Surf Forecasts:
Friendly Beaches surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 9s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 16s period, S swell with 724 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 14s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Friendly Beaches this week:
The surf forecast for Friendly Beaches over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Friendly Beaches in the next 16 days are 1.2m 16s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.1m 8s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4PM (Mon 24th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Mon 31st Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Friendly Beaches over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day crew, Rusty here breakin' down the surf at Friendly Beaches for the next couple of weeks. It’s gonna be a bit of a waiting game, but there’s a few windows that are gonna be absolute crackers if you can line 'em up.
First up, it starts real quiet. Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th of August, we’re lookin' at ankle-to-knee-high waves, around 2 to 2 feet from the south, with a decent 11 to 14 second period. The energy in the water is pretty light, between 137 and 180. The only reason to get wet on Tuesday morning is that glassy wind from the ENE – dead flat, mirror-like water. For a tiny wave and a longboard, it’ll be fun, but it’s not a stand-out.
Wednesday the 26th shows a bump to 3 feet from the NE, but the period is a short, weak 8 seconds, and the wind is whippin' cross-offshore at 25 km/h from the WSW. It’ll be clean, but the waves will be fat and gutless. Wave energy is moderate at 193.
From Thursday the 27th through to the end of August, it’s a real lull. Swell stays under 3 feet, winds are messy or onshore, and the scores are poor. There’s a tiny glassy moment on Saturday the 29th morning – 2 feet from the ESE – but it's pretty weak. That’s a good few days where the surf report is better off read than ridden.
Now, the first real highlight hits on Sunday 30th August afternoon. The wind goes totally glassy – calm as – and we get a solid 3-foot south swell with a period of 16 seconds. That’s proper, long-period groundswell, and the combined energy is a solid 350. The waves are gonna be clean, lined up, and good to surf. Monday 31st August morning is another beauty: a gentle offshore wind from the west at 15 km/h, 2 feet of south swell with a 15-second period, and energy at 375. That’s a primo window.
Things go a bit flat again until Thursday 3rd September afternoon. This is the big one for the rippers. The wind goes glassy from the NW, the swell jumps to 7 feet from the north with a short period of 6 seconds, and the combined energy cranks to 897 – that’s strong, dumpy, and powerful. The short period means it’ll be a bit lumpy and won't hold a nice wall, but the size and glass will create some heavy, hollow wedges. This is expert territory – 7 feet is a serious step up.
The following days settle back to small, clean conditions, with 3 to 4 feet south swells on the 5th of September with clean cross-offshore winds and moderate energy around 237. Good small-wave fun.
Looking ahead, Tuesday 8th September morning is set to be another standout. A 5-foot south swell (period 8 seconds) with a clean cross-offshore breeze from the WNW at 15 km/h and a combined energy of 521 – that’s a punchy, strong swell with clean conditions. That’s a session to mark on the calendar.
So, to sum it up: the real gems are Sunday 30th and Monday 31st of August for that clean, long-period groundswell, Thursday 3rd September for the big, glassy dumpers for the advanced crew, and Tuesday 8th September for solid, clean fun. The rest is small or windy, so don’t waste the good sessions.
Stay wet,
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon morning, min 8°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Fri morning. Warm (max 20°C on Sat afternoon, min 9°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 11 | S 10 | NE 8 | NE 8 | S 9 | S 7 | S 11 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | S 13 | S 15 | S 16 | S 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
97 | 144 | 144 | 125 | 86 | 66 | 142 | 135 | 588 | 83 | 144 | 122 | 143 | 86 | 75 | 55 | 31 | 128 | 165 | 322 | 278 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | glassy | glassy | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | off | glassy | glassy | off | glassy | glassy | off |
High Tide | 4:53PM1.17m | 6:43AM0.82m | 5:38PM1.19m | 7:20AM0.85m | 6:21PM1.21m | 7:55AM0.89m | 7:04PM1.21m | 8:29AM0.93m | 7:48PM1.19m | 9:03AM0.98m | 8:34PM1.15m | 9:36AM1.03m | 9:23PM1.10m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:25AM0.63m | 00:16AM0.24m | 11:15AM0.61m | 00:55AM0.21m | 12:03PM0.59m | 1:31AM0.18m | 12:51PM0.56m | 2:06AM0.18m | 1:40PM0.53m | 2:40AM0.19m | 2:31PM0.49m | 3:14AM0.22m | 3:23PM0.44m | 3:49AM0.27m | |||||||
6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | |
— | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 19 | 20 | 15 | 21 | 20 | 14 |
Feels °C | 12 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 16 | 17 | 10 | 19 | 18 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | N 6 | S 14 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | S 7 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 13 | S 15 | S 16 | S 17 |
45 | 30 | 144 | 47 | 46 | 40 | 142 | 135 | 70 | 83 | 86 | 122 | 143 | 86 | 43 | 32 | 24 | 128 | 165 | 322 | 278 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 14 | S 14 | N 5 | S 13 | S 11 | S 10 | S 14 | S 14 | E 6 | NE 8 | S 11 | S 10 | NE 8 | S 6 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | NE 8 | NE 8 | S 8 | NE 9 | NE 9 |
97 | 144 | 13 | 125 | 86 | 66 | 35 | 36 | 1 | 32 | 144 | 71 | 24 | 27 | 75 | 55 | 25 | 18 | 32 | 27 | 21 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 15 | E 15 | NE 9 | SE 14 | S 16 | S 15 | S 9 | SE 14 | SE 14 | SE 7 | SE 14 | NE 8 | S 10 | NE 8 | NE 9 | NE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | NE 9 | E 8 | — |
4 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 19 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 33 | 7 | 44 | 30 | 23 | 42 | 38 | 31 | 20 | 20 | 1 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 6 | N 5 | W 3 | — | — | — | SSW 6 | S 9 | S 9 | — | NNE 9 | WSW 3 | SW 3 | SSW 6 | NNW 2 | — | — | WSW 3 | WNW 3 | — | SSW 10 |
31 | 58 | 1 | — | — | — | 71 | 363 | 588 | — | 106 | 3 | 6 | 66 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 3 | — | 102 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 93 | 34 | 34 | 93 | 34 | 34 | 114 | 20 | 20 | 34 | 110 | 16 | 16 | 34 | 16 | 16 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 20 |
Best forecast wave conditions in East Coast of Tasmania | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Friendly Beaches Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Friendly Beaches provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Friendly Beaches can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Friendly Beaches 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 (Friendly Beaches) 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 Friendly Beaches 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.
Friendly Beaches is 114 km (71 miles) from Launceston. If you plan a holiday in East Coast of Tasmania, look for hotels and other accommodation in Launceston. Launceston has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











