Surf Forecasts:
Dunes surf forecast from 15 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 3,022 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 14s 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 Sunday (Aug 16) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be cross-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 0.9m 4s period and expected on Friday (Aug 21) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AWST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 14s |
| 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, surf’s up… or it’s gonna be. Let’s break down this stretch from the Dunes. We’ve got a window here with some real potential, but you gotta pick your moments. The first couple of days are just small and soft – Sunday the 16th has a 3ft SW swell with a 14-second period, and while the morning is glassy with light ESE winds, it’s pretty weak. The energy is only at 330, so it’s more of a longboard or a funboard kinda session. Monday the 17th picks up a bit, 4ft with a 15-second period, and the morning’s looking clean with that cross-off SSW wind. Energy jumps to 811, so it’s starting to feel more alive. The swell direction is WSW, which is good for the Dunes. Tuesday the 18th is where it starts to get interesting. The morning has 5ft of SW swell, 17-second period, and a light offshore SE wind. Energy is at 1451, and the conditions are looking clean. This is a proper session for the experienced crew. The afternoon, however, turns onshore and gets a bit messier, so get out there early.
Now, here’s the thing about Wednesday the 19th. The morning has a solid 7ft of WSW swell, 16-second period, but the note is clear – it’s predicted to be too big for this break. That’s a lot of water moving, with energy at 2234. Unless you’re really comfortable in heavy, critical waves at a reef, this might be one to watch from the sand. The wind is light offshore, so it’ll be clean, but it’s a strong, powerful swell. Thursday the 20th backs down a touch to 5ft SW, and the morning is good – gentle offshore SSE wind and clean conditions, energy at 979. That’s a fun size. Friday the 21st stays similar, 5ft SW with a moderate offshore ESE wind, but the energy has dropped a bit to 1106. Still good.
The weekend rolls in and the swell starts to fade. Saturday the 22nd is down to 4ft, and while it’s clean in the morning, the energy is only around 537. It’s not bad, but not great. Sunday the 23rd drops further to 3ft, and the morning is clean but small. The afternoon turns onshore and the call is poor. We’re in a bit of a lull here. Monday the 24th is more of the same – small, clean mornings but weak energy. That run of small surf carries through to the middle of the week with onshore winds and rough conditions. You’ll see some bigger swell on Wednesday the 26th afternoon, with 4ft and a long 18-second period, but the wind is messy and the conditions aren't great.
The real standout that’s worth circling on the calendar is Thursday the 27th. The morning sees 6ft of WSW swell from a 16-second period, and the wind is offshore SSE. Energy is at 1707, and the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. That’s the pick of the second week, no question. But it’s a long way off, so take it with a grain of salt. Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th see the swell dropping but with some long-period energy – Saturday morning has a 3ft swell with a 20-second period, which is a very long interval. That can be a bit weird at beach breaks, but for a reef like Dunes, it can mean some nice lines, though the size is small.
The last call is Sunday the 30th, and it’s a big one again – 7ft of WSW swell with a 17-second period, and again, the note says it's too big for this break. That’s a lot of energy (2582). Too much for most. Monday the 31st backs off to 6ft, still chunky and clean in the morning, but it’s still a powerful swell.
So, for the best of it, you’re looking at Tuesday the 18th morning and Thursday the 27th morning. Tuesday has that quality 5ft SW swell with offshore wind and clean conditions – that’s a proper, fun, powerful surf. Thursday the 27th is bigger, also with an offshore wind, but it’s a week and a half out, so it’s a promising one, but we’ll see how it shapes up. Crowds at Dunes are sometimes an issue, so on those mornings, get in early. This spot is consistent, so it won't stay flat for long.
That’s the story from the beach.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat night, min 19°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Thu morning. Warm (max 26°C on Fri afternoon, min 18°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (calm on Wed afternoon, fresh winds from the SE by Fri morning). | ||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | ||||||||||||||
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 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | WSW 17 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
346 | 327 | 257 | 249 | 770 | 1044 | 1031 | 1450 | 2283 | 2883 | 2234 | 1880 | 1117 | 979 | 1129 | 1144 | 1101 | 838 | 614 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | glassy | on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | on | cross | off | on | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | off | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:27AM1.88m | 1:35PM1.89m | 1:55AM1.91m | 2:06PM1.76m | 2:20AM1.90m | 2:35PM1.61m | 2:45AM1.86m | 3:01PM1.45m | 3:09AM1.80m | 3:26PM1.30m | 3:33AM1.72m | 3:54PM1.15m | 4:02AM1.62m | ||||||
Low Tide | 7:28AM0.28m | 7:41PM0.23m | 8:03AM0.29m | 8:05PM0.32m | 8:35AM0.34m | 8:24PM0.43m | 9:08AM0.43m | 8:40PM0.53m | 9:41AM0.53m | 8:52PM0.63m | 10:20AM0.65m | 9:01PM0.73m | |||||||
— | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | |
6:07 | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 9 | 4 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 26 | 25 |
Feels °C | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 22 | 18 | 26 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | WSW 17 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 |
346 | 327 | 257 | 249 | 770 | 1044 | 1031 | 1450 | 2283 | 2883 | 2234 | 1880 | 1117 | 979 | 1129 | 1144 | 1101 | 838 | 614 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 12 | W 12 | W 12 | SW 16 | WSW 20 | NW 12 | NW 12 | SSE 3 | NE 6 | N 7 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | E 4 | — | N 6 | NNE 6 | NE 7 | NE 7 |
6 | 3 | 3 | 211 | 41 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 4 | 9 | 7 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 6 | — | — | — | — | — | N 6 | N 6 | — | W 16 | — | W 11 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 5 | — | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SSW 3 | SSW 2 | S 3 | ESE 3 | — | — | SSE 3 | S 3 | ESE 3 | SSE 3 | — | S 3 | SE 4 | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 8 | 5 | 5 | 2 | — | 7 | 17 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 659 | 0 | 753 | 846 | 0 | 1446 | 15 | 0 | 1446 | 15 | 15 | 660 | 15 | 0 | 1314 | 772 | 753 | 15 | 227 |
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.











