Surf Forecasts:
The Spit surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 8s period, E swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 11s period, ESE swell with 943 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 8s 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 Thursday (Aug 20) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Spit in the next 16 days are 2.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Spit over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.
Well, I gotta be straight with you – it’s a pretty grim 16-day stretch for The Spit. We’re looking at a long, long run of poor surf with hardly a window worth paddling out for. It’s a pretty barren forecast for the whole period.
For the first few days, from Monday 17th of August onwards, it's all coming in from the ESE around 5 feet with a short, weak period of just 7 seconds and energy levels around 236 (moderate). The problem is the wind – a solid 30 km/h SE breeze is hammering it, turning it into a lumpy, cross-onshore mess. That’s a hard pass.
We do see a bit of a pulse on Wednesday 19th August. The swell jumps to 6 feet from the SE with a longer period of 11 seconds. The energy really kicks up into strong territory (1022), which suggests there’s some proper power in the water. But again, that cross-onshore wind isn't doing us any favours, leaving the surface choppy. It’s still a no-go for me.
Now, we do get a tiny glimmer around Friday 21st August. The swell drops right off to 3 feet from the east, energy is weak at 128, but we finally catch a break with the wind – glassy. Yep, a true glass-off in the morning. It’s surfable, but only just. You’d be on a longboard, scratching for anything. It doesn’t last though, as the wind flips onshore by the afternoon.
The weekend sees small dribbles of around 2-3 feet, and by Saturday 22nd August morning there is a clean window with a light cross-offshore breeze. The energy is pretty weak (74), so you’re looking at tiny fun-sized waves for a log or a foamie, but at least it’s clean. Don't expect much power.
After that, it’s a real bummer. From Sunday 23rd August all the way through to Monday 31st August and into the start of September, it’s just day after day of tiny, weak swell with onshore winds. Swell directions bounce between ENE and E, but heights are mostly under 3 feet and energy stays low. There is one small bump on the 27th with a period of 9 seconds and energy hitting 106 (weak to moderate), but the cross-onshore wind ruins any chance of quality.
To be perfectly honest, The Spit is a river mouth, and with the swell mostly small and the wind consistently blown out, this setup is honestly looking a lot more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing through this period. The crowds are "often" here, but with conditions this poor, it’ll be quiet anyway. The water temp is sitting around 68°, which is pretty normal for the time of year, so at least you won't freeze waiting for a wave that never comes.
So, the only two real standouts are the glassy early morning on Friday 21st August and the clean, tiny waves on Saturday 22nd August morning. If you are desperate for a paddle, those are your windows. Otherwise, leave the board in the car.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon morning, min 15°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Thu morning. Warm (max 21°C on Sat afternoon, min 15°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 11 | ESE 7 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
217 | 259 | 228 | 250 | 268 | 545 | 943 | 171 | 122 | 124 | 201 | 131 | 104 | 82 | 79 | 66 | 101 | 101 | 102 | 102 | 91 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:26AM1.27m | 11:27PM1.22m | 12:12PM1.23m | 00:04AM1.08m | 1:04PM1.20m | 00:45AM0.95m | 2:07PM1.18m | 1:41AM0.84m | 3:23PM1.20m | 3:04AM0.79m | 4:32PM1.25m | 4:42AM0.80m | 5:25PM1.33m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:28PM0.39m | 5:47AM0.27m | 6:21PM0.49m | 6:24AM0.32m | 7:28PM0.58m | 7:08AM0.37m | 8:57PM0.61m | 8:04AM0.41m | 10:29PM0.58m | 9:09AM0.42m | 11:31PM0.50m | 10:15AM0.40m | 00:13AM0.42m | ||||||||
6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | |
— | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 18 |
Feels °C | 11 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 20 | 18 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | S 18 | E 9 | E 9 | E 15 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
13 | 6 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 161 | 159 | 70 | 122 | 124 | 201 | 131 | 104 | 82 | 79 | 66 | 101 | 101 | 102 | 102 | 91 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SE 11 | — | SE 9 | SE 11 | S 8 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | — | SE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | ENE 9 | SE 7 | SE 7 | S 7 | SSE 9 | E 16 |
— | — | — | 5 | — | 53 | 121 | 6 | 55 | 40 | — | 91 | 32 | 22 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 5 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | E 13 | — | — | — | ESE 12 | — | — | S 9 | NE 9 | — | — | — | — | E 13 | SE 7 | ESE 10 | S 9 | — | S 19 | S 8 |
4 | 4 | — | — | — | 50 | — | — | 6 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 10 | 2 | — | 7 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 11 | ESE 7 | — | SSE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
217 | 259 | 228 | 250 | 268 | 545 | 943 | 171 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 237 | 28 | 22 | 28 | 28 | 17 | 28 | 28 | 4 | 14 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 149 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 0 | 28 | 28 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gold Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 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.











