
Surf Forecasts:
Little Austi and Main Beach surf forecast from 9 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 10 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 10s period, SE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 16 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 10s period, SSE swell with 4,660 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 10 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 10s period with SE 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 Friday (Jul 10) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 10s 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 5.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 16) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 7s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Fri 10th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Fri 10th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Thu 16th Jul) | 16ft (5.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Little Austi and Main Beach over the next 16 days.
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the forecast for Little Austi and Main Beach.
We’re looking at a real mixed bag over the next 16 days. The first few days are pretty grim for a paddle, with no real quality surf on offer until the weekend. There’s a solid run of flat, choppy, or just weak conditions, so you’ll want to be patient. The real standout is a massive pulse of swell arriving in the second week, but it comes with a serious size warning.
Things start off slow. Thursday afternoon the 9th sees a 6ft SE swell rolling in with a period of 10 seconds, but with a cross-on S wind at 6 mph, it’s a bumpy, choppy mess. The combined energy is moderate (610), but the wind is just ruining any chance of clean waves. Friday the 10th is even worse, with poor surf conditions and a score of zero. Saturday morning the 11th is the first bright spot. We get a clean 3ft ESE swell, with a 12-second period and a light NW offshore wind. The energy is still moderate (407), but the conditions are clean and the swell direction is right in the optimum slot. Sunday morning the 12th sees a drop in size to 2ft, but a strong 19 mph W cross-off wind makes it a write-off. The energy drops to weak (94). From Monday the 13th through to Wednesday the 15th, the surf is basically flat with zero energy, so you can leave the board at home.
Now, the big one. Thursday the 16th of July, a massive SSE swell hits, pushing 15ft in the morning with a 10-second period. The combined energy is strong (3539), but the wind is a moderate cross-shore, making it a lumpy, challenging session. By Friday the 17th, the swell holds at 15ft to 16ft, but the winds are still messy. The true standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Saturday the 18th of July. The forecast is for a 20ft to 21ft SSE groundswell, with a very long 12-second period. The combined energy is off the charts, hitting 9852 in the morning and 11074 in the afternoon. The wind goes glassy in the morning and then light cross-off in the afternoon. This is exceptional surf, but it’s for experts only. This size is way too big for anyone but the most experienced. It’s a point break and reef setup, so that long-period groundswell will be holding up nicely, but the beach break will be a washing machine. Sunday the 19th is still huge at 20ft with a solid NNW offshore, but the afternoon sees the wind shift and the energy drop. Monday the 20th is still a solid 10ft SE swell with a clean offshore wind, excellent for experienced surfers but still a beast.
After that, the swell slowly fades through the following week. Tuesday the 21st sees a 6ft SE swell, but the winds are onshore and messy. From Wednesday the 22nd through to Friday the 24th, it’s back to small, weak, and choppy conditions, with the combined energy dropping below 300. The water temperature is sitting at 65°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.
So, to sum it up: the next few days are a write-off. The real action is on Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th of July, but that’s big-boy territory. If you’re experienced and have the right equipment, the Saturday morning glass-off is your window. For everyone else, wait for a smaller day.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat morning, min 9°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri afternoon, fresh winds from the W by Sun morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon morning, min 9°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NW on Mon morning, fresh winds from the S by Wed morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thu 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | E 10 | E 8 | S 9 | S 8 | SW 4 | S 7 | S 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
554 | 430 | 499 | 509 | 314 | 217 | 176 | 149 | 77 | 54 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 3056 | 3539 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 3:45AM1.05m | 4:24PM1.50m | 5:00AM1.03m | 5:22PM1.60m | 6:09AM1.05m | 6:18PM1.70m | 7:10AM1.09m | 7:12PM1.77m | 8:06AM1.12m | 8:05PM1.81m | 8:57AM1.15m | 8:55PM1.80m | 9:47AM1.18m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:01PM0.38m | 9:39AM0.30m | 11:11PM0.27m | 10:39AM0.31m | 00:15AM0.15m | 11:39AM0.29m | 1:13AM0.04m | 12:36PM0.27m | 2:07AM-0.03m | 1:31PM0.24m | 2:57AM-0.07m | 2:25PM0.23m | 3:45AM-0.07m | ||||||||
— | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | |
5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:02 | — | — | 5:02 | — | 5:04 | |
mm | — | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 8 | 1 |
Temp °C | 15 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 18 | 17 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 17 | 17 | 11 | 16 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 12 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 15 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | S 11 | SSW 7 | S 9 | S 8 | SSW 10 | S 15 | S 16 | — | SSW 15 |
554 | 430 | 499 | 509 | 314 | 190 | 95 | 149 | 77 | 54 | 47 | 25 | 57 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 18 | 5 | — | 43 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | SE 14 | S 19 | S 21 | ESE 15 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 8 | ESE 9 | SSW 12 | SE 8 | S 11 | S 7 | S 19 | S 18 | — | — | — | — |
56 | 89 | 7 | 9 | 43 | 217 | 176 | 45 | 15 | 6 | 16 | 46 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 6 | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 17 | S 16 | S 14 | S 15 | S 16 | S 15 | S 15 | S 15 | NNE 4 | S 12 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | E 10 | E 8 | — | S 12 | S 14 | — | — | — | — |
5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | NW 3 | NE 3 | N 4 | W 4 | WSW 4 | W 4 | NW 3 | — | W 3 | W 3 | — | SW 4 | S 7 | S 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 |
— | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 12 | 36 | 34 | 10 | 2 | — | 5 | 6 | — | 8 | 403 | 750 | 3056 | 3539 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 5 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 86 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 243 | 297 | 277 | 111 | 266 | 330 | 121 | 7 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Illawarra | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











