
Surf Forecasts:
The Spit surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 10 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, SSE swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, SSE swell with 1,426 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 9 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 9s period with SE 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 Wednesday (Sep 09) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Spit in the next 16 days are 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Wed 9th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Thu 10th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Thu 10th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Spit over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Gonna keep it real with you – the next two weeks are a bit of a drought. We’ve got a lot of onshore and side-shore winds making a mess of what little swell we’ve got. If you’re looking for a quality wave, you’re gonna have to pick your moments carefully.
The first week is basically a washout. From Tuesday the 8th through Monday the 14th, the surf is just poor. The wind is mostly cross-onshore, chopping the surface up and making it a real grind. There’s a bit more energy on Thursday the 10th – the combined swell energy hits 390 in the morning and 628 in the afternoon – but it’s all cross-shore wind and messy cross-chop. That’s not good for anyone on a shortboard. It’s going to be a battle.
The first real window opens up on Tuesday the 15th. The morning is looking glassy, with a light NE breeze. The swell is small, only about 2ft, but it’s clean. That’s the first time the conditions are actually okay. The Spit (The-Spit) is a river break that’s consistent, so even with small swell, you’ll find something to ride. Water temp is 70°F, which is pretty typical for this time of year.
But then it’s back to the grind. Wednesday the 16th brings fresh cross-onshore winds and lumpy surf. The swell stays small and junky, with short periods around 6-7 seconds, so it’s weak and soft. We get a couple more clean-ish windows on the mornings of Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th, with light cross-offshore breezes from the NNW. The waves are tiny – around 2ft – but at least the surface will be clean. If you’re itching for a paddle, those are your slots.
Into the second week, things don’t change much. The swell picks up a little around the 20th and 21st, but it mostly stays under 5ft and the wind is still on or cross-on. The period stretches to 8 seconds by the 21st, which is a bit better, but the energy is still modest. It’s the same old story: not enough swell, and winds that are out of town.
So, the bottom line is there’s no standout surf in this whole run. The only moments worth considering are the glassy Tuesday morning on the 15th, and those clean, light cross-offshore mornings on the 18th and 19th. They’ll be small, but they’ll be clean. For the rest, you’re better off doing something else. If you’re into kitesurfing, those strong cross-shore days on the 10th might be more your thing, because the paddle surfing is going to be a mess.
Patience is key. The surf will turn back on eventually. Keep the wax on, and check back later.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Thu afternoon. Warm (max 20°C on Tue morning, min 14°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SE on Wed morning, strong winds from the S by Thu morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Sat morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 17°C on Fri morning). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 10 | SE 4 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SSE 8 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
47 | 44 | 132 | 78 | 59 | 76 | 381 | 624 | 393 | 329 | 340 | 185 | 176 | 176 | 223 | 64 | 82 | 47 | 45 | 45 | 36 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 6:25PM1.63m | 6:54AM1.16m | 7:12PM1.65m | 7:37AM1.27m | 7:53PM1.64m | 8:17AM1.34m | 8:32PM1.57m | 8:56AM1.39m | 9:08PM1.48m | 9:34AM1.41m | 9:43PM1.36m | 10:12AM1.40m | 10:16PM1.23m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:41AM0.26m | 1:00AM0.19m | 12:37PM0.18m | 1:39AM0.13m | 1:26PM0.13m | 2:14AM0.09m | 2:11PM0.11m | 2:48AM0.09m | 2:54PM0.14m | 3:20AM0.10m | 3:37PM0.20m | 3:51AM0.14m | 4:20PM0.29m | ||||||||
5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | |
— | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 |
Feels °C | 16 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | NE 8 | E 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 15 | E 15 | E 16 | E 14 | SE 11 | SE 10 | E 14 | ESE 7 | ESE 6 | SE 10 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 |
9 | 9 | 15 | 78 | 59 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 40 | 4 | 4 | 121 | 64 | 16 | 47 | 45 | 45 | 36 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | NE 7 | E 9 | E 9 | ESE 12 | E 15 | — | SE 23 | — | S 21 | E 14 | E 15 | SE 10 | E 14 | SE 8 | SE 19 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SE 10 |
16 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 4 | — | 21 | — | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 7 | — | NE 7 | SE 11 | NE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 12 | — | SE 19 | SE 11 | E 13 | E 11 | E 10 | NE 8 | E 10 |
— | 1 | — | 2 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 14 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | SE 4 | SE 9 | — | — | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SSE 8 | — | ESE 6 | — | — | — | — |
47 | 44 | 132 | — | — | 76 | 381 | 624 | 393 | 329 | 340 | 185 | 176 | 176 | 223 | — | 82 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 28 | 28 | 20 | 28 | 176 | 28 | 302 | 348 | 22 | 28 | 80 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 17 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
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.










