Surf Forecasts:
Shark Island (Cronulla) surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 26 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 7s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 26 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, S swell with 1,004 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 6s period with ENE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Shark Island (Cronulla) this week:
The surf forecast for Shark Island (Cronulla) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 2s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Shark Island (Cronulla) in the next 16 days are 3.0m 8s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Wed 26th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Wed 26th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Shark Island (Cronulla) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, I'm Rusty.
Alright, mate, let's be straight with you. Looking at the 16-day window for Shark Island (Cronulla), it's a pretty quiet run overall. There's a lot of small, weak, and messy conditions on the menu for most of it, with a few decent windows that might get the heart beating a little faster. The water temp is sitting at 62°, which is about average for the time of year.
The first few days are a write-off. We’ve got tiny swell, wonky winds, and generally poor surf right through until Saturday the 23rd of August. That Saturday morning, we finally see something worthwhile: a clean, glassy morning with 3ft of south swell. The period is 10 seconds, so it's got a bit more push than the junk before it. The wave energy is moderate (151). This is surfable, but "very ordinary" is the word – it's a small, clean option for a longboard or a fish.
Then, after a messy Sunday afternoon and Monday, we hit a bit of a standout. Wednesday, the 26th of August, is the pick of the run. The morning sees a solid 8ft of short-period south swell rolling in, and the wind is a clean offshore from the southwest. The energy reading is strong at 933. That 8-second period makes it punchy but a bit sectiony, and at 8ft, this is strictly for the experienced crew. It’s a dawny mission with offshore winds and some size – that's the one to set the alarm for. The afternoon drops to 7ft but with a 19 mph cross-offshore from the west-southwest, still clean but on the windy side.
After that, it fades again. Thursday the 27th sees the swell drop to 3ft with clean offshore winds in the morning, but the energy is way down (205). The rest of that week and into the next is a mix of small, onshore, or cross-shore junk. The long-range glimpse into the first week of September offers nothing of note – small waves and poor winds dominate.
So, to wrap it up: plenty of flat spells, one solid window for the experts on Wednesday the 26th, and a few tiny, glassy sessions for the patient. Don't expect much else.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Fri morning, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Wed morning. Warm (max 21°C on Tue morning, min 13°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NW on Sun night, fresh winds from the WSW by Wed morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | S 9 | S 8 | NE 6 | S 10 | S 13 | S 10 | S 10 | ENE 7 | S 10 | S 9 | ENE 6 | ENE 8 | S 8 | S 9 | SSE 7 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
41 | 78 | 47 | 26 | 9 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 123 | 128 | 156 | 123 | 98 | 89 | 58 | 40 | 93 | 866 | 607 | 151 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | cross | off | glassy | on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 2:30AM0.88m | 2:59PM1.27m | 3:51AM0.87m | 4:04PM1.30m | 5:01AM0.89m | 5:01PM1.35m | 5:53AM0.95m | 5:50PM1.41m | 6:35AM1.01m | 6:31PM1.48m | 7:12AM1.09m | 7:09PM1.53m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:53PM0.51m | 7:59AM0.54m | 10:10PM0.50m | 9:07AM0.57m | 11:13PM0.45m | 10:15AM0.55m | 00:02AM0.38m | 11:12AM0.51m | 00:42AM0.31m | 12:01PM0.44m | 1:16AM0.24m | 12:44PM0.38m | 1:49AM0.18m | |||||||
— | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | |
5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 7 | 9 | 3 | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 16 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | S 8 | NE 6 | S 10 | S 8 | S 10 | ENE 6 | S 10 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 7 |
16 | 78 | 47 | 26 | 9 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 123 | 57 | 156 | 53 | 98 | 55 | 48 | 40 | 93 | 47 | 62 | 151 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 5 | ENE 6 | S 5 | ENE 6 | S 13 | ENE 5 | S 10 | S 18 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 16 | S 16 | S 15 | ENE 8 |
2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 128 | 24 | 123 | 6 | 89 | 58 | 40 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 59 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | E 9 | S 9 | E 9 | S 9 | S 18 | NE 9 | ENE 9 | E 13 | E 13 | ENE 9 | NE 9 | ENE 10 | — | — | — | S 16 |
— | — | — | — | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 22 | 36 | — | — | — | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 6 | NW 2 | NNW 2 | — | SW 3 | — | S 5 | SSW 3 | — | — | NE 5 | — | ENE 7 | — | — | NW 3 | S 6 | S 8 | S 9 | — |
41 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | — | 7 | 3 | — | — | 43 | — | 88 | — | — | 2 | 172 | 866 | 607 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 16 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 190 | 73 | 361 | 135 | 0 | 60 | 1 | 1 | 132 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 29 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Sydney South Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Shark Island (Cronulla) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Shark Island (Cronulla) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Shark Island (Cronulla) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Shark Island (Cronulla) 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 (Shark Island (Cronulla)) 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 Shark Island (Cronulla) 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.
Shark Island (Cronulla) is 2 km (1 miles) from Cronulla. If you plan a holiday in Sydney South Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in Cronulla. Cronulla has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











