
Surf Forecasts:
Scarecrows surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 17s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 17s period, SSW swell with 1,733 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 14s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Scarecrows this week:
The surf forecast for Scarecrows over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Scarecrows in the next 16 days are 1.7m 17s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (WIB) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Scarecrows over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here, looking at the forecast for Scarecrows. This is a classic reef break that knows how to hold a proper swell, and she's got plenty on the menu for the next couple of weeks. We're gonna get a bit of patience-tester at the start, but hold tight, because the good stuff is on its way.
The week kicks off with a bit of a frustrating note. Saturday morning (18th July) is actually looking pretty tidy with a clean 4ft SW swell and a 14-second period – that's proper groundswell energy. The wind is a light cross-offshore, so it'll be clean, but the wave energy is only moderate (591). It's a solid start, but the real party is about to build. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Sunday (19th) and Monday (20th) are a write-off for quality surfing. The wind is a mess, swinging onshore and cross-onshore, turning the ocean into lumpy chop. You’ll want to stay on the beach for that. By Monday afternoon, the swell is building to 6ft from the SSW, but the wind is still cross-on, so it's not clean.
Now, listen up. Tuesday morning (21st July) is when things turn. The wind shifts to a light cross-offshore, and the swell is a solid 5ft from the SSW with a 14-second period (moderate energy of 1029). The report says it's excellent for experienced surfers, and I’d agree. That’s a proper session for the crew who know how to handle this reef. The standouts are the Tuesday morning and the Tuesday afternoon, which is also clean with 5ft. The rest of the week (22nd-24th) will be a bit more mixed – the swell gets a bit shorter period (10 seconds) and the wind is a bit stronger, so it's going to be more of a struggle for clean lines, though there are a few clean moments in the mornings.
The real gold starts on Saturday morning, 25th July. The wind is glassy-light, off the ESE, and the swell is a clean 5ft from the SSE. It’s a good, surfable size and the period is a bit short (10 seconds), but with that light wind, it’ll be a fun paddle.
Looking further ahead, the second week is where the magic really happens. The standout is the period from 30th July to 2nd August. On Thursday 30th July, we get a 3ft SW groundswell with a 20-second period – that’s a long, long period. The energy is high (1031), and the wind is glassy. The water will be like glass. Then on Friday 31st July, it’s a monster. We’re looking at 7ft SSW swell, 18-second period, and glassy conditions. The energy is very strong (2894). That is a big, powerful reef swell. This is only for experts. The line-up at Scarecrows will be proper, but it won't be crowded. The first of August is also looking excellent with a 6ft SW swell, 16-second period and glassy conditions. This is a long-range call, but it’s looking promising. The runs from 29th July to 1st August are the best of the whole window.
So, to sum it up: the first few days are a bit of a mixed bag, but from Tuesday morning (21st July) we get a taste. The real kicker, the absolute standout, is the stretch from 29th July through to 2nd August. Get your diary out. That’s the one.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 28°C on Sat morning, min 25°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Sun morning, calm by Mon afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Thu night. Warm (max 28°C on Tue afternoon, min 27°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
529 | 463 | 412 | 394 | 388 | 1377 | 1674 | 1447 | 1376 | 943 | 767 | 482 | 390 | 261 | 329 | 432 | 544 | 756 | 624 | 650 | 506 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | glassy | cross | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:19PM0.81m | 9:18AM0.92m | 10:04PM0.83m | 9:57AM0.80m | 10:52PM0.82m | 10:35AM0.68m | 11:42PM0.80m | 11:16AM0.57m | 00:40AM0.78m | 12:13PM0.48m | 1:46AM0.76m | 1:43PM0.42m | 2:54AM0.77m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:07PM0.04m | 3:01AM0.17m | 3:39PM0.07m | 3:51AM0.24m | 4:09PM0.11m | 4:46AM0.31m | 4:39PM0.15m | 5:51AM0.36m | 5:13PM0.19m | 7:23AM0.38m | 5:54PM0.23m | 9:28AM0.35m | 6:52PM0.25m | ||||||||
6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | |
— | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | |
mm | 3 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | 6 | — | — | 18 |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
Feels °C | 32 | 32 | 32 | 27 | 25 | 30 | 30 | 33 | 32 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 14 | WNW 11 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 16 |
529 | 463 | 412 | 394 | 388 | 1377 | 1674 | 1447 | 1376 | 943 | 767 | 482 | 390 | 261 | 172 | 120 | 23 | 45 | 55 | 143 | 118 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | SSW 18 | WNW 9 | SSW 16 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 12 | S 18 | S 16 |
49 | 65 | 55 | 41 | 38 | 38 | 44 | 47 | 30 | 16 | 7 | 62 | 17 | 87 | 21 | 20 | 41 | 90 | 15 | 56 | 135 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SSW 21 | S 18 | WSW 5 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | NW 7 | SSW 20 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | WSW 18 | SSW 12 | SSW 15 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 |
13 | 13 | 12 | 44 | 235 | 14 | 17 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 37 | 6 | 5 | 24 | 31 | 14 | 43 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 8 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NW 3 | WSW 5 | — | — | — | — | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 |
— | — | — | 9 | 72 | — | — | — | — | 48 | 111 | 108 | 117 | 161 | 329 | 432 | 544 | 756 | 624 | 650 | 506 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 35 | 47 | 358 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 41 | 41 | 523 | 41 | 159 | 41 | 11 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Mentawi Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Indonesia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Scarecrows Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Scarecrows provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Scarecrows can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Scarecrows surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Scarecrows) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Scarecrows may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a holiday in Mentawi Islands? If you are looking for accommodation near Scarecrows, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Mentawi Islands, consider staying in Padang which is 159 km (99 miles) away.










