Surf Forecasts:
Sawtell-The Island surf forecast from 27 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 31 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 14s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 31 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 14s period, S swell with 1,196 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 27 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 9s period with SSE 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 Monday (Jul 27) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Sawtell-The Island in the next 16 days are 1.8m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 31) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Friday (Jul 31) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Mon 27th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Fri 31st Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Fri 31st Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sawtell-The Island over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here again, same local surf outlook for Sawtell - The Island, now in feet and Fahrenheit.
It’s a slow burn to start. Monday the 27th of July is flat-ish: swell running about 3 ft SSE, short 9-second period, cross-on East-Southeast wind at 6 mph. Energy is weak at 176. Water temp is 67°F (average for this time of year). Not worth a paddle.
Tuesday the 28th of July morning gives a glassy window (northerly wind at 3 mph) but the swell is tiny—3 ft SSE, 8-second period, energy just 92. Very ordinary. The rest of Tuesday arvo and Wednesday the 29th is trash.
Thursday the 30th stays weak. Friday the 31st of July morning is the first good sign: 4 ft SSE swell, 12-second period (groundswell), clean cross-off SSW breeze at 9 mph. Energy climbs to 452 (moderate). The Island needs that SE angle. Crowds can show sometimes.
Saturday the 1st of August morning holds 5 ft SSE with clean wind, energy at 342. Still fun.
Best of the first week: Sunday the 2nd of August morning. Swell drops to 3 ft but the period blows out to a very long 14 seconds, pure SE direction—perfect. Energy shoots to 513 (strong), wind is light cross-off from the SSW at 6 mph, expect very good surf. Long-period swells like this suit the reef setup here, just know the sets might be widely spaced.
Monday the 3rd of August morning goes glassy (calm, S wind 0 mph) with 3 ft SE swell at 11 seconds, energy 371—nice, but not the Sunday highlight. Tuesday the 4th to Wednesday the 5th turns poor with rain.
Thursday the 6th of August morning: 5 ft ESE swell, short 7-second period, clean cross-off, energy 222. Just OK.
Now the real standout: Friday the 7th of August morning. Swell hits 6 ft from the SE (spot-on direction), short period, but energy is 633 (strong). Light cross-off SSW wind at 6 mph keeps it clean. Forecast says very good surf. That’s expert-only territory—anything over 5 ft is for experienced crew.
Saturday the 8th of August morning is 6 ft SE, 9-second period, energy 628, clean. Another one for the pros. Arvo gets bigger (7 ft) but turns cross-on, so stick to morning.
Sunday the 9th is bigger with rising wind. Monday the 10th of August morning backs down to 4 ft SE with clean offshore WSW wind at 6 mph—good surf, energy 317. Monday arvo stays clean.
From Tuesday the 11th of August, it fades into rain and small stuff. Nothing else worth chasing.
Top picks: Sunday the 2nd of August morning (clean, long-period SE groundswell) and Friday the 7th of August morning (solid SE, clean, experts only). Get on the 2nd.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed morning, min 10°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun morning, min 11°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | ENE 6 | S 6 | SSE 12 | SSE 14 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 9 | SE 14 | SSE 12 | SE 11 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 161 | 124 | 88 | 56 | 37 | 12 | 14 | 7 | 81 | 117 | 110 | 432 | 373 | 146 | 334 | 284 | 347 | 248 | 359 | 288 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 6:57PM1.51m | 7:16AM0.97m | 7:35PM1.56m | 7:54AM1.01m | 8:10PM1.60m | 8:30AM1.06m | 8:44PM1.62m | 9:07AM1.10m | 9:16PM1.60m | 9:44AM1.15m | 9:49PM1.56m | 10:22AM1.19m | 10:24PM1.48m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:42AM0.26m | 12:53PM0.23m | 2:16AM0.20m | 1:33PM0.19m | 2:49AM0.15m | 2:10PM0.17m | 3:21AM0.12m | 2:48PM0.17m | 3:52AM0.10m | 3:27PM0.20m | 4:23AM0.09m | 4:08PM0.24m | ||||||||
 |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | |  |  | | | |  | |
 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — |
 | 5:09 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 16 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 15 |
Feels °C | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | ENE 6 | SE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | SSE 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 12 | ENE 7 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 12 | SE 11 |
| kJ | 161 | 124 | 88 | 56 | 37 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 117 | 94 | 432 | 18 | 146 | 334 | 284 | 347 | 234 | 359 | 288 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 12 | E 11 | E 7 | E 12 | ENE 4 | SE 7 | E 12 | S 6 | E 7 | ENE 6 | SSE 14 | ENE 7 | E 11 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SE 15 | SE 15 | SE 14 | E 7 | E 7 |
| kJ | 11 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 110 | 17 | 3 | 10 | 5 | 56 | 116 | 248 | 36 | 34 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | E 7 | E 12 | E 7 | E 7 | S 9 | S 18 | ESE 6 | E 12 | E 13 | ENE 6 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | ENE 6 | E 12 | E 6 | SE 14 | SE 14 |
| kJ | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 31 | 103 | 46 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 5 | — | S 6 | SSE 6 | S 6 | S 4 | SSE 11 | S 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | — | 81 | 88 | 41 | 22 | 373 | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 108 | 0 | 0 | 200 | 1 | 173 | 143 | 91 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 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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