
Surf Forecasts:
Dunes surf forecast from 12 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 17s period, WSW swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 17s period, WSW swell with 3,083 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 13 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 15s 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 Thursday (Aug 13) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 15s 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 2.3m 17s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AWST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Dunes over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the table for the coming days.
We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but things build. The first real surf worth paddling out for kicks off on Friday morning, August 14th. The swell’s coming from the southwest at about 3ft, with a period of 17 seconds – that’s a long period groundswell, so it’ll have some push and the sets will be spaced out, making the paddle out a bit easier. The wind is light offshore from the southeast, so it’s going to be clean. The water temp is sitting at a standard 74°, right about average for this time of year – no surprises there. The combined swell energy is moderate at 493. It’s not going to be huge, but it’s a fun, clean start.
Saturday morning, the 15th, looks like another solid call. Still a clean 3ft of southwest swell, but the period drops a touch to 16 seconds. Wind stays light offshore out of the southeast, and the energy is still moderate at 468. Good, clean conditions for a weekend paddle.
Now, here’s the standout of the whole outlook. Tuesday, August 18th is the day to circle on the calendar. The morning session has a clean 5ft of southwest swell with that 17-second period, and strong offshore wind from the southeast. Wave energy jumps up to a solid 1417 – this is moderate to strong energy, and it’s the best quality on offer. Then Tuesday afternoon gets even better: the swell bumps to 6ft from the west-southwest, still a long 17-second period, and the wind drops to glassy – absolutely dead calm. The combined energy hits 2292, which is strong. This is a real treat for experienced surfers. The 6ft height is in the expert range.
The only thing to keep in mind: this break is a reef setup, and with that long-period swell, the waves will be well-shaped but can sometimes stand up a bit fast. It’s a consistent break, so you can bank on waves rolling through, but the crowds can show up sometimes.
After Tuesday, Wednesday the 19th of August is worth a look in the morning – there’s a solid 7ft of west-southwest swell, with a 16-second period and clean cross-offshore wind from the south. But the combined energy is massive at 2389, and it might be pushing the limits. The forecast actually flags it as too big for this specific break, so if you’re not an expert, be very careful. The afternoon eases back to 6ft but gets a bit choppy.
There’s a gap of poor conditions and smaller swell through the rest of the week, but Friday the 21st of August morning brings a big 8ft cleanup from the southeast with strong offshore wind. Again, this is flagged as too big for the break and the 2660 energy is very strong – expert only. The following morning of Saturday the 22nd sees a drop back to 5ft with offshore wind, which is more manageable but the energy is still moderate at 947.
By Monday the 24th of August, we’re back to a clean morning with 4ft, moderate energy, and offshore wind. A smaller but clean option. The rest of the outlook, through the 26th and 27th, is mostly marginal – knee to waist high, with variable wind and a mix of cross and cross-off conditions.
So, bottom line: Friday morning the 14th is your clean, fun start. But the real magic is Tuesday the 18th of August – both morning and afternoon, with the afternoon being absolutely glassy and pumping for experienced surfers. Don’t sleep on that one.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Fri afternoon, min 18°C on Wed afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 19°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | ||||||||||||||
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 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WSW 16 | SW 17 | WSW 17 | WSW 17 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
480 | 385 | 297 | 293 | 198 | 493 | 549 | 480 | 468 | 424 | 407 | 384 | 295 | 268 | 894 | 1057 | 1170 | 1417 | 2283 | 2939 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | off | on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:57PM1.57m | 11:38AM1.96m | 00:28AM1.71m | 12:21PM1.99m | 00:58AM1.82m | 1:00PM1.97m | 1:27AM1.88m | 1:35PM1.89m | 1:55AM1.91m | 2:06PM1.76m | 2:20AM1.90m | 2:35PM1.61m | 2:45AM1.86m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:34PM0.18m | 5:26AM0.59m | 6:11PM0.12m | 6:11AM0.43m | 6:45PM0.11m | 6:51AM0.33m | 7:14PM0.15m | 7:28AM0.28m | 7:41PM0.23m | 8:03AM0.29m | 8:05PM0.32m | 8:35AM0.34m | 8:24PM0.43m | |||||||
— | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | |
6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:08 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 23 |
Feels °C | 16 | 18 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 22 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WSW 16 | SW 17 | WSW 17 | WSW 17 |
480 | 385 | 297 | 293 | 198 | 493 | 549 | 480 | 468 | 424 | 407 | 384 | 295 | 249 | 894 | 1057 | 1170 | 1417 | 2283 | 2939 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 8 | NE 5 | SW 19 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | N 11 | N 11 | N 12 | NW 12 | W 12 | SW 16 | W 12 | W 12 | NW 12 | N 11 | SW 6 | NNE 7 |
45 | 21 | 3 | 13 | 171 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 268 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 9 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 11 | NNE 8 | SW 22 | SW 21 | NE 6 | — | — | — | N 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 6 | W 14 | — |
4 | 7 | 18 | 18 | 12 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ENE 4 | — | SW 3 | S 3 | — | SW 3 | — | NW 2 | WNW 3 | NNW 3 | NW 3 | WNW 4 | W 4 | W 5 | — | SE 3 | — | — |
— | — | 13 | — | 2 | 1 | — | 4 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 11 | — | 2 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 251 | 227 | 753 | 15 | 660 | 0 | 1020 | 227 | 0 | 1026 | 227 | 493 | 835 | 768 | 1446 | 1446 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 660 |
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.











