Surf Forecasts:
Dunes surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 16s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 17s period, SW swell with 2,320 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 16s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Dunes this week:
The surf forecast for Dunes over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 16s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Dunes in the next 16 days are 2.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 4s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AWST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Dunes over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, with a look at what’s coming up for Dunes over the next couple of weeks.
The next few days are a bit of a mixed bag, but there is some solid, long-period groundswell on the cards, mostly from the SW, which is exactly what this reef setup loves. The water temp is sitting at a pleasant 74° today, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The big story is the swell energy, which is moderate to strong throughout, with combined energy values often pushing into the 800-1400 range.
Let’s start with Thursday afternoon (20th August). There’s a 5ft SW swell rolling in with a very long 16 second period, and with the wind being a light WNW onshore, it’s a bit marginal. Not the pick of the week.
Friday morning (21st August) looks much cleaner with a light E cross-offshore wind and a slightly smaller 5ft SW swell (16 seconds). The waves will be well-shaped and clean, but you won’t be alone – this spot can get crowded sometimes.
Saturday morning (22nd August) offers another clean session with a 4ft SW swell, a 14 second period, and a light S cross-off breeze. It’s more of a fun-size day for the log or a mid-length.
The standouts start to appear on the 24th. Monday morning (24th August) is a true highlight here at Dunes. You’ve got a 3ft swell from the WSW, but don’t let the size fool you – the period is a very long 16 seconds, and with a moderate offshore wind from the SE, conditions will be glassy and clean. That’s a really fun pulse of energy for the reef, with moderate combined energy (692). This is a great morning for the experienced surfer looking for lined-up walls. Crowds are possible, as always.
The surf holds through the week, but the wind gets tricky. Wednesday morning (26th August) is worth a paddle with a light southerly cross-off breeze and 3ft SW swell (16 seconds). Nice and clean.
Then we get a real bump. Thursday morning (27th August) sees the swell jump to 6ft from the WSW with a 17 second period. That’s a serious amount of water – the combined energy reads a strong 2017. It’s a bit big for beginners and will be a proper test for intermediates. The wind is a fresh 35 km/h cross-offshore from the south, keeping the faces clean, but that’s a lot of wind. This is more for the expert crew who can handle the power. Friday morning (28th August) is also a standout with a 5ft SW swell, a fresh 30 km/h offshore wind from the SSE, and clean conditions. The wave quality will be excellent for stronger surfers.
Looking further out, the forecast gets really interesting for Monday morning, 31st August. We’re looking at a 5ft swell from the WSW with an 18-second period, combined energy at 1434, and a gentle offshore wind from the SE. Conditions will be excellent for experienced surfers. This is a long-range call, but it is promising. Tuesday morning (1st September) keeps the 6ft SW swell going, but with a light onshore wind, so the morning window on the 31st is the clear winner for the second week.
After that, there are more clean mornings on 2nd and 4th September, but nothing that tops that 31st morning. Generally, a decent run of clean, lined-up swell, with the 24th and 31st being your best bets.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Thu afternoon, min 19°C on Sun morning). Winds increasing (calm on Thu afternoon, fresh winds from the S by Sun morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sun afternoon, min 18°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Sun night, light winds from the SSE by Wed morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 14 | WSW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1144 | 1129 | 894 | 827 | 631 | 529 | 514 | 440 | 512 | 400 | 241 | 447 | 860 | 597 | 406 | 394 | 287 | 477 | 748 | 2320 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:26PM1.30m | 3:33AM1.72m | 3:54PM1.15m | 4:02AM1.62m | 4:34PM1.01m | 4:44AM1.52m | 6:09AM1.41m | 11:42PM1.13m | 8:41AM1.42m | 11:16PM1.26m | 10:00AM1.54m | 11:27PM1.40m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:52PM0.63m | 10:20AM0.65m | 9:01PM0.73m | 11:21AM0.75m | 9:00PM0.84m | 1:32PM0.79m | 3:31PM0.69m | 2:15AM1.11m | 4:20PM0.56m | 3:57AM0.97m | 4:53PM0.43m | 4:43AM0.80m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | |
6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 21 |
Feels °C | 24 | 23 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 14 | WSW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 |
1144 | 1129 | 894 | 827 | 631 | 529 | 514 | 440 | 512 | 400 | 241 | 447 | 860 | 597 | 406 | 394 | 287 | 477 | 748 | 2320 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | N 8 | NNE 8 | NE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | SW 19 | SW 18 | NE 7 | WSW 20 | WSW 18 | SW 13 | SSE 3 | N 6 | SW 7 | S 3 | NE 13 | SW 22 | NE 12 | — |
1 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 127 | 154 | 2 | 37 | 123 | 245 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 7 | 18 | 5 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NW 11 | NW 11 | SW 20 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NW 11 | NE 6 | N 11 | — | N 7 | — | N 6 | — | N 7 | NE 4 | — | — |
— | — | — | 5 | 5 | 65 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | ESE 3 | ESE 4 | NE 3 | — | SSE 2 | — | SSW 2 | SSE 3 | SW 3 | SSW 4 | SE 4 | — | SSW 6 | SE 4 | NE 3 | WSW 3 | SW 3 | SW 4 | SSW 4 |
— | 6 | 5 | 2 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 3 | 8 | 61 | 9 | — | 51 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 24 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 227 | 0 | 0 | 227 | 0 | 0 | 1446 | 1288 | 1288 | 1447 | 660 | 0 | 1288 | 660 | 227 | 1446 | 660 | 0 | 1020 | 1288 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North West WA | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Dunes Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Dunes provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Dunes can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Dunes 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 (Dunes) 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 Dunes 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 North West WA? If you are looking for accommodation near Dunes, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in North West WA, consider staying in Exmouth which is 15 km (9 miles) away.











