
Surf Forecasts:
South Stradbroke surf forecast from 21 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 22 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s period, SSE swell with 528 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 22 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for South Stradbroke this week:
The surf forecast for South Stradbroke over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at South Stradbroke in the next 16 days are 1.8m 9s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) 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 0.3m 3s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for South Stradbroke over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Righto, surfers, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.
It's a bit of a slow start, but there are a couple of windows that look alright. The first week or so is pretty quiet, with a few days of small, cleanish surf bookended by blown-out junk. The best bet is a Thursday morning a couple of weeks out, but we'll get to that.
The first real chance to get wet is Thursday, July 23rd on the morning session at South Stradbroke. It's a classic beginner-friendly sandbank, and that morning we've got a glassy, clean surface with the wind swinging offshore. The swell is a small 4ft out of the east, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is weak at 295, so it's not going to be a power day, but it's clean and small enough for a learner to get a few. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Saturday, July 25th morning is another one to keep an eye on. Same break, South Stradbroke, and we're back to glassy conditions with a light offshore wind. The swell is a bit smaller, 3ft from the east with an 8-second period, and the energy is weak at 211. It's a similar story to Thursday: clean, small, and good for a beginner to have some fun without any hassle. Crowds are possible here at times, but on a small morning like this, it should be pretty quiet.
Then we hit a real dry spell. From the 26th of July right through to the 5th of August, it’s mostly gutless, choppy, and onshore. There are a few moments of glassy conditions on the 31st of July and the 1st of August, but the swell is tiny, barely 1.0ft to 1ft with long periods up to 17 seconds. For a beach break like Straddie, that long period just makes it straight and crumbly, not really worth the paddle.
The one that stands out as the best of the outlook is Thursday, August 6th at South Stradbroke. We’ve got a clean, cross-offshore wind, and the swell jumps up to 4ft from the east-southeast with an 8-second period. The combined energy is moderate at 202, so there’s a bit more push than we’ve seen. This is a solid beginners' swell, clean and punchy for the bank. The water temp is still about average for the time of year.
So, the standout is definitely that Thursday morning on the 6th of August. It’s a bit of a wait, but it’s the best combination of size and clean conditions on offer. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or both.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Tue night. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed morning, min 13°C on Fri afternoon). Winds increasing (calm on Thu morning, fresh winds from the SSE by Fri afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
425 | 318 | 270 | 220 | 173 | 133 | 105 | 80 | 164 | 129 | 105 | 64 | 42 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 26 | 27 | 29 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | off | glassy | on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:34AM1.08m | 3:00PM1.20m | 2:28AM0.97m | 4:10PM1.25m | 3:37AM0.90m | 5:09PM1.32m | 4:53AM0.88m | 5:56PM1.40m | 5:56AM0.90m | 6:37PM1.48m | 6:45AM0.94m | 7:14PM1.55m | |||||||
Low Tide | 8:11AM0.36m | 9:24PM0.63m | 9:00AM0.37m | 10:45PM0.61m | 9:53AM0.37m | 11:48PM0.55m | 10:45AM0.35m | 00:36AM0.48m | 11:33AM0.32m | 1:16AM0.40m | 12:18PM0.29m | 1:51AM0.33m | |||||||
— | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 |
425 | 318 | 270 | 220 | 173 | 133 | 105 | 80 | 61 | 129 | 105 | 64 | 42 | 18 | 18 | 29 | 26 | 27 | 25 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 11 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | S 9 | SE 8 | E 12 | E 11 | E 9 | SE 11 | SSE 10 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | E 7 | E 7 | E 13 | ESE 12 |
4 | 130 | 151 | 166 | 116 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 74 | 57 | 43 | 40 | 30 | 27 | 10 | 4 | 13 | 29 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | NE 10 | NE 10 | SE 14 | SE 13 | NE 7 | NE 6 | SE 14 | E 11 | E 13 | E 7 | E 7 |
32 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 49 | 46 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 14 | 4 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 5 | SE 8 | S 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | 164 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 18 | 8 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 0 | 69 | 28 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 29 | 1 | 18 | 29 | 18 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gold Coast | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the South Stradbroke Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for South Stradbroke provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at South Stradbroke can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our South Stradbroke 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 (South Stradbroke) 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 South Stradbroke 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.
South Stradbroke is 5 km (3 miles) from the city of Southport. If you plan a holiday in Gold Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in Southport. Southport has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










