Surf Forecasts:
Kawana Beach surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 8s period, E swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 8s period, ESE swell with 408 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 8s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Kawana Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Kawana Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Kawana Beach in the next 16 days are 1.9m 8s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Kawana Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Kawana Beach are looking pretty grim for a decent paddle. We’ve got a long, flat stretch ahead with no proper surf on the cards. The first real chance of anything even worth a look doesn’t pop up until Friday the 21st of August, and even then, it’s a bit of a beggars-can’t-be-choosers situation.
The water’s sitting at 68°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – you’ll want a decent spring suit.
Alright, let’s run through it. Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th are write-offs with onshore and cross-onshore winds, messy 5ft to 7ft windswell, and combined wave energy readings of 340 to 749 (moderate to strong), but it’s all junk. Thursday the 20th is still onshore and poor. Then we hit a lull.
Friday 21st August – Morning – This is your only real window in the first week. Kawana Beach picks up a 4ft swell from the east with a short period of 7 seconds. Combined energy is a weak 170. But the wind is glassy – dead calm – so the surface will be clean. It’s surfable but very ordinary, a 1 out of 10 on the fun scale. The swell direction (E) is not far off the optimum ESE, but the period is short. For a beginner, this is about the safest it gets: small, clean, and forgiving. Crowds are *sometimes* a thing here, so you might have a few friends out, but nothing hectic.
Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd drop back to knee-high 3ft to 4ft, with glassy periods on the mornings but the wave energy is weak (89 to 158). You could get a slide on a longboard if you’re keen, but it’s not going to get the heart pumping.
The second week, from Monday 24th August all the way through to Wednesday 2nd September, is a near-continuous run of tiny, weak, and mostly poor conditions. Swell heights hover around 1ft to 3ft, with energy readings mostly under 100 (weak). There are a few clean mornings – like Wednesday 26th and Saturday 29th August mornings with light offshore winds – but the swell is just too small to do much with. The period bumps up to 9 seconds on the 29th and 31st, which is a touch better, but with only 2ft of swell, it’s more of a paddle than a surf.
Best on offer? Honestly, it’s the Friday 21st morning session. It’s not a standout in any real sense, but it’s the only time you get glassy conditions with waist-high waves. If you’re a beginner, that’s your window. For anyone else, this is a solid two-week rest period. The forecast can always change, but right now, Kawana Beach is telling us to stay patient.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Tue night. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed morning, min 15°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sun morning, min 15°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | E 7 | E 7 | SE 10 | SE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
417 | 345 | 315 | 277 | 192 | 132 | 294 | 217 | 155 | 127 | 103 | 106 | 89 | 131 | 159 | 151 | 121 | 89 | 82 | 110 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:44PM1.26m | 1:05PM1.36m | 00:24AM1.12m | 2:22PM1.35m | 1:26AM1.00m | 3:36PM1.38m | 3:07AM0.95m | 4:36PM1.46m | 4:27AM0.97m | 5:23PM1.55m | 5:23AM1.05m | 6:01PM1.64m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:04PM0.64m | 6:12AM0.41m | 7:15PM0.75m | 6:59AM0.45m | 8:54PM0.80m | 8:02AM0.48m | 10:23PM0.76m | 9:15AM0.48m | 11:23PM0.67m | 10:18AM0.45m | 00:04AM0.57m | 11:10AM0.39m | 00:38AM0.48m | |||||||
— | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | |
5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | 5 | 14 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | ESE 13 | ESE 11 | ENE 7 | SE 10 | ENE 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | ENE 8 |
— | 35 | 74 | 108 | 192 | 82 | 294 | 217 | 155 | 127 | 103 | 106 | 89 | 131 | 159 | 151 | 121 | 89 | 82 | 110 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | ENE 7 | SE 9 | — | SE 10 | SE 8 | SSE 8 | E 14 | SE 8 | ENE 9 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 6 | NE 9 | E 11 | NE 7 | S 10 |
— | — | — | — | 84 | 132 | — | 4 | 67 | 23 | 4 | 2 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | E 13 | NE 9 | — | — | SE 9 | SE 8 | E 14 | E 13 | SE 8 | ESE 10 | SE 8 | — | S 6 | E 11 | SE 10 | — |
— | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | — | — | 20 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 3 | — | 1 | 3 | 4 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | E 7 | E 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 3 |
417 | 345 | 315 | 277 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 166 | 156 | 38 | 38 | 4 | 37 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 4 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Sunshine Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Kawana Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Kawana Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Kawana Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Kawana Beach 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 (Kawana Beach) 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 Kawana Beach 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 Sunshine Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near Kawana Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Sunshine Coast, consider staying in Mooloolaba which is 4 km (2 miles) away. Other places in and around Sunshine Coast where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Sunshine Coast which is 9 km (6 miles) away, Buderim, Caloundra and Caboolture.











