Surf Forecasts:
The Cutting surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 30 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 5 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 20ft (6.0m), 16s period, SW swell with 16,128 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s 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 Sunday (Aug 30) at 1PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 20s. The wind is predicted to be cross-onshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Cutting in the next 16 days are 6.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 05) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 5s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 1PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 20ft (6.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cutting over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – this forecast for The Cutting is a wild one. The whole 16-day window is absolutely dominated by huge, powerful SW groundswells, but almost the entire run is way too big for a standard paddle session. There’s a short window at the very start that’s just about manageable, and then it’s a long stretch of XXL stuff that’s really only for the brave or the crazy. Water temps are about average for the time of year, so a steamer is optional but you’ll be thankful for it in the mornings.
Let’s start with the only real window for most of us. Sunday the 30th of August kicks off with a 2.5m (8ft) SW swell, period 13 seconds – that’s a decent groundswell (combined energy 2754). The wind is cross-onshore from the WSW at 15 km/h (9 mph), making it a bit choppy, but the swell isn’t monstrous yet. It’s a “marginal” call, but it’s the most approachable size in the whole outlook. By Sunday afternoon, it jumps to 3.0m (10ft), and while the wind stays similar, it’s already crossing the threshold. Still, for the experienced surfer that Sunday morning session is your best chance to get a few without being totally on the edge.
From Monday the 31st of August right through to at least Monday the 14th of September, the swell sits between 2.1m (7ft) and a staggering 8.5m (28ft), with periods ranging from 12 to 17 seconds. The combined energy values are through the roof – three and four-digit numbers like 4770, 5052, then climbing to 13396, 11106, and even 38954. This is serious, heavy ocean energy. The wind is often clean – offshore or cross-off from the NNW and NW – giving it a clean face, but the problem is the size. Anything over 2.5m (8ft) is expert territory, and this is way beyond that for days on end. Monday 31st August has some glassy conditions on the afternoon, but again, 3.0m (10ft) and a long 14-second period is only for the well-equipped crew who know how to handle a big, pulsing lineup.
The middle of the first week, around the 4th and 5th of September, sees the swell hit 5.0m (16ft) to 6.0m (20ft) with strong winds. Thursday the 3rd has lumpy cross-chop, and Friday the 4th has a clean offshore look but the swell is 5.0m (16ft). By Saturday the 5th, we’ve got a risk of thunderstorms and a 5.5m (18ft) WSW swell with 45 km/h (28 mph) cross-off winds – that’s more of a survival mission than a surf. Honestly, this setup from the 2nd through the 10th of September looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing if you can handle the conditions.
The swell finally starts to drop a little around the 10th of September, with 3.0m (10ft) on the morning and 2.5m (8ft) in the afternoon, but the period drops to 12 seconds and the combined energy is still 2963 and 2164. That afternoon is labelled marginal, and it’s a cross-shore chop. The 11th and 12th bring back 3.0m (10ft) to 3.5m (12ft) swells with clean, light winds, but it’s still big for most people. The genuine highlight and the only true standout in this whole run is that first session on Sunday morning August 30th – it’s the only time the conditions and size align for a decent, if not perfect, paddle session. Everything else is either too big, too messy, or both.
Signing off, Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 9°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon afternoon, fresh winds from the NNW by Tue morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri afternoon, min 7°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | ||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | WSW 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
1952 | 2415 | 2752 | 3264 | 3659 | 3056 | 4586 | 3090 | 1889 | 3789 | 5497 | 6614 | 6721 | 7271 | 8005 | 13709 | 11106 | 8258 | 4915 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | glassy | off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 1:18AM0.68m | 1:44PM0.86m | 1:45AM0.75m | 1:52PM0.81m | 2:13AM0.81m | 1:57PM0.76m | 2:43AM0.84m | 1:57PM0.72m | 3:15AM0.85m | 1:52PM0.71m | 3:50AM0.82m | 1:41PM0.73m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:15AM0.16m | 7:55PM0.24m | 7:44AM0.20m | 8:01PM0.18m | 8:12AM0.26m | 8:11PM0.12m | 8:36AM0.34m | 8:23PM0.07m | 8:56AM0.44m | 8:38PM0.03m | 9:05AM0.54m | 8:56PM0.01m | |||||||
— | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | |
— | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 12 |
Temp °C | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 19 | 19 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 15 |
Feels °C | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
1952 | 2415 | 2752 | 3264 | 3659 | 3056 | 4586 | 3090 | 1889 | 80 | 5497 | 6614 | 6721 | 6125 | 8005 | 13709 | 11106 | 8258 | 4915 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 22 | SSW 20 | SW 19 | — | SW 20 | SW 18 | — | S 12 | S 12 | — | S 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
118 | 339 | 380 | — | 1111 | 1996 | — | 3 | 3 | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 4 | WNW 6 | WSW 14 | — | — | — | WSW 14 | — | — | — | — | NNW 5 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 88 | 3789 | — | — | — | 7271 | — | — | — | — | 25 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 24 | 24 | 76 | 24 | 17 | 24 | 17 | 547 | 547 | 76 | 24 | 80 | 128 | 128 | 145 | 80 | 121 | 35 | 80 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Far West of Victoria | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
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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











