Surf Forecasts:
Sawtell-The Island surf forecast from 5 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 8 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period, ENE swell with 354 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 5 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 8s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Sawtell-The Island this week:
The surf forecast for Sawtell-The Island over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 4s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Sawtell-The Island in the next 16 days are 1.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.9m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 09) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Wed 5th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sawtell-The Island over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for Sawtell over the next couple of weeks.
Well, don't get too excited just yet. The first week is a bit of a slow burn, with a lot of small, average days. The standout window is actually a bit further out. We've got a long wait for the really good stuff, but it's there.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on Monday the 10th of August. Sawtell-The Island coops a clean, gentle offshore wind from the west, swinging to the southwest in the arvo. The swell is a small but clean 4.3ft from the ENE, with moderate energy (212). It's a gentle offshore, the waves will be clean, but it's not a huge day. For an advanced spot, it's very surfable, just not a classic.
The real standout, the one to circle on the calendar, is Thursday morning the 13th of August. The wind drops to absolutely glassy calm, with a 4.6ft southerly swell rolling in. The energy is strong (366), and the period is short (7 seconds), so it'll be a bit sectiony and fun, not a long-lined groundswell. For a beach break, it's going to be a ripper morning. The water temp is about 67.5°F, which is pretty average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.
After that, the following week is a mix of small, clean mornings and average afternoons. Friday the 14th has a very long period 19 second swell, but it's tiny at 1ft. That long period stuff is beautiful for points and reefs, but at The Island, a beach break, it'll be too straight and small to do much with. There are a few mornings with light offshore winds and small, clean surf, but nothing that will get the heart pumping like that Thursday morning.
So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off, but hang tight. That Thursday the 13th is your best bet. It's a glassy morning with a punchy little swell. The crowds are "sometimes" an issue, so get out there early for a piece of the action.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Wed morning, min 12°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sun morning, min 9°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NE on Sat afternoon, fresh winds from the NNE by Sun afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | E 10 | E 9 | E 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | E 10 | E 10 | SSE 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 90 | 56 | 46 | 24 | 19 | 46 | 71 | 74 | 52 | 84 | 109 | 184 | 146 | 160 | 354 | 202 | 125 | 79 | 92 | 90 | 176 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | glassy | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | glassy | on | off |
High Tide | 12:45PM1.29m | 00:41AM1.13m | 1:48PM1.33m | 1:50AM1.01m | 2:58PM1.40m | 3:13AM0.94m | 4:09PM1.49m | 4:35AM0.94m | 5:14PM1.60m | 5:44AM0.99m | 6:11PM1.71m | 6:42AM1.06m | 7:03PM1.79m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:53PM0.42m | 6:59AM0.20m | 8:14PM0.44m | 7:58AM0.24m | 9:44PM0.40m | 9:08AM0.26m | 11:04PM0.30m | 10:20AM0.23m | 00:08AM0.19m | 11:25AM0.16m | 1:01AM0.08m | 12:23PM0.09m | 1:48AM0.01m | ||||||||
 | |  |  |  | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — |
 | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:19 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 10 | 16 | 16 | 12 |
Feels °C | 14 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 12 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 9 | E 8 | ESE 8 | E 5 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | E 10 | E 10 | SSE 12 |
| kJ | 90 | 56 | 46 | 24 | 14 | 46 | 71 | 67 | 48 | 84 | 109 | 184 | 146 | 160 | 3 | 202 | 125 | 79 | 92 | 90 | 176 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | S 5 | SE 14 | NE 6 | E 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | E 9 |
| kJ | 7 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 19 | 39 | 52 | 74 | 52 | 33 | 32 | 30 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 28 | 56 | 85 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 18 | E 18 | E 18 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | S 6 | E 15 | E 15 | S 6 | S 6 | E 16 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | S 8 | E 13 | ENE 11 | NNE 6 | — | S 12 |
| kJ | 6 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 24 | 15 | — | 103 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | ESE 3 | S 6 | S 3 | SSE 4 | S 4 | SW 3 | — | — | — | SE 4 | — | NNW 2 | NE 4 | ENE 9 | WNW 3 | WSW 3 | WSW 3 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 20 | 1 | 20 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 20 | 354 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 16 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 0 | 16 | 322 | 245 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 208 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Port Macquarie | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Sawtell-The Island Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Sawtell-The Island provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Sawtell-The Island can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Sawtell-The Island 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 (Sawtell-The Island) 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 Sawtell-The Island 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 Port Macquarie? If you are looking for accommodation near Sawtell-The Island, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Port Macquarie, consider staying in Coffs Harbour which is 9 km (6 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in South Grafton which is 62 km (39 miles) away
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