Surf Forecasts:
Shark Island (Cronulla) surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 23 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 23 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, S swell with 1,342 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 11s period with S 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 Sunday (Aug 16) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 0.9m and 6s 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 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Sun 16th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Shark Island (Cronulla) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the next 16 days. We’re going to be honest – it’s a pretty grim run for the most part, but there’s one absolute beauty lurking in there if you can wait for it.
The first week and a bit is a write-off. From now through the 22nd of August, the surf is weak and messy. Swell energy is barely creeping into triple digits, maxing out around (279) on Sunday the 16th, but the wind is all wrong – cross-shore and cross-onshore junk, with short, weak periods around 6 to 7 seconds and heights mostly around the 2ft to 3ft mark. It’s not worth paddling out. The water temp is about average for this time of year at this spot, nothing unusual there.
Monday the 18th through Thursday the 20th is more of the same – rain showers, cloudy skies, and small, grovelly waves with energy dropping down to as low as (51). A brief window on Friday the 21st morning shows a slight improvement with a clean, cross-off wind and waves around 3ft from the ENE, but the energy is only (86) and the period is just 7 seconds – surfable, but just barely.
Saturday the 22nd has some offshore wind in the morning, but again, it’s tiny at 3ft. Not worth getting excited about.
Then, hold onto your board – the real standout hits on the morning of Sunday the 23rd of August. This is the one. Shark Island (Cronulla) will be pumping. We’ve got a solid 10ft groundswell from the south, with a period of 9 seconds and massive combined energy of (2175). The wind is light northwesterly, giving a clean cross-off breeze, and it’s glassy conditions. This is big, powerful surf – definitely for advanced crew only, as it’s over 8ft. The swell direction is dead south, which is almost bang on the optimum for this reef break. Expect a clean, lined-up wave. Be warned, this spot can get crowded, so you’ll want to be early. That morning is the only time to go, because by afternoon, the wind swings onshore and the quality drops right off.
Monday the 24th still has some leftover south swell at 4ft in the morning with clean cross-off wind and moderate energy (321), but it’s a step down. It’ll be good, but nothing like the Sunday session.
The following week flattens out again. Tuesday the 25th morning has a brief window with barely any wind – glassy conditions – and a 6ft south swell (475), but it’s a short-period 8 seconds and on the bigger side for a reef. It’s a maybe if you’re desperate. After that, the wind cranks up, with strong breezes and fresh winds dominating through the end of August, keeping the surf choppy and hard to ride. Lots of clean wind but the swell is all over the shop – small and weak, with energy dropping back under (200). Nothing worth planning a trip around after the 24th.
So here’s the deal: the first ten days are a desert. Then Sunday the 23rd morning is your only true gem – a big, clean, powerful south swell at Shark Island. After that, it goes quiet again. Don’t hold your breath for the last week.
Stay patient, and I’ll see you out there on the 23rd.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue morning, min 13°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu morning, min 12°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 7 | SE 6 | SE 6 | S 10 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 6 | S 11 | ESE 7 | SE 6 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
124 | 144 | 101 | 141 | 83 | 85 | 76 | 66 | 62 | 111 | 97 | 72 | 140 | 56 | 41 | 60 | 82 | 60 | 50 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | cross | cross | on | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:09PM1.54m | 10:46AM1.37m | 10:52PM1.38m | 11:28AM1.37m | 11:35PM1.22m | 12:12PM1.34m | 00:22AM1.08m | 1:00PM1.31m | 1:18AM0.96m | 1:56PM1.28m | 2:30AM0.88m | 2:59PM1.27m | 3:51AM0.87m | ||||||
Low Tide | 4:34AM0.11m | 4:46PM0.29m | 5:08AM0.21m | 5:38PM0.36m | 5:43AM0.31m | 6:34PM0.43m | 6:20AM0.40m | 7:39PM0.49m | 7:03AM0.48m | 8:53PM0.51m | 7:59AM0.54m | 10:10PM0.50m | |||||||
— | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | |
mm | 3 | — | — | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 3 | — | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 18 | S 6 | S 7 | S 10 | ESE 7 | S 9 | ESE 7 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 7 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 9 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | S 11 | ENE 7 |
61 | 30 | 67 | 141 | 70 | 74 | 76 | 66 | 62 | 70 | 97 | 66 | 140 | 56 | 41 | 60 | 82 | 2 | 50 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 10 | S 8 | SSE 18 | E 10 | S 9 | SSW 12 | S 8 | S 11 | S 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | S 7 | ESE 8 | E 10 | S 13 | S 12 | — | S 10 |
9 | 44 | 62 | 8 | 83 | 30 | 50 | 55 | 55 | 102 | 82 | 72 | 9 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 7 | SSE 18 | ENE 10 | S 17 | E 10 | — | E 9 | E 10 | ESE 13 | S 10 | — | S 9 | — | E 12 | S 13 | S 12 | — | — | SE 7 |
2 | 61 | 10 | 23 | 8 | — | 6 | 7 | 60 | 29 | — | 13 | — | 3 | 4 | 3 | — | — | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 7 | SE 6 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | — | ESE 7 | — | — | — | ESE 7 | — | — | — | — | ENE 3 | — | NNW 2 | ENE 6 | NNW 3 |
124 | 144 | 101 | 64 | — | 85 | — | — | — | 111 | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | 1 | 60 | 4 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 82 | 43 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 40 | 5 | 46 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Sydney South Coast | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
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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.











