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Cactus Surf Forecast
/ SA – Nullarbor (9 breaks) / South Australia (91 breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Cactus surfForecast / SA – Nullarbor / Australia
16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 8 pm Wednesday 20 May 2026 ACSTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Cactus surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Cactus sea temperature is
18.3° C
(Which is normal for this time of year)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 (May 21) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cactus in the next 16 days are 1.8m 13s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (May 23) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Friday (May 22) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (ACST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Thu 21st May) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Thu 21st May) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Sat 23rd May) | 6ft (1.8m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cactus over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Warm (max 22°C on Fri afternoon, min 15°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the NE on Thu afternoon, fresh winds from the N by Fri morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat night, min 14°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Sun morning, light winds from the SE by Tue afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 21 | Friday 22 | Saturday 23 | Sunday 24 | Monday 25 | Tuesday 26 | Wed 27 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 7 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | |
262 | 520 | 447 | 199 | 285 | 472 | 459 | 700 | 260 | 312 | 880 | 875 | 686 | 631 | 432 | 238 | 205 | 166 | 293 | 218 | 202 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | |
High Tide | 00:38AM0.67m | 2:05PM1.16m | 00:41AM0.69m | 2:17PM1.04m | 00:46AM0.68m | 2:22PM0.92m | 00:40AM0.64m | 2:06PM0.82m | 11:22PM0.60m | 12:40PM0.77m | 9:50PM0.62m | 11:15AM0.84m | 10:06PM0.67m | 11:00AM0.98m | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:47AM0.06m | 8:31PM0.52m | 7:00AM0.14m | 8:37PM0.55m | 7:06AM0.26m | 8:46PM0.57m | 6:50AM0.38m | 8:52PM0.59m | 5:27AM0.46m | 6:51PM0.60m | 4:10AM0.42m | 5:30PM0.52m | 4:04AM0.33m | 5:26PM0.42m | |||||||
 |  |  |  | |  |  |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — |
 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 16 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
14 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 11 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 8 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
 kJ | 183 | 520 | 447 | 199 | 285 | 472 | 459 | 552 | 260 | — | — | — | — | 42 | 143 | 238 | 77 | 166 | 293 | 218 | 202 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | — | — | SW 16 | — | — | — | — | W 5 | — | — | — | — | SW 12 | SW 11 | — | SW 13 | S 7 | S 8 | S 6 | SW 20 |
| kJ | 262 | — | — | 90 | — | — | — | — | 37 | — | — | — | — | 37 | 45 | — | 205 | 39 | 1 | 13 | 65 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 8 | SW 22 | SW 20 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 91 | 153 | 6 | 18 | 63 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 3 | NNE 3 | — | NE 3 | N 4 | N 4 | N 4 | WSW 13 | — | SW 7 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | S 8 | — | SW 16 | S 7 | — | — |
| kJ | 3 | 1 | — | 3 | 18 | 7 | 12 | 700 | — | 312 | 880 | 875 | 686 | 631 | 432 | 196 | — | 62 | 23 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 401 | 178 | 401 | 401 | 431 | 361 | 648 | 933 | 632 | 838 | 1049 | 491 | 0 | 491 | 302 | 132 | 940 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nullarbor | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Cactus surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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.
Are you planning a holiday in Nullarbor? If you are looking for accommodation near Cactus, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Nullarbor, consider staying in Thevenard which is 63 km (39 miles) away.
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