
Surf Forecasts:
The Spit surf forecast from 23 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 7s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s period, SSE swell with 366 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 24 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 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 Friday (Jul 24) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 8s. 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 1.6m 9s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 30) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Spit over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for The Spit. To be straight up with you, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and messy for the most part. We’ve got a long stretch of poor conditions ahead, but there might be a couple of windows worth keeping an eye on.
The Spit is a river mouth, exposed to easterly swell, and it’s a consistent spot, though it’s often crowded. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
We’re starting off with nothing to recommend. Thursday the 23rd has some clouds and a weak 3ft easterly swell with a short 8-second period, but the onshore breeze and poor surf conditions mean it’s a no-go. Friday the 24th through to the end of the month is a real write-off. We’re looking at small, weak swells, cross-shore and onshore winds, and a lot of choppy, lumpy water. The energy is consistently low, with values like 93 and 47 (weak wave energy), and the waves are just not surfable. Saturday the 26th of July morning has a brief moment of glassy conditions with a 2ft easterly swell, but it’s so tiny and weak it’s barely worth paddling for. That’s the only slight glimmer in a very long, dry spell.
The first week of August doesn’t bring much relief. Light rain and fresh to strong cross-onshore winds keep things messy. The swell energy starts to ramp up, like on the 1st of August with 247 (moderate wave energy), but the wind is ruining it. The only true standout, and I mean the one to circle on your calendar, is Monday morning the 3rd of August. The forecast is showing a solid 8ft swell from the SSE with a 10-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 1326 (strong wave energy). The wind is a moderate cross-shore, and the description says "wind and tide favorable." However, the warning is there: this swell is predicted to be too big for The Spit. At 8ft, that’s pushing into expert-only territory, and for a river break, it could be a washing machine. The afternoon gets even bigger at 8ft, but with a strong breeze and messy cross-chop, it’s a write-off again.
After that, the middle of August gets huge but ugly. The 5th of August has a massive 12ft swell from the SSE with a long 11-second period, and energy readings of 3612 and 3789 (very strong wave energy). That’s serious power, but with fresh cross-onshore winds, it’s going to be a lumpy, blown-out mess. This setup looks more interesting for the kite surfers than paddle surfers. The following days, the 6th and 7th of August, have some big swells (6ft to 12ft) and long periods up to 14 seconds, but the winds are never quite right, leaving it marginal at best.
So, the long and short of it: we have a gap of nearly two weeks with no decent surf. The only real standout is that Monday morning, the 3rd of August, with a powerful swell and favorable wind, but it’s likely too big for this break. If you’re an expert and you’ve got a big board, it might be your only chance. Otherwise, the forecasts can change, so keep your eyes peeled.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Fri afternoon, calm by Sun morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon morning, min 14°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 6 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SE 10 | ESE 12 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 11 | E 11 | E 11 | NE 5 | ENE 6 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
133 | 105 | 80 | 77 | 93 | 90 | 80 | 41 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 28 | 15 | 26 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 15 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | off | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 4:10PM1.25m | 3:37AM0.90m | 5:09PM1.32m | 4:53AM0.88m | 5:56PM1.40m | 5:56AM0.90m | 6:37PM1.48m | 6:45AM0.94m | 7:14PM1.55m | 7:27AM1.00m | 7:48PM1.60m | 8:06AM1.05m | 8:22PM1.64m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:45PM0.61m | 9:53AM0.37m | 11:48PM0.55m | 10:45AM0.35m | 00:36AM0.48m | 11:33AM0.32m | 1:16AM0.40m | 12:18PM0.29m | 1:51AM0.33m | 12:59PM0.26m | 2:24AM0.27m | 1:38PM0.23m | 2:56AM0.22m | |||||||
— | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | |
5:10 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:15 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 16 |
Feels °C | 19 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | ENE 6 | NE 5 | NE 5 | ENE 6 |
133 | 105 | 80 | 76 | 93 | 90 | 80 | 41 | 29 | 17 | 30 | 28 | 11 | 26 | 24 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 15 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | E 11 | ENE 8 | SSE 10 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | E 7 | E 7 | ESE 12 | E 12 | E 12 | ESE 11 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 7 | SE 4 |
6 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 26 | 42 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SE 6 | E 12 | E 10 | S 21 | SE 16 | SE 14 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | NE 7 | E 13 | E 12 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | E 11 | E 11 | E 14 | E 12 |
3 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 8 | 38 | 51 | 23 | 6 | 2 | 13 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 12 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSE 4 | SE 6 | SE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 3 | SE 2 | — | — | SE 3 | — | — | ESE 2 | — |
— | — | 8 | 77 | 69 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 28 | 0 | 28 | 28 | 4 | 17 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 17 | 28 | 17 | 17 | 28 | 17 | 28 | 28 | 47 |
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.










