Surf Forecasts:
Sawtell-The Island surf forecast from 7 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 13 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 10s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 14 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 13s period, SSE swell with 1,060 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 8 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 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 Saturday (Aug 08) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Sawtell-The Island in the next 16 days are 1.8m 13s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 14) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 7s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Sat 8th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Thu 13th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Fri 14th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 13s |
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 cookin’ around Sawtell.
Alright, first up, we’ve gotta be real – the next week or so is a bit of a grind. There’s surf on offer, but it’s mostly small and messy with onshore or cross-shore winds messing with the shape. The real standout action is further out, so we’ve got to be patient.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on Saturday the 17th of August. Sawtell-The Island starts to wake up with a solid 6ft swell pushing in from the SE, combined energy hitting 374. That morning is clean with a light cross-offshore breeze from the SSW. The period’s short at 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpy on the take-off, but the wave face should be workable for the advanced crew. The heavy rain that arvo is a drag, but the swell holds and it stays tidy.
The absolute standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Thursday the 20th of August. This is the pick of the whole 16-day window. We’ve got a solid 7ft swell from the SE, and get this – combined energy is 1166, which is some serious grunt. But the real magic is the glassy conditions. Flat calm, not a breath of wind. For a spot like The Island, exposed to that SE swell, with that much energy and a clean, glassy surface, the lines are gonna be long and perfect. At over 7ft, this is for the experienced surfers only – it’ll be a heavy, powerful wave.
After that, the swell sticks around into the weekend, with Saturday the 22nd of August showing a nice 6ft groundswell from the East (10-second period) and clean offshore winds from the W in the morning. That’s a strong runner-up, with the longer period offering better shape, especially for a point or reef setup, though the energy is a bit less (773).
Crowds: The Island can get crowded, and with a run of small, average days, that Thursday morning glass-off might draw a few locals out of the woodwork. But if you’re out there early, you’ll have the pick of the waves.
Water temp: Nothing wild to report on the temp front, about average for the time of year, so a decent 3/2 steamer will do the job.
So there you have it. A week of waiting, then a couple of days that are well worth the patience. That Thursday 20th is the one to circle.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Mon morning. Warm (max 21°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed morning, min 10°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | ||||||||||||||
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 10 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | S 8 | S 9 | SSE 13 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 52 | 64 | 102 | 194 | 157 | 119 | 297 | 212 | 175 | 101 | 73 | 103 | 119 | 88 | 85 | 63 | 147 | 461 | 1060 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | on | off | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | off |
High Tide | 3:13AM0.94m | 4:09PM1.49m | 4:35AM0.94m | 5:14PM1.60m | 5:44AM0.99m | 6:11PM1.71m | 6:42AM1.06m | 7:03PM1.79m | 7:32AM1.14m | 7:50PM1.83m | 8:19AM1.21m | 8:34PM1.80m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:08AM0.26m | 11:04PM0.30m | 10:20AM0.23m | 00:08AM0.19m | 11:25AM0.16m | 1:01AM0.08m | 12:23PM0.09m | 1:48AM0.01m | 1:15PM0.04m | 2:30AM-0.04m | 2:04PM0.02m | 3:09AM-0.05m | |||||||
 |  | | | | |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — |
 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 22 | 19 | 13 | 19 | 16 | 13 |
Feels °C | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 17 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 11 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SSE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | — | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | S 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 13 |
| kJ | 35 | 64 | 102 | 194 | 157 | 119 | 6 | 212 | 175 | 99 | 73 | — | 119 | 88 | 85 | 63 | 147 | 197 | 1060 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | ENE 9 | NNE 7 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | NNE 5 | SSE 10 | E 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 |
| kJ | 52 | 33 | 32 | 30 | 14 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 101 | 53 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 13 | 33 | 44 | 29 | 28 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 15 | E 16 | E 16 | SSE 9 | E 14 | E 14 | S 8 | S 8 | E 13 | E 13 | S 12 | — | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | SSE 12 | NE 6 | NNE 6 | N 10 | — |
| kJ | 4 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | 13 | 20 | 49 | 10 | 4 | 2 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 6 | SSW 3 | SSE 3 | — | — | NE 4 | NE 8 | N 4 | WNW 3 | NW 3 | — | ENE 8 | WSW 2 | — | NNE 5 | SSW 5 | W 4 | S 9 | — |
| kJ | 7 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 25 | 297 | 37 | 1 | 4 | — | 103 | 1 | — | 52 | 27 | 3 | 461 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 75 | 0 | 16 | 245 | 210 | 137 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 223 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 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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