Surf Forecasts:
Cape Paterson surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 23 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 22 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 16s period, WSW swell with 3,222 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 14s period with WSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cape Paterson this week:
The surf forecast for Cape Paterson over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cape Paterson in the next 16 days are 2.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 4s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cape Paterson over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, listen up, it's Rusty. I've been glued to the charts for our local zone here, and it's a bit of a waiting game, but there's gold at the end of the tunnel.
Lookin' at Cape Paterson, this beach and reef spot. The first week is a write-off, to be honest. A lot of cross and cross-onshore wind just messing up whatever swell is coming through. You'll see some bigger days, like Saturday the 22nd with an 8ft swell from the WSW, but the wind is all wrong, making it a lumpy, choppy mess. That's strictly big-wave territory for experts anyway.
The first real light in the tunnel is Wednesday the 26th of August. The morning kicks off with a clean 5ft swell from the southwest, a nice long 14-second period, and a light offshore wind. That's a beautiful combo. The wave energy is moderate and it's labelled clean. Then the afternoon goes completely glassy. Glassy! A 4ft wave with no wind. That's the session you want to be out for.
Looking further out, there's another cracker on Saturday the 29th of August. The forecast is for a clean 5-6ft SW groundswell with a light cross-offshore breeze. That's a solid pulse of energy.
But the standout, and I mean the one that has me pacing, is Tuesday the 1st of September. Clear skies, a light offshore breeze, and a clean 5-6ft SW groundswell with a 15-second period. That's a long-range call, so keep your fingers crossed, but if it comes together, it's going to be perfect. The long period means it'll be a bit walled at the beach, but on the reef points, it'll be absolute heaven.
The rest of the second week has some small, clean windows, but those two dates, the 26th of August and the 1st of September, are the ones to pin on your calendar.
Alright, that's the long and short of it. I'll be watching the horizon.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue night, min 11°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon morning, min 10°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNW on Sun afternoon, fresh winds from the NW by Mon morning). | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | SW 15 | WSW 14 | W 8 | W 8 | WSW 13 | WSW 16 | SW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | SW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 229 | 257 | 232 | 268 | 311 | 313 | 454 | 740 | 439 | 1461 | 3204 | 2800 | 2346 | 1997 | 2069 | 1551 | 934 | 929 | 939 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 4:16AM0.77m | 4:11PM0.78m | 4:58AM0.75m | 4:46PM0.76m | 5:39AM0.72m | 5:20PM0.73m | 6:20AM0.69m | 5:54PM0.69m | 7:04AM0.66m | 6:31PM0.66m | 7:55AM0.63m | 7:14PM0.63m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:12AM0.19m | 10:36PM0.06m | 10:50AM0.23m | 11:13PM0.08m | 11:28AM0.27m | 11:51PM0.11m | 12:05PM0.30m | 00:30AM0.13m | 12:46PM0.34m | 1:13AM0.16m | 1:34PM0.37m | 2:03AM0.19m | |||||||
 |  | |  |  | |  | |  | | | | |  | | | |  |  | |
 | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — |
 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:46 | — |
mm | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 6 |
Temp °C | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 11 |
Feels °C | 14 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | SW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | W 8 | WSW 13 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | SW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 12 |
| kJ | 229 | 257 | 232 | 268 | 158 | 161 | 454 | 740 | 425 | 1461 | 3204 | 2800 | 2346 | 1997 | 2069 | 1551 | 934 | 929 | 939 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | WSW 21 | WSW 18 | WSW 13 | SW 17 | WSW 20 | SW 17 | — | — | — | — | WSW 18 | — | — | W 22 | SW 21 | SW 19 |
| kJ | 127 | 5 | 5 | 43 | 128 | 195 | 138 | 253 | 439 | — | — | — | — | 211 | — | — | 9 | 17 | 95 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 4 | — | — | SE 7 | SE 8 | SW 17 | — | — | WSW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 6 | — |
| kJ | 1 | — | — | 2 | 3 | 140 | — | — | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 2 | N 3 | NW 5 | NW 5 | W 8 | W 8 | W 5 | W 7 | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | NW 4 | NW 5 | NW 4 | — |
| kJ | 1 | 5 | 32 | 41 | 311 | 313 | 45 | 229 | 219 | 424 | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 55 | 20 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 20 | 5 | 5 | 105 | 5 | 23 | 5 | 52 | 5 | 114 | 35 | 23 | 23 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 105 | 41 | 45 |
Best forecast wave conditions in East Coast of Victoria | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Cape Paterson Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Cape Paterson provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cape Paterson can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cape Paterson 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 (Cape Paterson) 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 Cape Paterson 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.
Cape Paterson is 70 km (43 miles) from Cranbourne. If you plan a holiday in East Coast of Victoria, look for hotels and other accommodation in Cranbourne. Cranbourne has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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