Scarborough Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks. Scarborough Beach is the only show in town, and it’s got a real mixed bag coming at us.

We’ve got a solid run of swell building in from the WSW, with that long-period groundswell pushing through. The energy is strong – we’re talking moderate to very strong wave energy (values between 423 and 3855) across the period, so there’s plenty of push in the water. The water’s sitting at 64°, which is a solid 4° cooler than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be wanting a decent steamer.

The action kicks off Sunday the 5th, but honestly, it’s a write-off. Light rain and a cross-onshore wind have the place chopped up. Forget about it.

Monday the 6th is where it gets good. Morning and afternoon, we’ve got clean, cross-off winds from the ESE and SE, light breeze, and the swell is a solid 8ft to 8ft from the WSW with a 15-16 second period. That’s proper groundswell, and with those conditions, it’s going to be clean and powerful. This is for experienced surfers only – that size is well over 5ft, so leave the foamies at home. The wave energy is very strong (2642 and 2616). This is a standout window: Monday the 6th morning through Tuesday the 7th morning. Tuesday morning stays offshore and clean, 8ft, same long period.

Tuesday afternoon the wind swings and it gets a bit cross and bumpy, so the quality drops. Wednesday the 8th has that long 19-second period swell in the morning, but the cross-shore wind puts a ripple on it, and it’s only around 4ft – a bit soft. The afternoon picks up to 7ft but the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s messy.

Thursday the 9th is a write-off with rain and cross-onshore winds. Friday the 10th morning has a brief window of clean, cross-off winds and a 5ft swell, which is fun for the intermediate crew, but the afternoon gets hammered by a strong cross-onshore.

Saturday the 11th has a bigger swell – 8ft to 8ft – but the winds are up (12 mph) and it’s cross-shore, so expect some chop. Not the best.

Now, here’s the real standout of the whole run: Sunday the 12th. Morning and afternoon, we’ve got clean, cross-off and offshore winds from the ESE and E, light breezes, and a solid 7ft WSW swell with a 16-17 second period. This is the pick. The wave energy is very strong (2765 and 2488), the wind is perfect, and those long-period lines will set up beautifully. It’s going to be a ripper day for experienced surfers. Could get a few heads out there – crowds are “sometimes” a thing.

Monday the 13th stays excellent with offshore winds all day, though the swell drops to 3ft-5ft. Still clean and fun for the smaller boards.

Tuesday the 14th has another good day with cross-off winds and 6ft to 7ft swell, clean conditions. After that, Wednesday the 15th starts to get a bit sloppy with cross and cross-onshore winds.

Thursday the 16th and Friday the 17th are absolutely nasty. Strong to gale-force onshore winds, big messy swell up to 10ft – that’s purely for the chargers, and even then, it’s going to be a washing machine. The beach setup here looks like it might be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on those days.

Saturday the 18th morning brings a brief reset – glassy conditions, light winds, and a 6ft swell. Clean, but short-lived. The afternoon turns messy again.

Into the second week, Sunday the 19th morning has a clean, offshore 5ft swell (energy 711) – a decent option. Monday the 20th morning looks good too, with a clean 5ft swell and a long 17-second period, light winds. Promising but less certain at this range.

Overall, the absolute best windows are Monday the 6th to Tuesday the 7th, and then Sunday the 12th. If you’re going to paddle out, aim for those.

Rusty.

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