
Surf Forecasts:
The Spit surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 22 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s period, E swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s period, ESE swell with 2,820 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 22 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 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 Wednesday (Jul 22) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 9s. 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 3.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) 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 0.2m 2s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Spit over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's look at what's coming down the pipe for the next couple of weeks.
It's a slow start, with a long wait before anything is worth paddling out for. The first half of the window is all about a big, wind-blown mess. We've got a solid 12 ft East-Southeast swell hitting early on Sunday, July 19th, but with a screaming 28 mph cross-shore wind, it's a total write-off. The energy is enormous, but it's just a churning, ugly, un-surfable mess.
Wednesday, July 22nd is the day it all changes. The swell drops right down to a clean 5 ft, still from the East, but the wind... dead calm. Glass. The water's at a warm 70°, which is right on the money for this time of year. The break we're talking about is The Spit, a river mouth that's consistent and exposed. On Wednesday morning, with that glassy surface, it's the one true standout. It's a beginner-friendly spot, so this is the perfect window for a learner or anyone wanting to get their longboard out. The swell has a modest 9-second period, so it's not a heavy groundswell, but it'll be super easy to ride.
Thursday, July 23rd still has some clean, glassy waves in the morning with a 3 ft swell, but it's pretty small. After that, the wind turns onshore again and the conditions get lumpy for the rest of the week and into the next.
The second week disappears completely. From July 26th through to August 4th, the swell is tiny, mostly under 2 ft, and the wind is all over the place. There are a few days of clean offshore wind at the end of July, but with the wave energy reading as low as 15, there's just nothing to ride. It's a flat spell. For a consistent spot like The Spit, this is just a quiet period; the forecasts can always change, but right now, it's a blank run.
So, to sum it up: your window is narrow. Don't even look at the ocean until Wednesday, July 22nd. That's the day. Get out there for the morning glass-off, and you'll have the place to yourself.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun morning, min 17°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSE on Sun afternoon, light winds from the ESE by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 8 | SSE 8 | ESE 7 | E 7 | E 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2596 | 2396 | 2820 | 2207 | 1620 | 1712 | 1042 | 568 | 373 | 313 | 258 | 215 | 140 | 108 | 104 | 80 | 191 | 370 | 86 | 66 | 48 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross |
High Tide | 12:03PM1.19m | 00:07AM1.37m | 12:55PM1.18m | 00:49AM1.21m | 1:53PM1.18m | 1:34AM1.08m | 3:00PM1.20m | 2:28AM0.97m | 4:10PM1.25m | 3:37AM0.90m | 5:09PM1.32m | 4:53AM0.88m | 5:56PM1.40m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:53PM0.42m | 6:42AM0.30m | 6:52PM0.52m | 7:25AM0.34m | 8:01PM0.59m | 8:11AM0.36m | 9:24PM0.63m | 9:00AM0.37m | 10:45PM0.61m | 9:53AM0.37m | 11:48PM0.55m | 10:45AM0.35m | 00:36AM0.48m | ||||||||
6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
— | 5:08 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:12 | — | |
mm | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 20 | 20 | 14 |
Feels °C | 11 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 15 | 17 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 6 | ESE 7 | E 7 | E 7 |
— | — | — | — | — | 1086 | 683 | 568 | 373 | 313 | 258 | 215 | 140 | 108 | 104 | 80 | 49 | 49 | 86 | 66 | 48 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 11 | SE 11 | E 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 7 | SE 8 | NE 9 | NE 9 | E 8 | NE 9 | SSE 11 | SE 11 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | 5 | 26 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 45 | 3 | 11 | 19 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 21 | SSE 10 | — | S 14 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 11 | E 11 | — | SE 9 | SE 11 | NE 9 | SE 15 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 19 | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | 21 | 5 | 3 | 9 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 2 | SSE 4 | SSE 7 | SE 8 | SSE 8 | — | — | — |
2596 | 2396 | 2820 | 2207 | 1620 | 1712 | 1042 | 539 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 17 | 76 | 191 | 370 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 671 | 576 | 302 | 166 | 166 | 28 | 28 | 24 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 7 |
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.










