
Surf Forecasts:
Sawtell-The Island surf forecast from 31 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 2 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 2 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 13s period, SE swell with 825 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 1 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 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 01) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 7s. 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 1.6m 13s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 01) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Sat 1st Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sawtell-The Island over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, checkin’ in. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks.
Alright mate, the overall pattern for this stretch looks like a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a decent pulse of swell kickin’ things off this weekend, but the wind is gonna be a real player, not always on our side. After that initial burst, things taper off pretty quick into a long, quiet period. Most of the good action is packed into the first few days.
We kick it off on Sawtell-The Island. Saturday, August 1st is where it’s at. The morning session is the real standout here. We’re lookin’ at a clean 6 ft swell from the S with a solid period of 10 seconds. The wind is comin’ from the SSW at 12 mph, giving us a nice cross-off breeze. The combined energy is solid at 1133, which means there’s plenty of push behind it. This is advanced territory with that size, and it’s gonna be a rippin’ morning. The water temp is sittin’ at 67°, which is dead average for this time of year, so no surprises there. Just be aware, the crowds can show up *sometimes*.
Now, if the Saturday morning is too much juice for ya, Sunday morning, August 2nd, cleans right up. The swell drops a touch to 5 ft from the SE, period at 9 seconds, but the wind goes glassy-light from the SSW at just 3 mph. It’s a cross-off state, making for clean lines. Combined energy is 563, still got some grunt. It’s a perfect window for a solid session with less grunt than the day before.
After Sunday arvo, the wind turns onshore and the surf starts to fade. Monday, August 3rd morning is worth a mention – glassy conditions with a 4 ft SE swell, period 10 seconds, and combined energy of 390. It’s a good window, but the swell’s already on the way down.
From there, mate, we hit a dry spell. From Monday arvo right through to Wednesday, August 12th, it’s gonna be small, messy, or both. We see a few morning windows with glassy conditions and tiny waves around 2 ft to 3 ft, but nothing worth gettin’ too excited about. The combined energy drops right off, with values under 300, and often under 100. There’s a long gap of about 11 days where you’re better off lookin’ at photos than a surfboard.
The one little flicker of hope comes on the morning of Tuesday, August 11th, with a glassy 2 ft from the SE, period 10 seconds, and combined energy of 220. It’s clean, but it’s a tiddler.
For a late call, we’ve got Friday morning, August 14th. The swell is 3 ft from the SSE, period 9 seconds, combined energy of 169. The wind goes glassy from the E at just 3 mph. It’s small, but if you’re desperate for a clean ankle-snapper, it’ll be there.
The real standout, without a doubt, is Saturday morning, August 1st at Sawtell-The Island. That 6 ft S swell with clean cross-off wind is your best bet. The Sunday morning, August 2nd is a very close second for those looking for cleaner, slightly smaller conditions.
Stay salty,
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 11°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | ||||||||||||||
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 11 | SSE 7 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 12 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 9 | S 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
487 | 163 | 683 | 511 | 373 | 307 | 442 | 672 | 377 | 286 | 168 | 48 | 34 | 45 | 27 | 62 | 269 | 194 | 169 | 135 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | on | off | cross-off | cross-on | off | glassy | on | glassy |
High Tide | 9:16PM1.60m | 9:44AM1.15m | 9:49PM1.56m | 10:22AM1.19m | 10:24PM1.48m | 11:04AM1.22m | 11:02PM1.38m | 11:51AM1.26m | 11:46PM1.26m | 12:45PM1.29m | 00:41AM1.13m | 1:48PM1.33m | 1:50AM1.01m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:52AM0.10m | 3:27PM0.20m | 4:23AM0.09m | 4:08PM0.24m | 4:56AM0.10m | 4:54PM0.30m | 5:31AM0.12m | 5:47PM0.36m | 6:11AM0.16m | 6:53PM0.42m | 6:59AM0.20m | 8:14PM0.44m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | |
5:13 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 |
Temp °C | 16 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 |
Feels °C | 11 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | E 18 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 12 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 9 | S 6 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 |
10 | 137 | 443 | 6 | 373 | 307 | 442 | 672 | 377 | 286 | 168 | 48 | 34 | 45 | 27 | 62 | 28 | 194 | 169 | 135 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 12 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | E 13 | SE 15 | SE 14 | SE 14 | E 16 | E 15 | E 15 | E 14 | SE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 7 | S 6 | S 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 |
3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 56 | 251 | 228 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 9 | 16 | 13 | 32 | 50 | 42 | 39 | 25 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 18 | E 18 | E 8 | ENE 7 | S 22 | S 21 | S 21 | E 11 | ESE 10 | E 13 | E 13 | E 10 | SSE 11 | S 11 | E 16 | E 16 | E 16 |
3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 18 | 12 | 57 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | SSE 7 | S 10 | SSE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 6 | NW 3 | — | E 3 | — | S 4 | — | S 11 | — | — | WSW 2 |
487 | 163 | 683 | 511 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | 5 | — | 20 | — | 269 | — | — | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 108 | 2 | 16 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 189 | 7 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Port Macquarie | ||||||||||||||||||||
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)
Latest Updates
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











