Surf Forecasts:
Cactus surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 18s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 19s period, SW swell with 1,695 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 18s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cactus this week:
The surf forecast for Cactus over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 18s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cactus in the next 16 days are 1.6m 19s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Mon 31st Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cactus over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m lookin’ at the next couple of weeks for Cactus. This is a solid reef setup that really lights up on a solid SW swell, and we’ve got plenty of that comin’. The water temp is sittin’ at 60°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no need to dig out the thick rubber just yet.
The first real green light is Wednesday afternoon, 26 August. The wind is glassy, dead calm out of the NE at 3 mph, and we’ve got a clean 3 ft SW swell with a 12-second period. The combined energy is moderate at 350. It’s a small wave, but it’ll be clean and fun for a log or a fish.
The action steps up into Friday morning, 28 August. That’s the standout of the first week. The swell pumps to 5 ft from the SW with a nice long 16-second period, and the wind is a light NNE cross-off at 6 mph. The combined energy is strong at 1144. This is excellent, clean groundswell for experienced surfers. The reef will handle that long period beautifully, giving you proper lined-up waves. Afternoon glass off on Friday is also a beauty with a 5 ft SW and 16 seconds, but the morning is the pick.
Monday afternoon, 31 August is another big one. The swell is 5 ft from the SW, the period stretches to 18 seconds, and the energy is very strong at 1327. The wind is a gentle NNE cross-off. This is a serious groundswell that’ll be excellent for experienced surfers. The crowd might be a factor, as Cactus can get busy, but the quality will be worth it. The set waves will be clean and powerful with nice long gaps between them.
There is a rough patch from Tuesday, 1 September through to about Wednesday afternoon, 2 September. Swell drops, wind turns onshore or cross-onshore, and it’s a write-off. The combined energy is still moderate, but the wind is making it ugly.
The surf returns with a vengeance on Monday, 7 September. This is the true heavyweight of the whole forecast. Monday afternoon, 7 September sees a 8 ft SW groundswell with a 14-second period, and the combined energy is massive at 3360. The wind is a clean 6 mph offshore from the NE. This is a big, powerful, excellent setup for experts only. The reef will be handling serious energy, so don’t even think about it unless you’re confident. The morning of the 7th is also excellent with a 6 ft SW.
The second week gets a bit more mixed. Thursday morning, 10 September offers a nice reset with a 4 ft SW, long 15-second period, and a clean offshore wind from the east at 12 mph. The combined energy is moderate at 565. It’s a good, clean, fun option after the big stuff settles.
The bottom line: the first week has a solid run from Friday the 28th into Monday the 31st. The real standout is the massive, clean, offshore swell on Monday the 7th of September. That’s the one to circle on the calendar if you’ve got the skill.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Thu afternoon, min 17°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the N on Thu morning, light winds from the NE by Fri afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Tue afternoon, min 18°C on Mon morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Sun morning, fresh winds from the N by Tue morning). | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | ||||||||||||||
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 19 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 17 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 297 | 466 | 614 | 1597 | 1144 | 906 | 536 | 382 | 290 | 193 | 236 | 887 | 1050 | 1695 | 1453 | 909 | 635 | 822 | 728 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 00:22AM0.89m | 12:24PM1.38m | 00:36AM1.00m | 12:43PM1.41m | 00:53AM1.09m | 1:03PM1.40m | 1:13AM1.18m | 1:22PM1.34m | 1:34AM1.23m | 1:40PM1.24m | 1:55AM1.26m | 1:54PM1.12m | 2:17AM1.24m | ||||||
Low Tide | 5:57AM0.09m | 6:51PM0.02m | 6:21AM0.00m | 7:04PM-0.02m | 6:45AM-0.05m | 7:18PM-0.05m | 7:10AM-0.06m | 7:32PM-0.05m | 7:36AM-0.03m | 7:45PM-0.04m | 8:01AM0.06m | 7:57PM-0.01m | |||||||
 |  |  |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — |
 | 6:16 | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:17 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 29 | 20 |
Feels °C | 14 | 16 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 24 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 19 | SW 17 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 |
| kJ | 297 | 466 | 543 | 1597 | 1144 | 906 | 536 | 382 | 290 | 193 | 175 | 887 | 1050 | 1695 | 1453 | 909 | 635 | 822 | 728 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 23 | SW 20 | SW 19 | — | — | — | W 5 | SW 23 | SW 20 | SW 21 | SW 19 | — | SW 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 21 | 198 | 614 | — | — | — | 2 | 21 | 16 | 160 | 236 | — | 162 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 3 | N 4 | — | N 3 | — | — | ESE 3 | — | — | SE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | N 3 | NNW 4 | WNW 4 | SSW 4 |
| kJ | 3 | 13 | — | 5 | — | — | 4 | — | — | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 15 | 12 | 24 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 401 | 1 | 1 | 178 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1198 | 553 | 510 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nullarbor | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Cactus Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Cactus provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cactus can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cactus 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 (Cactus) 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 Cactus 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.
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