore breeze, so early might be your best bet if you’re desperate for a paddle.

Thursday the 6th and Friday the 7th are frustrating. The swell stays big, around 8 ft, and the period is still long, but the wind is either cross-onshore or onshore, and by Friday it’s raining. The energy is high, but the quality is low. It’s a classic case of a lot of water moving around but not much in the way of a clean face.

Saturday the 8th is a write-off. A 13 ft WSW swell, very strong energy (5909 in the morning, 7116 in the afternoon), but with a strong breeze, rain, and a messy cross-onshore wind. That’s not surf, that’s survival. Unless you’re on a kite, I’d stay off the water.

Finally, we get a bit of a reprieve on Sunday the 9th. The morning sees a 10 ft swell with a 17 second period, and the wind drops to nearly nothing from the NNW. It’s still a touch cross-onshore, but at 3 mph, it’s almost glassy. This is the standout of the first week. The energy is still hefty at 5180, so it’ll be powerful, but if you can handle it, the conditions are the best we’ve seen.

After that, the swell drops a bit. Monday the 10th has a 5 ft swell with a clean cross-offshore breeze, but the period drops to 14 seconds, and the energy is down to 1636. It’s clean, but smaller.

Tuesday the 11th is the real gem. Morning session is looking excellent with a 7 ft groundswell, 17 second period, and glassy conditions. The energy is 2699, so it’s got some punch, but for an experienced surfer, this is the moment. The offshore wind is a major positive, and the waves will be clean and lined up. This is the best on offer in the entire forecast.

The rest of the week is a mixed bag. Wednesday the 12th through Friday the 14th have smaller swells, between 5 ft and 7 ft, with light winds. The consistency is there, but the power is lower. It’s all rideable, just not as exciting.

The second week gets messy again. Saturday the 15th sees a 8 ft swell with a shorter 13 second period, and the wind picks up, making it choppy. By Sunday the 16th, the swell is back up to 10 ft, but the wind is onshore again. The energy is very high, but the quality is poor. It’s a pattern that keeps repeating.

Monday the 17th and Tuesday the 18th are a write-off with strong winds and lumpy conditions. The swell is still there, but it’s not worth paddling out for. The final day, Wednesday the 19th, has a 5 ft swell with a 15 second period, but the wind is a fresh breeze from the WNW, making it messy and onshore.

So, to sum it up: the first week has a lot of power but needs the right wind. The best window is Tuesday the 11th morning with glassy conditions over a solid groundswell. Sunday the 9th morning is also a good call if you want a bigger wave. The second week is mostly a struggle with wind and chop. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but for now, that’s the story.

Rusty.

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