Scarborough Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a slow start, but things build into a real solid run of swell, especially for the more experienced among you. The water temp is sitting about average for the time of year, so nothing unusual there.

The first real action kicks off on Friday morning, August 21st, at Scarborough Beach. We’re looking at a 7 ft groundswell from the WSW, with a long 15-second period—that’s proper energy, with a moderate 2032 combined energy reading. The wind is a light easterly breeze, blowing straight offshore, so it’s going to be clean. That’s a standout for the experienced crew. Friday afternoon holds similar, 7 ft with a 14-second period, still a light breeze and cross-offshore, so keep it in the plan.

Saturday morning, August 22nd, the swell drops a touch to 6 ft and the wind goes light and cross-shore. It’s a bit of a mixed bag with the tide, so not the best time to paddle out. By Saturday afternoon, a strong southerly wind kicks up to 30 km/h, making it lumpy and messy—give it a miss.

Sunday the 23rd is much the same, with a dropping swell and onshore winds. The surf is small and choppy, not worth your time.

Monday morning, August 24th, sees a return to decent conditions. A 7 ft WSW swell, 14-second period, and a light northeasterly breeze blowing cross-offshore. That’s clean again and a solid option for the early session. The energy is moderate at 1772. Monday afternoon, the wind swings cross-onshore, and the quality drops.

Tuesday the 25th is small and not great, with light onshore winds and a 4 ft to 5 ft swell. The energy is weak at 532. Not much to write home about.

Then we get a big warning. Wednesday the 26th, a massive 12 ft WSW swell rolls in, with a very long 19-second period. The combined energy is a whopping 8124. That’s huge, powerful, and way too big for all but the absolute experts. On top of that, we’ve got fresh winds and rain—it’s going to be a messy, dangerous beast. The morning is a definitive no-go. The afternoon is a bit better wind-wise, but still too big for this break.

Thursday the 27th is still big, with a 10 ft swell and a moderate breeze. The wind is cross-offshore in the morning, so it’ll be clean, but at that size, it’s experts-only territory. The afternoon sees an 8 ft swell, still with a moderate cross-shore breeze.

From Friday the 28th through to the end of the month, the wind is mostly onshore or strong, and the swell is all over the place. There are a few sessions with 7 ft to 10 ft swell, but the wind is always blowing onshore, making it a messy, blown-out affair. The energy is often high, but with onshore wind, it’s just a washing machine. Not recommended for surfing.

Looking into the first week of September, the first real glimmer of hope comes on Thursday morning, September 3rd. We’ve got a 10 ft groundswell from the WSW, a long 17-second period, massive energy at 5183, and a light cross-shore breeze. It’s clean, but again, at that size, it’s strictly for the experienced. The wind picks up in the afternoon.

Then, finally, the standout of the entire forecast. On Saturday morning, September 5th, we get a perfect setup. A 7 ft swell from the WSW, 14-second period, with glassy conditions—a light easterly breeze, barely a ripple. The combined energy is 3194, and the waves are going to be clean and well-shaped. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. A real beauty.

Rusty

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