Surf Forecasts:
Dreamtime surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, ESE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 11s period, SE swell with 515 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Dreamtime this week:
The surf forecast for Dreamtime over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 0.9m and 7s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Dreamtime in the next 16 days are 1.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 10AM. 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 Tuesday (Aug 25) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Dreamtime over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the Dreamtime stretch over the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, it starts off pretty grim. The first few days are a write-off, with poor conditions and no real swell worth mentioning. You're looking at a gap of nearly a week before we see anything that's even surfable. The water temperature is sitting around 68°F, which is about average for this time of year, with no real anomaly to speak of at Dreamtime.
The first glimmer of hope comes in on Friday morning, the 21st of August. We get a small pulse of swell, 3ft from the ENE with a short period of 7 seconds. The combined energy is weak (125). The wind is a light cross-offshore from the north, and the report says clean. It's ordinary, but it's surfable. That's the best we've got for a while.
The same pattern continues into the weekend. Saturday morning the 22nd stays clean with a light cross-offshore, but the swell is still tiny at 3ft. Sunday morning the 23rd is the standout for the early part of this outlook. The conditions turn glassy, with a 3ft ENE swell. The water is flat, the wind is nothing – it's a rare moment of pure peace. The combined energy is still slight (116), but for a small-wave board or a longboard, it'll be a treat. Just don't expect to get the place to yourself; crowds are possible here.
After that, the surf drops right off again. Through the rest of the week and into the next, we're looking at a lot of nothing. Tiny, weak swells, and mostly poor or ordinary conditions. The wind is often cross or cross-on, keeping things choppy. There's a long stretch of days with very little to report.
The next time it gets interesting is right at the tail end of the outlook. On Sunday, the 30th of August, the afternoon sees a jump in the combined energy to 1051, which is very strong. The swell is 4ft from the SE with a very long period of 19 seconds. That's proper groundswell energy. The problem is the wind is a gentle cross-onshore, making it fairly choppy, and the report calls it marginal. It's a promising long-range signal, but with the wind and the long period, this setup is tricky at a beach break – it might be better suited to a point or reef if there were one.
Monday the 31st continues with a similar size, but the wind stays onshore. The long-range outlook is more promising than the near-term, but it's still a gamble. The first week is a total bust, so the only real standouts are those two clean, small mornings on the 21st and the 23rd. If you're an expert, hold out for the 30th, but keep your expectations low.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue afternoon, min 15°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 20°C on Mon morning, min 16°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 8 | SE 9 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
527 | 281 | 515 | 478 | 303 | 303 | 308 | 133 | 59 | 79 | 66 | 66 | 137 | 105 | 107 | 99 | 81 | 79 | 68 | 90 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | on | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:35PM1.13m | 12:42PM1.25m | 00:20AM0.98m | 1:48PM1.21m | 1:28AM0.87m | 3:05PM1.21m | 3:04AM0.82m | 4:15PM1.27m | 4:27AM0.85m | 5:10PM1.36m | 5:24AM0.92m | 5:53PM1.46m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:48PM0.46m | 5:52AM0.26m | 6:52PM0.57m | 6:37AM0.35m | 8:21PM0.62m | 7:38AM0.41m | 10:04PM0.59m | 8:57AM0.43m | 11:13PM0.51m | 10:09AM0.40m | 11:59PM0.41m | 11:05AM0.33m | 00:35AM0.32m | |||||||
— | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | |
5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 18 |
Feels °C | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 15 | SE 9 | SE 11 | ENE 6 | SE 10 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
8 | 281 | 515 | 64 | 303 | 303 | 308 | 133 | 59 | 79 | 66 | 66 | 137 | 105 | 107 | 99 | 81 | 79 | 68 | 90 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 15 | ESE 12 | ENE 7 | S 8 | ENE 6 | — | — | ENE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 8 | SSE 7 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 10 | NE 6 | S 10 |
8 | 131 | 102 | 6 | 54 | — | — | 57 | 43 | 29 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 19 | 18 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 11 | — | S 9 | — | — | SSE 10 | SSE 8 | S 13 | E 13 | SE 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | S 7 | SE 6 | NE 10 | NE 9 | SSE 9 | NNE 7 |
— | — | 35 | — | 6 | — | — | 9 | 23 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | E 7 | — | SE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | N 3 | N 4 |
527 | 138 | — | 478 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 16 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 208 | 0 | 0 | 208 | 0 | 0 | 208 | 0 | 0 | 181 | 3 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Coast - New South Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Dreamtime Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Dreamtime provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Dreamtime can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Dreamtime 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 (Dreamtime) 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 Dreamtime 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.











