
Surf Forecasts:
Shark Island (Cronulla) surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 19 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 11s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 10s period, S swell with 830 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 11s 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 Sunday (Jul 19) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 17s. 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 2.1m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Shark Island (Cronulla) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Looks like the next couple of weeks are a bit of a slow burner for the region, but there’s some real fire waiting for us if we’re patient. The forecast starts off with a few days of solid, clean surf, but you’ll need to pick your windows carefully.
The standout early call is Sunday morning, 19 July, at Shark Island (Cronulla). This is a reef setup, so you’re looking at a proper advanced wave. We’ve got a 6ft ENE swell, with a period of 11 seconds, and a cross-offshore wind from the SSE at 9 mph. The wave energy is moderate at 957, and the water is sitting at 62°, which is about average for the time of year. This is a true gem – the conditions are clean, and the swell direction is dialed in for that optimum SE direction. Expect very good surf conditions.
Monday morning, 20 July, holds at 6ft ENE, still clean with a light WNW breeze at 6 mph. The energy drops a touch to 803, but it’s still a solid option. Come Monday afternoon, though, the wind swings onshore from the NE at 12 mph, and the quality falls away fast.
Tuesday, 21 July, is a write-off. The morning is marginal with a 4ft ENE swell, and the NE wind hits 12 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday, 22 July, offers a tiny 3ft to 3ft ENE swell, but the afternoon turns glassy with a WNW breeze at 3 mph. It’s only surfable, nothing special.
Thursday, 23 July, kicks up a fresh S swell, but the wind is howling WSW at 19 mph, so it’s poor. Friday, 24 July, through Sunday, 26 July, sees a run of S swell between 4ft and 5ft, but the wind stays strong from the west at 16–19 mph. The energy builds from 346 to 640, but it’s all marginal at best. The wind is cross-off, so it’s clean, but the quality just isn’t there.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. We’ve got a gap with no real recommendations through the end of July, but on Tuesday, 28 July, the swell kicks hard. The morning brings a 7ft S swell, period of 13 seconds, with a light W cross-off breeze at 6 mph. The combined energy jumps to 2413, which is strong. This is excellent surf, but at 7ft, it’s pushing into expert territory. The afternoon, though, is a monster: 12ft SSE swell with a 16-second period, but the wind swings onshore from the NE. That’s big, powerful, and messy – only for the very experienced, and even then, it’s a gamble with the wind.
Wednesday, 29 July, morning is the real standout of the second week. A 8ft SSE swell, 13-second period, with a WNW cross-off breeze at 9 mph. Energy is 1713, and the conditions are clean. It’s excellent for experienced surfers. The wind is light, the swell is solid, and the direction is perfect for Shark Island’s optimum. This is the one to circle.
From Thursday, 30 July, through to Monday, 3 August, the swell stays in the 5ft to 8ft range from the SSE, but the wind gets messy. The big exception is Monday, 3 August, morning: a 8ft SSE swell, 13-second period, with a WSW offshore wind at 9 mph. The energy is 2119, and it’s clean and offshore. That’s a serious session for the experts.
The crowds at Shark Island can appear sometimes, so keep an eye out, but when the conditions line up like this, it’s worth the company.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun morning, min 11°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 8°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed afternoon, fresh winds from the W by Fri afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 12 | S 13 | S 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
792 | 647 | 692 | 643 | 631 | 460 | 307 | 325 | 269 | 164 | 133 | 94 | 71 | 205 | 830 | 328 | 279 | 196 | 319 | 633 | 442 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross | cross | on | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 12:16PM1.27m | 00:11AM1.33m | 1:05PM1.28m | 1:02AM1.17m | 1:57PM1.29m | 1:59AM1.03m | 2:51PM1.30m | 3:05AM0.94m | 3:46PM1.32m | 4:16AM0.90m | 4:39PM1.35m | 5:22AM0.90m | 5:30PM1.40m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:07PM0.41m | 6:38AM0.23m | 7:10PM0.47m | 7:19AM0.32m | 8:19PM0.51m | 8:02AM0.41m | 9:32PM0.51m | 8:50AM0.47m | 10:42PM0.48m | 9:44AM0.50m | 11:41PM0.43m | 10:40AM0.50m | 00:29AM0.37m | ||||||||
6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | |
— | 5:06 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:08 | — | — | 5:09 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 9 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 17 | 15 | 14 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 12 | S 13 | S 11 |
792 | 647 | 692 | 643 | 631 | 460 | 307 | 325 | 269 | 164 | 133 | 94 | 71 | 205 | 529 | 328 | 279 | 196 | 319 | 633 | 442 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 17 | S 16 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 17 | ENE 8 | NE 8 |
153 | 127 | 116 | 138 | 97 | 57 | 55 | 31 | 17 | 17 | 21 | 8 | 8 | 45 | 30 | 18 | 14 | 7 | 227 | 7 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 17 | SE 17 | SE 16 | SSE 15 | SE 15 | SE 14 | SE 14 | SSE 14 | SE 13 | S 13 | — | — | E 9 | — | E 8 | — | S 22 | SSE 18 | ENE 8 | — | S 18 |
12 | 11 | 10 | 22 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 21 | 7 | 3 | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | 9 | 32 | 7 | — | 6 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 3 | — | NE 4 | NE 5 | WNW 2 | — | SW 4 | SW 4 | — | S 10 | WNW 2 | W 2 | WSW 4 | W 3 | SW 4 | W 4 |
— | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | 14 | 80 | 1 | — | 3 | 45 | — | 830 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 5 | 12 | 9 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 29 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 29 | 1 | 36 | 29 |
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.










