Surf Forecasts:
Noosa - Sunshine Beach surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 22 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 7s period, E swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 8s period, ESE swell with 545 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 22 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 7s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Noosa - Sunshine Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Noosa - Sunshine Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Noosa - Sunshine Beach in the next 16 days are 2.2m 8s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Noosa - Sunshine Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down the outlook for Sunshine Beach.
The next week and a half is looking rough, with a lot of messy, choppy conditions. But if you’re patient, there are a couple of windows where you might actually want to paddle out.
Tuesday, August 18th, kicks off with rain showers and a strong cross-onshore wind at 12 mph. There’s a 7ft swell from the ESE with a short period of 8 seconds, moderate wave energy (437), and water temps a bit colder than usual at 68°. It’s just poor, choppy surf. That afternoon gets even worse with a 8ft swell, a 7-second period, and fresh cross-onshore winds at 19 mph, making it lumpy.
Wednesday, August 19th, is your best bet. In the morning, rain showers again, but a 7ft ESE swell (8 seconds) with a gentle cross-onshore breeze at 9 mph. The wave energy is moderate (979). The forecast says wind and tide are favorable, but the swell might be too big for this break – 7ft is on the limit for beginners and is really for intermediate surfers who know what they’re doing. The afternoon is cleaner with clear skies and a 5ft SE groundswell with an 11-second period, but the wind picks up to a moderate cross-onshore at 12 mph, which chops it up. Still, Wednesday morning is your only real chance.
From Thursday, August 20th, through the end of the month, it’s a long run of poor surf. Consistent cross-onshore winds, small, weak swell, and lots of chop. There are a few glassy mornings, like Saturday, August 22nd, and Sunday, August 23rd, with tiny 3ft to 4ft E swells and very weak energy (132-146), but they’re just ordinary, not worth the drive.
The gap of recommended surf is basically just that Wednesday window. After that, there’s a solid 10-day stretch with no standout options. A brief lift on Tuesday, August 25th, and Wednesday, August 26th, brings small 2ft ENE swells with a light cross-offshore wind, giving clean conditions, but the wave energy is very weak (64-79). Not enough to get excited about.
The best on offer? Wednesday morning, August 19th. With a 7ft ESE swell, gentle cross-onshore breeze, and moderate wave energy, it’s the closest we get to a proper surf. The swell direction is okay for Sunshine Beach’s east exposure. Expect crowds to be possible there. For everyone else, it’s a waiting game.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Tue night. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed morning, min 15°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ESE on Tue afternoon, light winds from the ESE by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 16°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
395 | 531 | 429 | 283 | 462 | 245 | 176 | 207 | 259 | 183 | 146 | 103 | 103 | 115 | 165 | 172 | 169 | 143 | 97 | 80 | 119 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:58AM1.47m | 11:42PM1.35m | 12:54PM1.43m | 00:19AM1.22m | 2:04PM1.42m | 1:12AM1.12m | 3:22PM1.45m | 2:41AM1.06m | 4:27PM1.52m | 4:14AM1.07m | 5:17PM1.61m | 5:17AM1.14m | 5:57PM1.71m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:56PM0.68m | 6:06AM0.47m | 6:58PM0.82m | 6:49AM0.55m | 8:30PM0.90m | 7:45AM0.61m | 10:13PM0.90m | 8:57AM0.63m | 11:20PM0.82m | 10:07AM0.62m | 00:03AM0.73m | 11:02AM0.56m | 00:35AM0.62m | ||||||||
6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | |
— | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | 3 | 6 | 14 | 2 | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 |
Feels °C | 15 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | — | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | ENE 8 |
4 | — | 429 | 169 | 105 | 102 | 76 | 207 | 259 | 183 | 146 | 103 | 103 | 115 | 165 | 172 | 169 | 143 | 97 | 80 | 119 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ESE 13 | ENE 7 | — | SE 13 | NE 9 | — | SE 10 | SE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SE 8 | SE 7 | NE 10 | SE 8 | E 10 | S 10 |
— | — | 35 | 96 | — | 7 | 3 | — | 4 | 20 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | E 7 | — | E 13 | NE 9 | — | — | — | SE 8 | E 14 | E 12 | ESE 11 | E 9 | SE 8 | — | E 9 | S 8 | S 10 | — |
— | — | — | 64 | — | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | 30 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 3 | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ENE 7 | SE 8 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 8 | ENE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 7 | N 4 |
395 | 531 | 143 | 283 | 462 | 245 | 176 | 91 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 47 | 9 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 202 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 281 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 27 | 683 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Sunshine Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Noosa - Sunshine Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Noosa - Sunshine Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Noosa - Sunshine Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Noosa - Sunshine Beach 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 (Noosa - Sunshine Beach) 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 Noosa - Sunshine Beach 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.
Noosa - Sunshine Beach is 33 km (20 miles) from Sunshine Coast. If you plan a holiday in Sunshine Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in Sunshine Coast. Sunshine Coast has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











