The Cutting Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.41° S 142.52° E

The Cutting Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 01 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The Cutting sea temperature is
14.2° C
0.3° 

The Cutting surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


The Cutting surf forecast from 1 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 1 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 17s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 1 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SW swell with 5,536 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 1 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 17s period with SW 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 Saturday (Aug 01) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 17s period. 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 3.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 01) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.3m 10s period and expected on Monday (Aug 03) at 1AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 4PM (Sat 1st Aug)10ft (3.0m) 17s
Best Surf 4PM (Sat 1st Aug)10ft (3.0m) 17s
Most Powerful 7PM (Sat 1st Aug)10ft (3.0m) 16s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cutting over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

G’day, Rusty here.

Alright, we’ve got a pretty wild ride ahead at The Cutting. The next 16 days are packed with action, but honestly, most of it is gonna be for the brave or the crazy. There’s a solid run of clean, punchy swell early on, but it gets real gnarly real fast.

The first call is this Saturday morning, the 1st of August. We’re looking at a clean 6 ft SSW groundswell, with a long 17-second period. The wind is a gentle offshore northerly at 9 mph, so the face will be glassy. The wave energy is strong at 2462. This is excellent, but at 6 ft with that period, it’s not for the faint-hearted—you’ll want some experience under your belt. Water temp is 58°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year.

Now, Saturday afternoon and all of Sunday, things jump up. We’re talking 10 ft SW swells. The wind stays clean offshore through Sunday, but swell this size is a big lad (2462 to 4938 energy). It’s over 8 ft, so this is strictly expert territory. If you’re a beginner, stay on the sand.

Monday the 3rd gets messy. A cross-shore westerly kicks up to 22 mph with rain. The swell is still big (8 to 10 ft) but it’s lumpy and chopped out—poor conditions. That kind of setup, with that much power and messy wind, honestly looks more fun for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Tuesday the 4th through Wednesday the 5th stays poor. Onshore winds and dropping swell. Not worth a paddle.

Now, here’s a bright spot. Thursday the 6th of August, morning session. The swell drops to a manageable 3 ft, and while it’s a cross-off wind, the period is a long 16 seconds. The energy is moderate at 813. It’s clean and very good. This is one of the two best windows for the average surfer.

The second standout is Friday the 7th of August. We get a 8 ft SSW groundswell with a 16-second period, cross-off northeasterlies at 9 mph, and energy pumping at 4102. It’s clean, it’s powerful, and the wind is just right. For an experienced surfer, this is the pick of the near-term.

After that, from Saturday the 8th through Sunday the 9th, it’s back to offshore winds but with a strong breeze (19 to 25 mph). The swell is still around 7 ft and running, but paddling into it will be a battle. The energy is dropping back to moderate-high (1319). It’s clean, but hard.

Then we hit a real rough patch. From Monday the 10th through Saturday the 15th of August, it’s mostly poor to awful. Rain, strong onshore winds, and massive swell. On Monday the 10th afternoon, the energy hits 11325 with a 13 ft W swell—that’s extreme. Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th see 13 to 15 ft swells, still too big for most, and the wind gets cross-onshore. Unless you’re a charger, stay home.

Finally, we get a nice finish on Sunday the 16th of August. Morning session has a 6 ft SW groundswell with a 16-second period, light offshore winds, and energy at 1734. It’s clean and excellent for experienced surfers. A solid way to close the window.

So to wrap it up—the two real standouts are Friday morning the 7th of August for the experienced crew, and Thursday morning the 6th for those wanting a slightly smaller, clean session. Everything else is either too big, too windy, or just plain ugly. Keep an eye on the long-range stuff for the 16th, but it’s a fair way off.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat afternoon, min 8°C on Sat morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Sat afternoon, strong winds from the NW by Sun night).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Tue morning. Very mild (max 12°C on Tue morning, min 8°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
4
!
!
!
!
4
0
!
0
0
0
2
2
2
3
3
3
4
5
5
4
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
SSW
17
3
SW
17
3
SW
16
3
SW
16
3
SW
15
2.4
SW
15
2.3
SW
15
3
WSW
14
3.5
SW
12
3
SW
12
2.5
SW
12
2.1
SW
11
1.8
SW
14
1.5
SW
14
1.1
SW
17
1
SW
16
1.3
SW
15
2
SW
18
2.3
SW
16
1.8
SW
18
2.5
SW
16
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1796
4938
5200
3840
3539
2449
2520
3815
3914
2251
1645
1132
1289
837
663
489
753
2381
2601
2119
3293
Wind (km/h)
15
N
15
NNW
20
NNE
25
N
30
NNW
35
NNW
35
W
35
WSW
25
WSW
25
SW
25
SW
15
WSW
15
W
10
SW
10
W
10
WNW
10
SW
10
N
15
NE
15
NNE
25
NNE
Wind State
off
cross-off
off
off
off
off
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-on
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
2:21PM0.95m
1:52AM0.60m
2:36PM0.91m
2:26AM0.65m
2:47PM0.85m
3:01AM0.69m
2:54PM0.79m
3:38AM0.71m
2:51PM0.74m
4:19AM0.71m
2:36PM0.71m
5:13AM0.70m
2:06PM0.73m
Low Tide
8:52PM0.32m
7:46AM0.15m
9:01PM0.28m
8:16AM0.20m
9:11PM0.24m
8:44AM0.28m
9:21PM0.20m
9:10AM0.38m
9:31PM0.15m
9:28AM0.49m
9:44PM0.11m
9:26AM0.60m
10:01PM0.08m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:31
7:31
7:30
7:28
7:28
7:26
7:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:39
5:40
5:42
5:43
5:44
5:45
5:45
 mm
7
3
9
2
1
Temp °C
12
14
11
14
14
11
11
11
11
12
12
11
12
12
12
12
12
11
13
14
10
Feels °C
8
10
7
6
7
3
3
3
5
6
7
8
8
9
9
10
10
9
9
10
5
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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

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