
Surf Forecasts:
Clifton Beach surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with 2,639 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 12s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Clifton Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Clifton Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 1PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Clifton Beach in the next 16 days are 3.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 13s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 4PM (Fri 24th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Fri 24th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Clifton Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty, and I’ve got the outlook for Clifton Beach.
Straight up, the next week and a half is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got some swell, but the wind is often the problem. The energy is weak to moderate for most of the early days, with combined energy figures around 290 to 318 (moderate) for the first Saturday, but it's only offering small, clean waves. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The real standout doesn't come until Friday, July 24th. The wind is a fresh cross-shore, so it's messy, but the swell is pumping big time. We're looking at 10 ft from the SSW with a combined energy of 3219 (very strong). This is a big, powerful swell. But fair warning to the beginners: that's expert territory only. The waves are going to be heavy and powerful, and the cross-shore wind will make it a challenging, lumpy beast. Honestly, this setup looks more interesting for the kite surfers than paddle surfing.
The next strong pulse hits on Tuesday, July 28th. Another big one, with 10 ft from the SSW again, and a massive combined energy of 6980 (very strong). This is a clean, powerful groundswell with a 16-second period, which is a dream for a point break, but at a beach setup like this, it will be breaking straight and fast. The wind is a strong offshore, so the face will be clean, but it will be a battle to get out. Expert only.
For a safer bet, Friday, July 31st looks good. We get 6 ft from the SSW with a gentle offshore breeze, making for clean, peaky waves. The energy is moderate (599). This is a much better size for the intermediate crew, and the offshore wind will really clean it up.
The last bit of the run on Sunday, August 2nd shows a smaller, 5 ft SSW swell with a short period (7 seconds) and a light cross-offshore breeze. It’s a decent option for a small-wave session, but nothing to get too excited about.
So, there you have it. The best surf is the big, expert-level stuff on the 24th and 28th, but don't expect a friendly crowd. The 31st is your best bet for a fun, clean session without the massive size. Keep an eye on the wind, it's been the spoiler this week.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Sat morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 13°C on Mon night, min 6°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 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) | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
305 | 186 | 256 | 184 | 119 | 58 | 57 | 48 | 21 | 101 | 156 | 99 | 58 | 61 | 481 | 569 | 344 | 636 | 605 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross |
High Tide | 11:57AM0.47m | 9:49PM0.56m | 12:18PM0.50m | 10:45PM0.48m | 12:37PM0.53m | 11:47PM0.42m | 12:55PM0.57m | 00:58AM0.38m | 1:16PM0.60m | 2:14AM0.35m | 1:44PM0.63m | 3:25AM0.34m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:45AM0.11m | 4:05PM0.40m | 5:14AM0.17m | 5:36PM0.38m | 5:33AM0.22m | 6:58PM0.34m | 5:44AM0.26m | 8:04PM0.29m | 5:54AM0.29m | 8:54PM0.25m | 6:10AM0.31m | 9:37PM0.21m | |||||||
— | 7:35 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | |
— | — | 4:57 | — | — | 4:57 | — | — | 4:58 | — | — | 4:59 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
Feels °C | 8 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | -1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | NE 10 | E 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 |
305 | 186 | 256 | 184 | 119 | 58 | 35 | 21 | 21 | 101 | 156 | 99 | 58 | 61 | 4 | 2 | 344 | 636 | 605 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 18 | SSE 17 | SSE 16 | ESE 17 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 15 | SSW 16 | S 14 | ESE 14 | NE 11 | NE 11 | NE 11 | NE 10 | E 12 | E 12 | SSW 8 | E 10 | NE 9 |
12 | 92 | 51 | 28 | 40 | 38 | 33 | 48 | 16 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 67 | 2 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 17 | SE 17 | S 22 | S 20 | S 18 | SSW 17 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | NE 11 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SW 4 | — | E 12 | E 10 | — | — |
— | 12 | 11 | 9 | 30 | 26 | 57 | 19 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 1 | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 3 | NW 3 | SW 13 | — | — | — | NNE 4 | NNW 3 | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | NW 3 | SW 12 | SSW 14 | W 4 | WNW 3 | NNW 4 |
2 | 2 | 816 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 481 | 569 | 4 | 2 | 8 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 33 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 32 | 14 | 14 | 4 | 14 |
Best forecast wave conditions in East Coast of Tasmania | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Clifton Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Clifton Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Clifton Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Clifton Beach 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 (Clifton Beach) 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 Clifton Beach 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 Clifton Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in East Coast of Tasmania, consider staying in Hobart which is 21 km (13 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Port Arthur which is 30 km (19 miles) away










