Surf Forecasts:
The Spit surf forecast from 11 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, SSE swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, SSE swell with 2,317 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 14 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 6s 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 Monday (Sep 14) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 10s. 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 3.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Friday (Sep 18) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Mon 14th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Spit over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty, and I'm looking at the outlook for The Spit.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you: this stretch is looking pretty bleak. There's a real dry spell on the cards here. For the first week, from now right through to the end of next week, the wave energy is just too weak or the wind is ruining any chance of a decent wave. The combined swell energy is weak, sitting in the double digits (29-89) for days on end, with a tiny bit of pulse mid-week, but it's all junked up by cross and cross-onshore winds. It’s a real desert out there.
We do get a little spike in combined swell energy on the 16th (Wednesday afternoon) hitting 477, but it comes with a strong cross-onshore wind and a 6ft swell that's way too messy to paddle into. Honestly, that setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. That messy energy carries into Thursday the 17th, with the combined energy climbing up to 596 and a 6ft swell, but the wind stays strong and cross. The water temperature is pretty average for this time of year, nothing to write home about.
The first real hint of something surfable doesn’t show up until Saturday the 19th in the morning. The wind goes light and variable, swinging to a light cross-shore from the NNE, and we get a 4ft groundswell from the ESE with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy is a moderate 309, but it's only rated as marginal. The Spit is a consistent river mouth, but it's exposed to easterly swells, and the forecast is for an east-southeast swell, which is a decent direction. Still, with a score of just 1 out of 10, it's only just about worth a look if you're desperate.
After that, it fades back into nothing. The combined energy drops right back down to the double digits (83-98) with clean-ish winds on Sunday morning the 20th, but the swell is tiny at 3ft. The rest of the second week is a total write-off, with tiny waves and onshore winds.
So, if you're looking for a standout, there isn't one. The only half-chance is the morning of Saturday, September 19th. It'll be small, but with light wind and a clean surface, a longboard might find a few little lines. For the rest of the 16-day run, I’d save the wax.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat morning, min 15°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Tue morning, min 13°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Mon night, strong winds from the SSE by Wed afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | ||||||||||||||
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 7 | ESE 6 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | SE 8 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 139 | 96 | 37 | 120 | 85 | 62 | 34 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 17 | 16 | 41 | 29 | 473 | 651 | 569 | 589 | 468 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 8:56AM1.39m | 9:08PM1.48m | 9:34AM1.41m | 9:43PM1.36m | 10:12AM1.40m | 10:16PM1.23m | 10:52AM1.36m | 10:50PM1.09m | 11:34AM1.31m | 11:26PM0.97m | 12:22PM1.26m | 00:11AM0.86m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:48AM0.09m | 2:54PM0.14m | 3:20AM0.10m | 3:37PM0.20m | 3:51AM0.14m | 4:20PM0.29m | 4:22AM0.19m | 5:05PM0.38m | 4:54AM0.25m | 5:57PM0.48m | 5:30AM0.32m | 7:03PM0.55m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  | |  | | | | | | | | |  | | | | |
 | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — |
 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:38 | — |
mm | 3 | 2 | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 15 |
Feels °C | 13 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | SE 11 | SE 7 | E 6 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | E 13 | SE 10 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 16 |
| kJ | 4 | 18 | 37 | 25 | 17 | 10 | 34 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 17 | 16 | 41 | 29 | 4 | 651 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | E 15 | SE 11 | SE 7 | E 13 | E 13 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | E 14 | — | — | — | — | E 12 |
| kJ | 4 | 4 | 5 | 31 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 3 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 12 | E 14 | SE 10 | SE 21 | SE 19 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | E 15 | E 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 3 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 7 | ESE 6 | E 6 | ESE 7 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | NW 3 | SSE 4 | SE 8 | SSE 5 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 |
| kJ | 139 | 96 | 30 | 120 | 85 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 2 | 16 | 473 | 62 | 569 | 589 | 468 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 22 | 28 | 28 | 14 | 28 | 28 | 17 | 28 | 143 | 18 | 156 | 754 | 66 | 176 | 1391 | 22 | 22 | 348 | 22 |
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.
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