Noosa - Sunshine Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Noosa – Sunshine Beach over the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, we’ve got a bit of a flat spell to kick things off. The first few days are looking pretty grim, with only small, weak energy around. The real story doesn’t start until later, but when it finally arrives, it’s a proper winter swell.

The first real chance of a wave comes on Sunday the 9th in the morning. It’s small, only about 3ft from the east with a 9-second period, but the standout is the glassy conditions – a light ESE breeze of just 3 mph. That’s clean, smooth water, and the combined energy is moderate at 199. It’s surfable, but don’t expect barrels. Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th are still on the small side with wave heights around 2ft to 3ft, and while the wind is offshore or clean on some mornings, the energy is weak (around 104-192). Not a highlight.

Then we hit a serious lull from Wednesday the 12th through to the end of the next week. The surf gets messy and inconsistent, with cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions. By Saturday the 15th, the swell starts to pick up but it’s poor quality—short period (4-6 seconds) and onshore. The combined energy jumps to 215 on the 15th afternoon, but it’s not doing anyone any favours. This stretch is a write-off for a paddle.

The real buzz comes in the second week. From Monday the 17th of August, the swell is building, but it's all cross-onshore and choppy, with wave heights around 7ft to 8ft from the southeast. The energy is strong (498-616), but it’s messy. This continues through to the 20th with strong energy (650-666) but poor conditions.

Now, here’s the standout. Early on Friday the 21st of August, we’ve got a solid 8ft swell from the ESE with a 8-second period, and the combined energy is very strong at 785. The wind is light from the south at 6 mph, creating a light cross-shore with small ripples. However, the call from the forecast is that this swell is too big for Sunshine Beach, which is an exposed beach break. This is really only for experienced surfers, and even then, it’s going to be a handful. The same goes for Saturday the 22nd morning, with a 8ft east swell, 10-second period, a light cross-offshore from the northwest, and massive energy at 1418. That’s serious power, but again, it’s likely too much for this break.

The best chance for most of us might be Sunday the 23rd of August. The morning shows a dropping 6ft east swell with a 10-second period, combined energy of 613, and a light cross-offshore from the northwest. The forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” That’s the one to pencil in, but it’s a week and a half away, so treat it as a promising but not locked-in call.

The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Alright, keep an eye on that Sunday the 23rd, but don’t bother with the first week. This is one of those times where patience pays off.

Rusty.

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