Noosa - Sunshine Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Howdy, it’s Rusty. Let’s have a yarn about Sunshine Beach, up at Noosa.

I’ll be honest – the first week and a half is a bit of a dud. The wind is stuck out of the SSE to SE, blowing cross to cross-onshore, and the swell’s got no grunt. The wave energy sits mostly between 148 and 525 (moderate at best), but the period is only 6 to 8 seconds – all short-period slop. The constant wind makes it lumpy, choppy, and pretty ordinary. Water temp is 69°, about normal for this time of year, with a slight 1° below average – nothing wild.

Saturday morning the 15th starts with a 4ft SSE swell, but that south wind is 16 mph and cross-shore, making a mess. By afternoon, the swell jumps to 6ft, but the wind picks up to 19 mph, blowing cross-onshore. Sunday the 16th is more of the same, with 6ft swell in the morning and a rain shower. Monday the 17th pushes to 7ft, and the period stretches to 8 seconds, but the wind is still 19 mph from the SE – all bumpy. The energy climbs into moderate-to-strong (456 to 525), but it’s wasted on that onshore breeze. Through to Thursday the 21st, it’s still poor – the swell drops under 3ft most days, and energy falls off a cliff.

There’s a little gap here. Saturday morning the 22nd brings a brief window. The wind swings to WNW at 6 mph, giving a light cross-off breeze, and the swell is 4ft from the east with an 8-second period. Energy is low at 160, but conditions turn clean. Not great, but rideable. That doesn’t last – by Sunday morning the 23rd, the wind is back to 19 mph from the SSE, and it’s all lumpy again.

Another quiet stretch follows. From Monday the 24th to Wednesday the 27th, the swell drops tiny – below 2ft most days, with energy between 41 and 75 – weak. A small glassy moment on Tuesday morning the 25th with 2ft and glassy conditions from a light SE breeze, but you’d be searching for a wave.

Now, the real standout. Mark your calendar for Friday morning the 28th of August. The swell bumps to 7ft from the east, period 8 seconds, and energy hits 486 – strong. Wind is light from the NNW at 6 mph, cross-off, and the conditions are clean. This is the best of the whole outlook: solid chest-to-head-high, clean lines, and light wind. A proper session. At 7ft, it’s into expert territory – beginners might find it a handful.

Saturday morning the 29th also looks good, with 5ft from the ENE, cross-off wind from the WNW at 6 mph, and energy at 440 – still strong and clean. Sunday morning the 30th is glassy, with 3ft from the ESE and a 10-second period, giving the waves some shape and length, though energy drops to 343.

Crowds at Sunshine Beach can be a problem at times, but on these cleaner mornings with the swell holding, it’s worth a paddle. The east to ENE direction suits this exposed spot.

Rusty.

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