Surf Forecasts:
Little Austi and Main Beach surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 7s period, E swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 10s period, E swell with 220 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 7s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Little Austi and Main Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Little Austi and Main Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 7s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Little Austi and Main Beach in the next 16 days are 1.1m 10s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 9s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Little Austi and Main Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's have a look at what's on the table for the next couple of weeks.
Alright, straight up - it's a pretty grim stretch for Little Austi and Main Beach. The water temperature is sitting at 64°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so at least you won't be freezing your tail off for nothing.
The first week is a real struggle. We're looking at tiny, weak swell. The wave energy is mostly in the low double digits, nothing to get excited about. Monday afternoon the 17th kicks off with a 3ft ESE swell, but it's onshore and the surf is poor. Tuesday morning the 18th shows a glimmer - a 3ft E swell clocking in at 7 seconds with glassy conditions. That's surfable, but it's still pretty ordinary. The combined energy is only 105, so it's weak. By Wednesday morning the 19th, the swell drops to 2ft but the period stretches to 10 seconds, giving it a bit more shape, and the offshore wind from the N will keep it clean. That's probably your best window in the first week, but it's still small. The energy jumps to 151 then, but it's not enough to get the heart racing.
From there, it's a long, flat slog. From Thursday the 20th right through to Tuesday the 1st of September, the swell rarely gets above 3ft and the period is usually 6-9 seconds. The combined energy stays in the doldrums, often below 100, sometimes as low as 7. There are a few clean mornings with glassy conditions, like Friday the 21st and Sunday the 23rd, but the waves are barely there. The best of a bad bunch is maybe Tuesday morning the 25th with a 2ft ENE swell, 9-second period, glassy conditions, and a combined energy of 91 - still tiny, but at least it's clean.
Now, there's one interesting blip on the radar. Sunday morning the 30th of August shows a 8ft SSE swell with a 10-second period. That's a solid jump in size, and the combined energy rockets to 990, which is moderate to strong. But look at the wind - it's cross-on from the SSW at 16 mph, making it choppy and poor. For a beach and reef setup like this, that's a messy, windy day. It's really only for the experienced crew, and even then it's not going to be pretty. The rest of that day and the following days are back to tiny, onshore junk.
Honestly, this is a tough run. The first week has a few small, clean windows but nothing memorable. The second week is mostly flat and forgettable. The only real standout is that bump on the 30th, but it's blown out. If you're desperate, aim for the clean, small mornings. Otherwise, you might be better off waiting for the next system.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 22°C on Thu morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 7 | ESE 6 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | E 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
79 | 73 | 68 | 100 | 82 | 220 | 70 | 44 | 50 | 48 | 45 | 30 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 20 | 39 | 34 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | off | glassy | off | cross-off | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:31PM1.20m | 12:07PM1.32m | 00:18AM1.05m | 12:56PM1.29m | 1:14AM0.93m | 1:51PM1.26m | 2:26AM0.86m | 2:55PM1.25m | 3:47AM0.84m | 4:00PM1.27m | 4:57AM0.87m | 4:57PM1.32m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:39AM0.29m | 6:30PM0.42m | 6:15AM0.39m | 7:35PM0.47m | 6:58AM0.47m | 8:49PM0.50m | 7:53AM0.53m | 10:06PM0.48m | 9:01AM0.55m | 11:09PM0.43m | 10:09AM0.54m | 11:58PM0.37m | |||||||
— | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 22 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 19 | 19 | 14 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | S 11 | E 8 | ESE 10 | S 8 | NE 5 | NE 6 | E 10 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | S 8 | S 8 | S 11 |
79 | 73 | 55 | 80 | 82 | 11 | 57 | 31 | 2 | 48 | 45 | 30 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 36 | 61 | 82 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 11 | ESE 13 | ESE 11 | ESE 7 | S 15 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | — | E 10 | S 11 | S 5 | S 5 | SSE 4 | S 5 | S 8 | NE 9 | NE 9 | S 7 |
35 | 56 | 60 | 100 | 36 | 4 | 70 | 44 | — | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 39 | 21 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | ESE 10 | E 9 | S 10 | ENE 5 | E 9 | S 8 | E 11 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | S 9 | NE 9 | S 5 | S 15 | NE 8 |
24 | 10 | 7 | 30 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 69 | 34 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ESE 6 | — | — | E 10 | NNE 5 | — | ENE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 4 | SE 4 | ESE 4 | — |
— | — | 68 | — | — | 220 | 86 | — | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 16 | 6 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 8 | 53 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 336 | 345 | 336 | 330 | 177 | 1 | 55 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Illawarra | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Little Austi and Main Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Little Austi and Main Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Little Austi and Main Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Little Austi and Main 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 (Little Austi and Main 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 Little Austi and Main 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 Illawarra? If you are looking for accommodation near Little Austi and Main Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Illawarra, consider staying in Wollongong which is 15 km (9 miles) away. Other places in and around Illawarra where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Port Kembla which is 22 km (14 miles) away, Engadine, Caringbah and Cronulla.











