
Surf Forecasts:
The Spit surf forecast from 10 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 11 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 9s period, E swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 8s period, SE swell with 706 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 11 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 9s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Spit this week:
The surf forecast for The Spit over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Spit in the next 16 days are 2.3m 8s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 2s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Spit over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's talk about what’s coming up at The Spit. We’ve got a tricky 16-day window ahead. Right now, it's all about tiny, ankle-to-knee high waves with clean conditions, but nothing to write home about.
We kick things off on Tuesday, August 11th with small 2ft east swell and clean, glassy conditions by the afternoon. The wind is dead calm, making for a beautiful, clean surface, but the wave energy is weak (86). You’ll catch a few rideable waves, but it’s strictly a longboard or a funboard session for absolute beginners. The water temp is about average for this time of year.
Wednesday morning stays clean with light offshore wind and similar 2ft east swell. The wave energy is still low (71). By Wednesday afternoon, the wind turns cross-shore from the north-northeast and the surface gets a bit bumpy, knocking the score to zero. We see a run of mostly poor conditions with cross-shore and onshore winds through to the middle of the following week, with swell heights staying under 3ft until Friday the 14th, when a new S swell pushes the surf up to 5ft, but with a messy cross-shore wind and a period of only 8 seconds, leading to weak, crumbly waves.
The real story here is the big event brewing for Thursday, August 20th. The combined energy shoots up to 1286, and we see a 7ft ESE swell. This is massive for The Spit. But the file warns this is likely too big for the break. The wind is cross-shore, so it'll be lumpy, and a wave that size will just close out and be dangerous. This is expert territory only, and even then, it’s likely to be a washing machine. It’s the only standout, but it’s a cautionary one.
After that bump, conditions stay poor, with messy cross-onshore winds and dropping swell energy. There’s a small respite on Monday, August 24th with clean but only 4ft east swell, just barely rideable. Then on Tuesday, August 25th and Wednesday, August 26th mornings we get back to tiny, glassy conditions with 3ft to 3ft east swell. The energy is moderate (116-162), so it's clean but very small, perfect for a beginner paddle. The crowds at The Spit are often present, so you won't be alone on these small, clean days. But overall, this isn't a great run. The best bet for the whole stretch is to wait for that Thursday morning monster if you're a big-wave charger, but for everyone else, the 25th and 26th give the cleanest windows for a tiny, safe paddle.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 22°C on Tue afternoon, min 13°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 14°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SSE 8 | S 8 | SE 6 | SSE 8 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 7 | SSE 6 | SE 6 | SE 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
74 | 76 | 56 | 61 | 60 | 61 | 61 | 42 | 42 | 270 | 272 | 51 | 244 | 33 | 85 | 104 | 47 | 73 | 226 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | glassy | off | off | cross | off | cross-off | on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 7:04AM1.10m | 7:30PM1.76m | 7:53AM1.17m | 8:15PM1.78m | 8:37AM1.24m | 8:57PM1.74m | 9:20AM1.28m | 9:37PM1.65m | 10:01AM1.30m | 10:15PM1.52m | 10:43AM1.29m | 10:51PM1.38m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:21AM0.26m | 12:42PM0.18m | 2:06AM0.18m | 1:34PM0.13m | 2:47AM0.14m | 2:23PM0.12m | 3:25AM0.12m | 3:09PM0.14m | 4:01AM0.14m | 3:54PM0.20m | 4:37AM0.17m | 4:40PM0.29m | |||||||
— | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:23 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 4 |
Temp °C | 16 | 21 | 22 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 14 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 17 |
Feels °C | 10 | 17 | 20 | 14 | 18 | 17 | 11 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SSE 9 | SE 7 | E 9 | SE 6 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | E 5 | E 10 | ESE 6 |
74 | 76 | 56 | 61 | 60 | 61 | 61 | 42 | 42 | 53 | 25 | 26 | 40 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 21 | 30 | 90 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 7 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 7 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | SSE 7 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | SE 10 | ENE 9 | — | E 16 | E 16 | ENE 10 | E 15 | E 10 |
19 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 28 | 28 | 14 | 28 | — | 5 | 5 | 32 | 4 | 16 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 8 | — | NE 12 | — | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | S 6 | NE 7 | NE 7 | SSE 9 | N 7 | — | NE 8 | — | — | E 15 | S 18 | E 15 |
15 | — | 5 | — | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 1 | — | 3 | — | — | 4 | 6 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 3 | — | — | — | SW 4 | N 2 | — | WNW 3 | E 2 | SSE 8 | S 8 | SE 6 | SSE 8 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 7 | SSE 6 | SE 6 | SE 7 |
4 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 270 | 272 | 51 | 244 | 33 | 85 | 104 | 47 | 73 | 226 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 149 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 4 | 28 | 28 | 12 | 28 | 348 | 20 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gold Coast | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the The Spit Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Spit provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Spit can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Spit 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 Spit) 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 Spit 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.
The Spit is 4 km (2 miles) from the city of Southport. If you plan a holiday in Gold Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in Southport. Southport has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











