Noosa - Johnsons Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’ve got a good look at what’s cookin’ for our local stretch over the next couple of weeks. Let’s get straight into it, because there is some silver lining out there.

Overall, we’re looking at a pretty drawn-out run of small, weak surf for the better part of the first week. The energy just isn’t there, and the wind is gonna be a constant talking point. But if you hang tight, the back half of the 16-day window does start to rumble with some punchier, cleaner conditions—and there’s a couple of sessions that are genuinely worth circling on the calendar.

We’ll kick off with a mention of the water temp: sitting at 68.4 °F, which is about 1.6 °F cooler than what’s typical for this time of year. Nothing wild, just a touch on the crisp side, so you might want a thin spring suit for the early morning paddles.

The first real chance to get wet is Tuesday morning (August 11th) at Johnsons (“Noosa - Johnsons”). The swell is a tiny 2.3 ft out of the east, with a 9-second period. Honestly, the combined energy is weak at best (107), and the cross-off wind (WSW at 6 mph) is doing its best to keep the surface tidy, but this is “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” It’s something to do if you’re desperate, but nothing to write home about.

Wednesday morning (August 12th) is intriguing in one way only: glass. That’s right, a dead calm, zero wind situation. The swell is still just 2.0 ft from the east (78 energy), so it’s tiny, but it will be silky smooth. It might be worth a dawny for the pure novelty of a glassy surface, but the wave size is still very, very marginal.

Thursday and Friday mornings (13th and 14th) see proper offshore winds (SSW and S at 12 mph), but the swell drops even more, to 1.6 ft. It’s clean, but the energy is practically non-existent (53 and 46). That’s a flat spell, plain and simple.

We hit a real gap here. From Thursday afternoon right through until Saturday afternoon (August 15th), the conditions are either poor or just too small to recommend. That’s about a 3-day lull where you’re better off doing something else.

Alright, now for the first genuine standout. Sunday morning (August 16th) is where things turn the corner. The swell jumps to 5.2 ft from the southeast, and importantly, the period drops to 6 seconds—short period wind swell, but the combined energy hits 218 (moderate). What really makes this one pop is the offshore wind: SSE at 16 mph, keeping it clean. The forecast says “expect good surf conditions,” and for a beachy, that’s a solid call. This is your pick for the first week if you can only do one session. The longer period (over 15 seconds) waves tend to break too straight at beaches, so the shorter period here actually helps the shape.

The next big jump comes on Monday morning (August 17th). The swell pushes up to 6.2 ft from the southeast (period 7 seconds), with energy of 346. It’s still cross-off wind (SSE 16 mph) and clean, but the system is starting to pump. This is getting into “expert only” territory if it peaks—over 4.9 ft it can be too big for beginners, so have a think about your skill level if it gets bigger. The ratings call it marginal, but that’s often the window where the sandbars come alive.

Saturday morning (August 22nd) is your long-range standout to keep an eye on. We’re looking at 5.2 ft from the southeast, 9-second period, with proper offshore wind (SSE 12 mph). The combined energy is 652 (moderate to strong), and the forecast actually calls for “very good surf conditions.” This is a classic Noosa building block—clean, solid, and with the right wind. Just remember, this is over a week out, so treat it as promising rather than guaranteed.

Sunday morning (August 23rd) is also lined up nicely: 4.3 ft from the east-southeast, 9-second period, gentle cross-off breeze (ESE 9 mph), and moderate energy (237). It says “expect good surf conditions.” That’s a solid morning for a longer board.

If you want a second standout, Tuesday afternoon (August 25th) might be your sneaky call. It’s late in the window, but it’s showing 3.6 ft from the east, a 9-second period, and a light cross-off breeze, with “expect good surf conditions” on tap. The energy is 200, and it’s clean. By this stage, the jetstream fatigue sets in, but that could be a real gem.

One last note: from Wednesday (August 26th) onward, it goes very quiet again, with the swell dropping to 2.6 ft and energy falling off a cliff, so that Tuesday afternoon might be the last proper session for a few days.

Look, the first week is a write-off for anything decent. But that second week? Great wave energy, clean wind windows,

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