Surf Forecasts:
Burleigh Heads surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 8s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period, SE swell with 617 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 8s period with SE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Burleigh Heads this week:
The surf forecast for Burleigh Heads over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 14s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Burleigh Heads in the next 16 days are 1.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 10AM. 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 8s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Burleigh Heads over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, listen up. Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it.
We’ve got a bit of a slow burner on our hands for the next couple of weeks. We’re looking at a fairly long stretch of small, average conditions before a proper late-winter pulse of energy arrives right at the end of the window. The first real chance of a wave comes on Monday the 17th, but honestly, it’s a bit of a write-off for a paddle. The swell is 7ft from the SE, but with a short period of 8 seconds and a moderate cross-shore wind, it’s just a messy, choppy affair. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is about 1° cooler than usual for this time of year, so nothing too wild there.
Tuesday the 18th isn’t much better with similar size and wind, but keep an eye on Tuesday afternoon. The wind swings to a cross-offshore from the SSE, and the swell bumps up to 7ft. The energy is moderate (608), and it cleans right up. It’s still a short-period SE swell, so it won’t have that grunty, lined-up feel, but it’ll be a hell of a lot cleaner than the morning.
The real standout of this entire outlook is Wednesday morning, the 19th of August. This is the one to clear your calendar for. Burleigh Heads is the spot. We’re looking at 6ft of swell, still from the SSE, but the period jumps to 11 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is strong (845). More importantly, the wind is a gentle cross-offshore breeze at 15 km/h, keeping the face of the wave clean. The water temp is still that 68°. This is the best wave of the forecast period, no question. The swell direction is a perfect match for the point, and the consistency is there. Just be aware that this spot can get crowded, so get in early.
After that, it drops off a cliff. From Thursday morning the 20th through to the end of the month, it’s a long, flat stretch. The swell drops below 5ft, the periods get short, and the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore from the north. There are a few glassy moments – like Thursday afternoon the 20th with a glassy 5ft wave, and Wednesday morning the 26th with a glassy 3ft wave – but the swell is tiny and weak, so it’s not worth a trip. You’d be scratching for anything.
The action returns at the very end of the window. Saturday the 30th of August starts to build, but it’s still marginal. The big one to watch is Monday the 1st of September. This is a long-range call, so it’s promising but not locked in. We’re looking at a solid 10ft swell from the SSE on Monday afternoon, with a moderate cross-offshore wind. The energy is very strong (1236). That’s a big, powerful swell. However, the period is a short 8 seconds, and the swell is big. At over 8ft, this is a day for experts only. It’s going to be a heavy, powerful, and potentially closed-out bank. The wind keeps it clean, but the size and short period mean it’s not for the faint of heart. Tuesday the 1st of September still has a solid 7ft from the SE in the morning, but the wind turns cross-shore by the afternoon, making it choppy.
So, to sum it up: Wednesday 19th is the absolute winner. Monday 1st of September is the big, heavy, expert-only option if you’re brave. The rest is a long, flat gap.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Mon night. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Sat morning, min 16°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
427 | 545 | 557 | 477 | 617 | 533 | 334 | 257 | 318 | 104 | 62 | 64 | 84 | 67 | 162 | 171 | 123 | 107 | 6 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 10:57PM1.30m | 11:47AM1.30m | 11:34PM1.13m | 12:41PM1.25m | 00:21AM0.99m | 1:48PM1.21m | 1:30AM0.88m | 3:04PM1.21m | 3:06AM0.83m | 4:14PM1.27m | 4:29AM0.86m | 5:09PM1.36m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:16AM0.17m | 5:47PM0.46m | 5:53AM0.26m | 6:51PM0.57m | 6:38AM0.35m | 8:20PM0.62m | 7:39AM0.42m | 10:02PM0.59m | 8:58AM0.44m | 11:12PM0.50m | 10:11AM0.40m | 11:58PM0.40m | |||||||
— | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | |
mm | 3 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 9 | E 10 | ESE 15 | ESE 12 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SE 10 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 |
17 | 8 | 21 | 99 | 99 | 70 | 334 | 257 | 318 | 97 | 57 | 64 | 84 | 67 | 162 | 171 | 123 | 107 | 110 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 14 | S 10 | — | E 7 | S 11 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ESE 12 | — | SE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SSE 7 | ENE 9 | SE 8 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | NE 10 |
8 | 31 | — | 120 | 9 | 80 | 57 | 13 | — | 104 | 62 | 33 | 21 | 33 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | — | — | ESE 12 | — | S 10 | S 9 | NE 9 | — | SSE 10 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | E 14 | SE 8 | ESE 10 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 9 | S 8 |
3 | — | — | 131 | — | 18 | 6 | 3 | — | 9 | 33 | 23 | 4 | 14 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 11 | SE 11 | — | S 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
427 | 545 | 557 | 477 | 617 | 533 | — | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 12 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 11 | 166 | 0 | 49 | 233 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 3 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gold Coast | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Burleigh Heads Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Burleigh Heads provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Burleigh Heads can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Burleigh Heads 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 (Burleigh Heads) 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 Burleigh Heads 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.
Burleigh Heads is 10 km (6 miles) from the city of Surfers Paradise. If you plan a holiday in Gold Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in Surfers Paradise. Surfers Paradise has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











