Noosa - Sunshine Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The outlook for Sunshine Beach (Noosa – Sunshine Beach) is a bit of a tough one. Over the next 16 days, the wave energy is mostly weak, and the wind is often working against us. The water’s sitting at 69°, which is a touch colder than what we’d expect for this time of year.

We kick off on Saturday, 5th September, with tiny surf. A little 1.0ft easterly swell with a short 9-second period, but the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s pretty messy. Combined energy is a weak 26. It’s a no-go.

Sunday, 6th September, we see a slight bump to 3ft from the north, but the period is still short at 5 seconds, and the wind is cross-offshore in the morning, which cleans it up a bit. Still, with energy only at 64, it’s nothing to get excited about.

Monday, 7th September, the swell picks up to 4ft from the southeast, with a period of 6 seconds, and the combined energy hits 168. That’s moderate energy, but the wind is cross-onshore and choppy, so the quality is poor. The afternoon turns onshore.

Tuesday, 8th September, drops back to 2ft in the morning, then 4ft in the afternoon, but again, cross-onshore wind and chop ruin it.

Wednesday, 9th September, is the first real glimmer. The morning sees 4ft from the southeast, with a period of 10 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 356 – that’s strong wave energy. The wind is light and cross-shore, so it’s clean. This is the best on offer in the first week. The swell is a bit too big for beginners, but for intermediates, it could be fun. Keep in mind the period is 10 seconds, so it’s a mix of ground and wind swell. Crowds are possible here.

From Thursday, 10th September, through to the end of the first week, we’re back to poor conditions. Fresh cross-onshore winds gusting up to 22 mph, lumpy surf, and energy dropping below 100. Not worth paddling out.

The second week starts with a bit of size on Friday, 11th September – 6ft from the southeast, but the wind is howling cross-onshore, and the period is a short 7 seconds. Energy is 355, but it’s choppy and messy. This is more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one.

We then have a long stretch of small, weak, and wind-affected surf. From Saturday, 12th September, through to Tuesday, 15th September, the swell is below 3ft, energy is under 100, and the wind is generally cross-onshore. Nothing to recommend.

Then, on Wednesday, 16th September, we get a standout. The afternoon sees a 7ft southeast swell with a 7-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 385. The wind is light and onshore. This is a big swell, only for experts, and it might be too much for Sunshine Beach. The direction is coming from the southeast, which is good for this exposed beach, but the size and short period make it tricky.

Thursday, 17th September, is still big – 5ft – but with strong cross-onshore winds and chop, it’s poor.

The final days from Friday, 18th September, to Sunday, 20th September, taper off to tiny, weak surf again. The last morning, Sunday, does have a glassy moment with 1.0ft on offer, but it’s just too small.

So, to sum it up: the best window is the morning of Wednesday, 9th September, with a clean, strong 4ft southeast swell. The other standout is the afternoon of Wednesday, 16th September, for experts only, with a big but messy 7ft swell. Everything else is a struggle.

Rusty.

Read more