Cayton Bay
United Kingdom · Atlantic Europe
Right now
DrizzleWind and swell direction
Swell: 0.9m N
Wind: 23 km/h NNE (cross-onshore)
Beach faces: E
Cross-onshore wind. Wave faces are getting chopped up, conditions are average.
Swell is coming in at an oblique angle, some refraction expected.
Today hour by hour
Updated 10:26Expected crowds
Prediction model v15amDawn patrol territory
7amMidweek quiet
Next 7 days
Forecast via Open-MeteoWhat to pack
- Cold water (11°C). 5/4mm wetsuit, booties and gloves.
- Small waves expected. Longboard or fish to make the most of it.
- Sunny days ahead. Sun cream and a rashie.
Today's briefing
1.3m swell at 9s. Onshore wind creating some chop. Water temperature 10°C.
AI-generated summary for Cayton Bay. Always check local reports before heading out.
Forecast accuracy at Cayton Bay
Not enough data yet. Log a session to help build the accuracy score.
Best time to go
No great windows in the next 2 days
Best available option is Today around 4pm (score: 16). Conditions are below the Good threshold but may still be surfable.
Nearby spots right now
Crowd report
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Session journal
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Create free accountTide
Approximate modelBest on mid-high tide
Swell forecast
7-day forecastWater quality
5 nearby outfallsUpdated 10:26
Daily score breakdown
This week is looking about average for late April.
Comparing the 7-day forecast to the last 5 years of marine data for the same week at Cayton Bay.
What's driving it
Recent form
Last 3 days of logged conditions.
About Cayton Bay
Cayton Bay is an exposed, multi-peaked beach and reef break situated on the rugged North Yorkshire coastline, near Scarborough. The bathymetry is a complex mixture of shifting sandbanks overlaid on a flat, underlying bedrock shelf. This combination creates highly variable wave profiles depending on the state of the tide and recent littoral drift. The bay relies heavily on short-period north-easterly wind swells generated within the North Sea. To produce clean faces, a south-westerly offshore wind is required to counteract the frequently rough, disorganised sea conditions. The waves here are characteristically punchy, offering steep take-offs and fast, wally sections that occasionally barrel on the lower tides. Due to the mix of sand and rock, the strong lateral currents, and the rapid nature of the break, Cayton Bay is best suited for intermediate surfers. It requires the ability to quickly read changing line-ups and execute rapid manoeuvres in consistently cold, heavy water conditions.
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Create Profile →Frequently asked questions
How often is this page updated?
Current conditions refresh every 6 hours when the cron runs. Hourly data updates every 30 minutes. The 7-day forecast, luck factor, and packing notes are all pre-computed at the same time.
What is the luck factor?
We compare the 7-day forecast to the last 5 years of marine data for the same week at Cayton Bay. The delta tells you whether conditions are shaping up better, worse, or about the same as a typical late April.
How is 'best session' picked?
We score each day of the 7-day forecast using the same algorithm as the leaderboard, and highlight the highest scorer.
Where does the data come from?
Open-Meteo's Marine API (swell height, period, water temperature) and Weather API (wind and conditions).
Does the score capture local knowledge?
Honestly, no. Every break has tide windows, swell directions and reef contours that a global model cannot see. Treat the score as a starting point, then check a local cam.
When is the best time to surf Cayton Bay?
Check our timing score heatmap above for a week-by-week breakdown combining surf conditions with crowd pressure.