
Surf Forecasts:
Dunes surf forecast from 12 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 17s period, WSW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 17s period, WSW swell with 2,918 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-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 11AM.
| 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 (2.1m) 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, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way.
The 16-day window kicks off with a bit of a slow start. The first few days are pretty marginal, with small swell and tricky winds keeping things from really firing. But hold on, because around the middle of the period, we’ve got a solid run of swell that’s worth planning for.
Starting Wednesday, August 12th, through to the end of the week, it’s a bit of a tease. Dunes is seeing 4ft of SW swell at a very long 16 seconds, but the wind is a cross-off from the east at 19 mph, keeping it clean but small. The wave energy is moderate (572). The water temp is 74°F, which is about 0.5°F warmer than average, so pretty normal for this time of year. The crowds are sometimes a factor here, so keep an eye out. The next few days are similar, with waist-high swell and period dropping a bit, but the morning windows often have better wind.
Friday, August 14th, morning is the first real glimmer. Offshore wind from the SE at 6 mph, with a 3ft SW groundswell at a long 17 seconds. The energy is moderate (493), and conditions are clean. This is a solid window for a morning session, but the afternoon turns choppy onshore.
The weekend (August 15th-16th) is a mixed bag. Saturday morning has light offshore winds from the SE at 3 mph, with a clean 3ft SW swell at 16 seconds. That’s a nice little window. But both afternoons and Sunday are a write-off with onshore winds.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Monday, August 17th, the swell starts to build. The morning is a bit messy with cross-onshore wind, but the afternoon sees a 5ft SW swell at 16 seconds, with a cross-shore wind and a jump in energy (1068). Not perfect, but the size is coming.
The standout is Tuesday, August 18th, morning. This is the best on offer. We’ve got a 5ft SW groundswell at 16 seconds, with a moderate offshore wind from the SE at 12 mph. The wave energy is solid (1337), and conditions are clean. This is for experienced surfers, as the size is pushing over 5ft, but the quality is there. The swell direction (SW) matches the break’s optimum (SW) perfectly. Crowds are sometimes an issue, so get in early.
Wednesday, August 19th, the swell jumps to 7ft from the WSW at 16 seconds, but it’s flagged as too big for this break. The energy is very strong (2389), but that’s expert territory only, and even then, the wind is not ideal for Dunes at that size.
Thursday, August 20th, morning is another good one. Offshore wind from the SE, with a 4ft WSW swell at 14 seconds. The energy is moderate (682), and it’s clean. A much more manageable size.
The following week sees a few more windows of opportunity. Friday, August 21st, again has a 7ft WSW swell, again too big for Dunes. Saturday, August 22nd, morning has a fresh offshore wind from the SE at 19 mph, with a 6ft WSW swell at 14 seconds. Clean, but the wind is strong. The energy is moderate (1128). Sunday, August 23rd, morning is another highlight. A 6ft SW swell at 16 seconds, with a light cross-off wind from the east at 6 mph. The energy is strong (1486), and conditions are clean. This is a top pick for the second week.
The last few days taper off. Tuesday, August 25th, morning has a clean 4ft SW swell at 15 seconds with a light offshore wind. A nice little session. Thursday, August 27th, morning also looks clean with a moderate offshore wind and a 3ft SW groundswell at 17 seconds.
So, bottom line: the best bets are Tuesday, August 18th, morning and Sunday, August 23rd, morning. Both have solid groundswell, clean conditions, and good energy. The rest is a mix of small windows or blown-out afternoons. Don’t sleep on that Tuesday session.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Fri afternoon, min 15°C on Wed morning). Mainly strong winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sat afternoon, min 19°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
567 | 480 | 385 | 297 | 293 | 198 | 493 | 549 | 480 | 468 | 360 | 407 | 337 | 295 | 261 | 838 | 1044 | 1057 | 1335 | 2065 | 2781 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:47AM1.86m | 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 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 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 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 22 | 22 |
Feels °C | 8 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 21 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 |
567 | 480 | 385 | 297 | 293 | 198 | 493 | 549 | 480 | 468 | 360 | 407 | 337 | 295 | 202 | 838 | 1044 | 1057 | 1335 | 2065 | 2781 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 11 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 8 | NE 5 | SW 19 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 5 | N 11 | N 11 | N 12 | N 12 | W 12 | SW 16 | W 12 | W 12 | WSW 4 | W 5 | SW 6 | NNE 7 |
5 | 58 | 22 | 3 | 13 | 171 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 261 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NW 11 | NE 8 | SW 22 | SW 21 | NE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 12 | N 6 | NE 7 | — |
— | 4 | 11 | 18 | 18 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | 2 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 5 | — | — | ENE 5 | — | SW 2 | SSW 3 | — | SW 3 | — | — | NW 2 | NNW 3 | NNW 3 | NW 4 | WNW 4 | W 5 | — | SE 3 | — | — |
76 | — | — | 19 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 26 | 21 | — | 1 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 753 | 251 | 227 | 753 | 15 | 660 | 0 | 660 | 227 | 0 | 1020 | 227 | 493 | 800 | 1444 | 1446 | 1446 | 227 | 0 | 777 | 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.











