Surf Forecasts:
Guillotines surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 6s period, ESE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 5s period, ENE swell with 113 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 6s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Guillotines this week:
The surf forecast for Guillotines over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Guillotines in the next 16 days are 1.5m 5s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Friday (Aug 21) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Guillotines over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the next two weeks.
The 16-Day Scoop
Right off the bat, we’ve got a pretty dead stretch. To be honest, the start of this run looks bleak. We're looking at a solid run of poor surf for the first week and a half, with only tiny, weak, and messy waves on offer. The energy is just not there, and the winds aren't cooperating for anything of quality. You're looking at a whole lot of close-outs and ankle-biters from around the 17th through the 27th. It's a real test of patience.
But, hold on. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Towards the back half of the window, things start to wake up in a big way. That’s where we find our standouts.
The Main Event: Guillotines
Our only real spot on the map is Guillotines (Sierra Leone), and man, does it come alive at the end. This is an advanced, inconsistent point break, so it’s not for the faint of heart, and it doesn't fire often. When it does, though, look out. It's fairly exposed to the swell, and its optimum direction is from the SE.
The water is sitting at 62° right now, which is about average for the time of year. Nothing crazy there.
The Grind (Aug 17 - Aug 28)
We start with almost nothing. The 17th has a tiny 2ft S swell with a weak 82 energy and cross-offshore winds, but it’s just not happening. The 18th brings a glassy morning with a 3ft ESE swell, but it's short-period and weak. It’s still surfable but very ordinary. Then, the winds turn cross-onshore and chop it all up. From there, it's a whole lot of nothing.
We'll see a few glassy mornings here and there, like the 21st and 23rd, with some small S swell energy, but the size is just too small. The whole period from the 17th up through the 27th is basically a write-off. A long flat spell like this is a real possibility for the area, so don't be surprised.
The Turnaround (Aug 29 - Sep 1)
Finally, on the 29th of August, things change. The wind goes fresh and offshore from the SSW. The swell picks up to a solid 6ft from the SSE, and the energy jumps to a moderate 477. This is looking much more interesting. The 30th of August is the standout. We’ve got a clear morning, a gentle offshore breeze, and a 6ft SSE swell with strong energy at 653. This is the one. It’s an expert-only wave, and with that size, that’s a fair call. Expecting a clean, powerful, grinding point break. This is our best bet on offer. The surf quality is going to be good.
The morning of the 31st is still looking fun with a 6ft SSE swell and offshore winds, holding that quality. Then we roll into the 1st of September with a glassy morning, a 4ft S swell with a long 12-second period, and strong energy at 490. That’s a classic setup for this point break. A promising end to the window.
So keep your eyes on the end of the month and into September. The start is a bummer, but that finish line looks like it will be worth the wait.
Rusty, out.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Mon night. Warm (max 20°C on Thu morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Warm (max 20°C on Thu afternoon, min 10°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 8 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | E 6 | E 12 | E 10 | ENE 5 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | E 6 | SSE 5 | E 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | S 7 | S 6 | NE 4 | S 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
46 | 44 | 40 | 43 | 67 | 54 | 113 | 82 | 33 | 16 | 19 | 14 | 36 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 27 | 16 | 18 | 31 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 11:37PM1.18m | 12:11PM1.30m | 00:26AM1.04m | 12:58PM1.27m | 1:24AM0.93m | 1:52PM1.25m | 2:36AM0.86m | 2:54PM1.24m | 3:55AM0.85m | 3:56PM1.26m | 5:03AM0.87m | 4:53PM1.30m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:38PM0.36m | 5:43AM0.33m | 6:35PM0.42m | 6:20AM0.42m | 7:40PM0.46m | 7:03AM0.50m | 8:53PM0.48m | 7:57AM0.55m | 10:06PM0.47m | 9:02AM0.58m | 11:08PM0.42m | 10:09AM0.57m | 11:57PM0.36m | |||||||
— | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 19 | 20 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 12 |
Feels °C | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 10 | 16 | 16 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | S 10 | ENE 5 | ESE 6 | E 10 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | E 6 | SSE 5 | S 4 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | S 7 | S 6 | S 6 | NE 5 |
28 | 44 | 40 | 30 | 13 | 33 | 48 | 52 | 33 | 16 | 19 | 12 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 5 | 27 | 16 | 6 | 11 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 8 | S 10 | ESE 14 | E 12 | E 10 | S 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 7 | E 6 | E 10 | ENE 6 | S 10 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | — | NE 6 | NE 6 | S 11 | S 10 |
46 | 22 | 35 | 36 | 67 | 54 | 5 | 26 | 18 | 12 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | 10 | 10 | 9 | 31 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 9 | ESE 10 | E 10 | ESE 7 | S 8 | SE 15 | E 11 | E 11 | ESE 8 | S 12 | S 11 | E 10 | — | S 9 | S 7 | E 9 | S 8 | S 14 | S 6 |
8 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 21 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | E 6 | NE 4 | — | ENE 5 | NE 6 | NW 3 | WNW 3 | S 4 | — | E 6 | W 3 | S 3 | SSE 4 | — | — | NE 4 | — |
— | — | — | 43 | 16 | — | 113 | 82 | 1 | 1 | 13 | — | 36 | 1 | 6 | 4 | — | — | 18 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 45 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 7 | 17 | 335 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 103 | 207 | 405 | 419 | 641 | 15 | 78 | 270 | 12 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Coast - New South Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Guillotines Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Guillotines provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Guillotines can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Guillotines 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 (Guillotines) 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 Guillotines 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.
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