Surf Forecasts:
The Cutting surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 22 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, SW swell with 6,288 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Cutting this week:
The surf forecast for The Cutting over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 2.4m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 1.3m and 13s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Cutting in the next 16 days are 3.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cutting over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, mates, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s coming our way down at The Cutting. It’s a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, so let’s break it down day by day.
The immediate outlook kicks off on Monday the 17th. We’ve got a solid SW groundswell rolling in at 8.2ft with a long 16-second period. The energy is strong, reading 3317. It’s clean and offshore, which is a great start. Water temp is sitting at 57°, right around average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there. This is a proper session for the experienced crew.
Tuesday the 18th sees the swell back off a touch to 5.6-5.9ft. The wind picks up from the NE at 30 km/h, but it’s cross-off, so it stays clean enough. The energy is still moderate at 1935. It’s a bit more marginal, but there are waves to be had.
Wednesday the 19th drops further. Morning has 3.9ft with a fresh offshore breeze but rain showers. The wave energy drops to around 642, which is weak. Afternoon is similar, maybe a touch cleaner but lighter. It’s a smaller, less exciting day.
We get a pulse on Thursday the 20th. Swell bumps back up to 7.5ft, but the period drops to 10 seconds in the morning and the wind swings to the NW. The afternoon brings a cross-shore breeze and a bit of chop, with energy picking up to 3258. It’s surfable, but not the cleanest.
Now, Friday the 21st is where things get serious. The swell jumps to a solid 9.8ft with a 15-second period. The energy is massive at 3419 in the morning, jumping to 7829 in the afternoon. The wind is offshore in the morning, keeping it clean, but this is a lot of water. It’s going to be too big for most, definitely only for experts. This is a standout, but it’s a beast.
Saturday the 22nd is a write-off. The swell holds at 11.5ft but the wind swings cross-onshore, creating a mess. The energy is still huge, around 6000, but the quality is poor. Not a day to be out there unless you’re a glutton for punishment.
Sunday the 23rd settles a little. 9.8ft in the morning with a clean cross-off breeze. Still big, still expert territory. The afternoon backs off to 8.2ft with a 13-second period and energy of 3648. It’s a better window, but still a solid, powerful wave.
Monday the 24th offers something a bit more manageable. 7.9ft with a 14-second period and a light NW breeze, keeping it clean. The energy is moderate at 2397. It’s a good day for the intermediates who are comfortable in overhead surf.
Tuesday the 25th looks like another highlight. The morning has 6.6ft, clean surf. But the afternoon is the gem: 5.9ft, glassy conditions, and a 12-second period. The energy is 1490, and it’s as clean as it gets. This is the one to circle on the calendar. Great conditions, light winds, and a nice, clean swell.
Wednesday the 26th sees the swell fade again to 5.6ft. The morning is clean but the afternoon brings rain and a cross-shore breeze, chopping it up a bit. Not the best, but there are still waves.
Thursday the 27th is another one to skip. The morning has 8.2ft but with a fresh, lumpy cross-shore. The afternoon jumps to 11.5ft and stays messy. Poor conditions all around.
Friday the 28th is blown out. The morning is near gale-force, cross-onshore, and totally messy. The afternoon improves slightly with 6.6ft, but it’s still strong and cross-onshore. Not good.
The weekend of the 29th and 30th is on the small side, around 5.2-6.6ft. The winds are cross-onshore, which puts a bit of chop on the face. It’s a bit lackluster, but there are a few rideable waves for those who don’t mind a bit of texture.
Now, looking further ahead to the start of September. Monday the 31st kicks off with a great morning. 5.6ft of SW groundswell with a very long 19-second period. The energy is strong at 4787. Light offshore winds and clean conditions. This is a proper long-period groundswell, and it’s going to be a treat. The afternoon goes a bit cross-onshore, but the morning is the pick.
Tuesday the 1st of September brings another clean window. The morning has 6.9ft with a moderate offshore breeze. The afternoon bumps up slightly to 7.9ft with even better, moderate offshore conditions. Good energy readings around 2655 and 2936. This is a solid finish to the run.
So, the standouts across this whole period are Tuesday the 25th afternoon for the cleanest,
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon afternoon, min 9°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Mon afternoon, fresh winds from the NNE by Tue night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | W 8 | W 10 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 15 | WSW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
3212 | 2562 | 1147 | 1634 | 894 | 631 | 649 | 568 | 1024 | 1573 | 1205 | 3419 | 3651 | 5428 | 5898 | 6129 | 5161 | 3459 | 2362 | 3109 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 2:53AM0.80m | 2:19PM0.79m | 3:29AM0.79m | 2:26PM0.77m | 4:06AM0.76m | 2:29PM0.75m | 4:46AM0.71m | 2:22PM0.74m | 5:45AM0.64m | 1:57PM0.74m | 1:16PM0.77m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 8:30PM0.13m | 8:36AM0.32m | 8:51PM0.08m | 9:00AM0.40m | 9:12PM0.06m | 9:18AM0.48m | 9:33PM0.07m | 9:23AM0.55m | 9:53PM0.11m | 8:47AM0.61m | 10:11PM0.16m | 10:26PM0.21m | ||||||||
— | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | |
5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 1 | 7 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 16 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | W 10 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 15 | WSW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 15 |
3212 | 2562 | 1147 | 1634 | 894 | 631 | 649 | 447 | 799 | 1573 | 1205 | 3419 | 3066 | 5428 | 5898 | 6129 | 5161 | 3459 | 2362 | 3109 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | SSE 10 | SW 18 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | SW 19 | WSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | — | SW 18 | — | SSW 24 | SW 22 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | SW 16 | — |
82 | 57 | 781 | 19 | 4 | 11 | 7 | 224 | 620 | 322 | 1004 | — | 1112 | — | 54 | 227 | 485 | 1044 | 1286 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 10 | S 10 | ESE 6 | — | — | — | E 7 | SW 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 31 | 7 | 14 | — | — | — | 1 | 487 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | NNE 3 | NNE 3 | NNE 3 | N 3 | NW 4 | W 8 | W 10 | W 11 | — | — | WSW 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
23 | 30 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 568 | 1024 | 1363 | — | — | 3651 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 2 | 17 | 2 | 52 | 52 | 121 | 4 | 80 | 76 | 0 | 24 | 24 | 128 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 24 | 24 | 4 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Far West of Victoria | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the The Cutting Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Cutting provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Cutting can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Cutting 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 (The Cutting) 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 The Cutting 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Far West of Victoria? If you are looking for accommodation near The Cutting, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Far West of Victoria, consider staying in Warrnambool which is 4 km (2 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Portland which is 80 km (50 miles) away











