
Surf Forecasts:
Alexandra Headland surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 22 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period, E swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, SE swell with 2,740 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 22 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Alexandra Headland this week:
The surf forecast for Alexandra Headland over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Alexandra Headland in the next 16 days are 3.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) 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 1.7m 6s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Alexandra Headland over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, it’s Rusty here with a look at what’s coming up for Alexandra Headland. I gotta be straight with you – the next 16 days are a mixed bag, and the good windows are few and far between. We’ve got a solid run of energy early on, but it comes with a lot of wind and rain, making it a battle. The later part of the period looks pretty flat, so you’ll want to pick your moments carefully.
The first real chance to get wet kicks off on Saturday the 18th. There’s a solid 7ft to 8ft SE swell pushing in, with a period of 9-10 seconds, giving us moderate wave energy (739-1320). The wind is a cross-off from the S at 18-19 mph, which will keep it clean, but it’s a fresh breeze, so it’s not going to be perfect. The waves are there, but conditions are marginal. This is a beginner-friendly break, but with the swell size edging over 8ft, it’s starting to get a bit punchy for the less experienced.
Sunday the 19th sees a big jump in size. We’re looking at an 12ft ESE swell, with strong to very strong wave energy (2535-2339). That’s expert territory, big and powerful. The problem is, the wind is howling from the SSE at 25 mph with rain. It’s cross-off, so the face might be okay, but paddling out will be a mission. This is more of a spectacle than a relaxing session.
Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st are pretty similar: big 10ft to 8ft swells, but the wind switches to a straight cross-shore at 12-18 mph. That’s going to chop it up and make it lumpy. The energy is still high (1812-1029), but the quality is poor. For a beach and point setup like Alex, this is looking more interesting for the kiteboarders than us paddle surfers. The swell is over 8ft, so it’s experts only anyway.
The best window of the whole outlook, and the only real standout, is Wednesday the 22nd. The swell drops to a more manageable 5ft to 5ft from the E, with a 9-second period and moderate wave energy (390-337). The wind goes glassy in the afternoon, with a slight air from the S at 3 mph. For a few hours, it’s going to be clean, smooth, and inviting. The morning is also clean with a gentle cross-off breeze. This is the day to have a crack. The crowds are listed as ‘often’ here, so expect some company, but it’ll be worth it.
After that, it’s a slow, steady decline. Thursday the 24th through to the end of the month and into August, the swell drops and the wind becomes inconsistent. We get a few small, clean windows with glassy conditions, like on Sunday the 26th (3ft swell) and Monday the 27th (2ft swell), but the energy is weak (84-36). It’s surfable, but very ordinary. The rest of the time, it’s a mix of tiny swell and onshore winds, making for poor conditions.
From Monday the 28th all the way through Thursday the 31st, there’s basically nothing. Swell heights are below 1ft, and the energy is almost non-existent (13-5). It’s a real flat spell.
The first signs of life return on Saturday the 1st of August, with a 2ft SE swell and a very long-period of 14 seconds. This is a groundswell, and at a point break like Alex, that long period can actually be a good thing, giving you some nice lines. The energy is moderate (123) and the wind is a light cross-off, so it’s clean. But the size is tiny, so it’s a longboard or a foamie day at best.
The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so nothing unusual to report there.
So, to sum it up: the best surf is on Wednesday 22nd July. Get out there for the glassy afternoon session. The early swell is big and windy, and the second week is a flat, quiet period. That’s how it goes sometimes.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Sat night. Warm (max 20°C on Sat morning, min 17°C on Sat morning). Mainly strong winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Warm (max 20°C on Thu morning, min 15°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed night, fresh winds from the SSE by Thu night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
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) | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
828 | 1286 | 1949 | 2600 | 2592 | 2119 | 1817 | 1677 | 1106 | 939 | 739 | 495 | 389 | 278 | 187 | 127 | 100 | 76 | 736 | 676 | 305 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:57AM1.40m | 11:18PM1.74m | 11:51AM1.37m | 00:00AM1.57m | 12:50PM1.35m | 00:42AM1.40m | 1:58PM1.35m | 1:31AM1.26m | 3:07PM1.38m | 2:29AM1.15m | 4:10PM1.44m | 3:35AM1.09m | 5:04PM1.53m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:48PM0.37m | 5:51AM0.38m | 5:41PM0.50m | 6:35AM0.41m | 6:40PM0.63m | 7:20AM0.43m | 7:53PM0.74m | 8:09AM0.44m | 9:16PM0.79m | 9:02AM0.44m | 10:33PM0.77m | 9:55AM0.41m | 11:35PM0.72m | ||||||||
6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
— | 5:13 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | |
mm | — | — | 6 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 20 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 21 | E 20 | E 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 12 | E 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | — | ENE 9 | ENE 8 |
9 | 8 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 556 | 495 | 389 | 278 | 187 | 127 | 100 | 76 | — | 8 | 7 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | E 13 | E 13 | S 9 | S 9 | NE 9 | — | — | E 10 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 3 | — | — | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 12 | — | E 13 | E 13 | SE 12 | E 12 | E 12 | ENE 9 | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 8 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 5 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 |
828 | 1286 | 1949 | 2600 | 2592 | 2119 | 1817 | 1677 | 1106 | 939 | 739 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 51 | 736 | 676 | 305 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 869 | 881 | 800 | 800 | 596 | 308 | 410 | 308 | 171 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 171 | 171 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Sunshine Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Alexandra Headland Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Alexandra Headland provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Alexandra Headland can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Alexandra Headland 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 (Alexandra Headland) 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 Alexandra Headland 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 Sunshine Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near Alexandra Headland, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Sunshine Coast, consider staying in Mooloolaba which is 1 km (1 miles) away. Other places in and around Sunshine Coast where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Sunshine Coast which is 7 km (4 miles) away, Buderim, Caloundra and Caboolture.










