Surf Forecasts:
Cattle Grid surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 8s period, NNE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 8s period, NNE swell with 608 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 8s period with NNE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cattle Grid this week:
The surf forecast for Cattle Grid over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 10s. 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 Cattle Grid in the next 16 days are 2.1m 8s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.3m 7s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cattle Grid over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let's talk this out in feet, degrees, and miles per hour.
This 16-day stretch for Cattle Grid is a bit of a slow burn. We’re looking at a big gap at the start with nothing worth paddling for. The forecast is mostly flat or crappy for a long while, with just a couple of brief moments that might get your heart pumping.
The first real sniff of a wave comes Wednesday morning, 19 August. You’ve got a 7ft NNE swell with a short 8-second period. The wind is a cross-shore from the north at 9 mph, so it’s going to be a bit messy. Combined wave energy is 533 – moderate. Water temp is 57°, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year. It’s a marginal call.
Thursday, 20 August, looks a bit more promising in the afternoon. The swell drops to 5ft from the north, still short-period, but the wind switches to a cross-offshore from the northwest at 9 mph, cleaning it right up. Combined energy drops to 279. That’s the standout of the first week – clean, rideable, but not huge.
Then it all goes quiet. From Friday, 21 August, right through to Saturday, 29 August, it’s mostly tiny, weak, or just plain poor. A solid week-plus of gaps with no real recommendations. There’s a spike on Thursday, 28 August, with a 5ft ESE groundswell with an 11-second period, and combined energy of 663. The wind is cross-offshore from the southwest at 9 mph, so it’s clean. That’s a solid option for an intermediate, even if the swell direction isn’t the ideal NE. It’s probably the best wave of the whole outlook.
After that, it’s back to small, weak stuff and poor conditions right through to the end. There’s a mention of a 6ft N swell on Thursday morning, 3 September, with a short 6-second period and clean wind, but that’s a long way off.
So, if you’re heading out, target Thursday afternoon, 20 August for a clean but small session, or keep your fingers crossed for Thursday, 28 August for the bigger groundswell. Otherwise, leave the board in the shed. Crowds are possible here, but with this forecast, it’ll be empty.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu morning, min 6°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun morning, min 5°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | N 8 | NNE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | NNW 4 | NE 7 | NE 6 | E 15 | E 14 | E 14 | NNE 7 | S 6 | NE 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 508 | 441 | 550 | 480 | 272 | 107 | 56 | 42 | 19 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 53 | 157 | 17 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:10PM1.13m | 2:09AM0.82m | 1:56PM1.13m | 3:20AM0.79m | 2:44PM1.13m | 4:26AM0.78m | 3:35PM1.14m | 5:21AM0.80m | 4:24PM1.16m | 6:06AM0.82m | 5:11PM1.19m | 6:46AM0.84m | 5:55PM1.23m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:09PM0.38m | 7:17AM0.55m | 9:10PM0.37m | 8:04AM0.59m | 10:07PM0.34m | 8:57AM0.61m | 10:59PM0.32m | 9:51AM0.62m | 11:45PM0.28m | 10:43AM0.60m | 00:27AM0.25m | 11:31AM0.58m | 1:05AM0.22m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | |  | | |  | |  | | | |  | | | | | | | |
 | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — |
 | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — |
mm | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 9 | 16 | 16 | 8 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
Feels °C | 13 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 5 | 14 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 11 | E 11 | SE 14 | SE 13 | S 10 | NNE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | S 5 | S 6 | SSE 16 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 10 | S 11 | NNE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 |
| kJ | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 107 | 56 | 42 | 14 | 7 | 82 | 45 | 44 | 36 | 20 | 11 | 16 | 9 | 53 | 38 | 17 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 14 | SE 14 | S 12 | S 11 | SE 13 | SE 13 | S 16 | NE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | S 7 | SSE 15 | NNW 4 | SSE 13 | SSE 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SE 14 | SE 16 |
| kJ | 8 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 42 | 2 | 58 | 62 | 28 | 13 | 4 | 14 | 8 | 10 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 14 | SE 14 | S 15 | S 18 | S 16 | S 9 | SE 12 | S 16 | SE 17 | SSE 16 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 6 | E 15 | E 14 | E 14 | SE 14 | NE 13 | E 13 |
| kJ | 8 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 24 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 3 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | N 8 | WNW 4 | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | NW 4 | — | NW 4 | NW 4 | NNW 4 | NW 4 | N 5 | NNW 5 | N 5 | S 4 | S 6 | SSE 7 |
| kJ | 508 | 441 | 550 | 480 | 272 | 6 | 8 | 15 | 7 | 16 | — | 5 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 73 | 75 | 121 | 9 | 157 | 407 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 142 | 157 | 157 | 177 | 81 | 142 | 142 | 390 | 81 | 81 | 66 | 81 | 81 | 81 | 156 | 156 | 142 | 36 | 160 | 165 | 142 |
Best forecast wave conditions in East Coast of Tasmania | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Cattle Grid Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Cattle Grid provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cattle Grid can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cattle Grid 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 (Cattle Grid) 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 Cattle Grid 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 East Coast of Tasmania? If you are looking for accommodation near Cattle Grid, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in East Coast of Tasmania, consider staying in Launceston which is 96 km (60 miles) away.
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