
Surf Forecasts:
The Spit surf forecast from 1 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 3 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 13s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 3 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 10s period, ESE swell with 190 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 3 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 13s 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 Monday (Aug 03) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 10s is also forecast. 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 1.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 3s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Spit over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, checking in. Let's see what we've got cookin' for The Spit over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, it's a pretty grim start. From August 1st right through to August 10th, it's a real mixed bag of small, weak, and messy conditions. We're looking at a lot of cross-shore and cross-onshore wind, short-period junk, and combined wave energy mostly in the weak range (under 100). There are a few moments where it cleans up a little, like Tuesday morning August 4th with a light offshore wind and clean surface, but the swell is barely a ripple at 1ft, so it's not really worth paddling out for. The only real glimmer of hope in that first stretch is early Wednesday morning, August 5th. The wind goes glassy, the water is slick, and we get a tiny 3ft of east swell, but it's still a pretty ordinary wave. The Spit is a beginner-friendly river mouth, so it doesn't need much, but those first 10 days are a write-off.
Then, things start to shift. The real action kicks off on Monday, August 10th. The wind goes offshore from the west-northwest in the afternoon, and the swell starts to build. We see a 3ft easterly swell with a clean, moderate offshore wind. The combined energy is moderate (182). That's the first day it's worth even thinking about it. But the standout day is Tuesday, August 11th. The morning session is where it's at. We've got a solid offshore breeze from the west at 15 mph, clean lines, and a 3ft east swell with a moderate combined energy of 207. The Spit handles east swell well, and with that wind, it's going to be pure. That Tuesday morning is the best of the first two weeks. It's not giant, but it will be clean, fun, and likely uncrowded for a spot that can get busy.
Now, brace yourselves. By Thursday, August 13th, the swell starts to get serious. The morning brings a 6ft south swell with a fresh offshore wind, but the period is short (7 seconds), so it's a bit of a lumpy mess. The combined energy is strong (739). That's a red flag for a beginner spot like this. Then Friday, August 14th, it goes completely bonkers. The swell jumps to 10ft from the east-northeast with a combined energy of 1188 – that's strong wave energy. The wind is offshore, and the tide is favorable, but the model is screaming that this is too big for The Spit. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it's going to be a washing machine. Saturday, August 15th, and Sunday, August 16th, are even bigger, with swells hitting 13ft and 15ft and combined energy skyrocketing into the thousands (3423, 5800). That's a full-on, dangerous, hold-your-breath kind of swell. For a river mouth, that's just not going to be fun. It's a miss for the paddlers, but if you're into kite surfing, that Saturday afternoon with the wind coming onshore, that setup might be more your speed.
So, to wrap it up: the first 10 days are flat and ordinary. The real pick of the litter is Tuesday morning, August 11th. After that, the swell goes huge and dangerous. If you're not an expert, stay out of the water from the 13th onward.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 14°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | ||||||||||||||
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 6 | ESE 6 | SE 16 | ESE 15 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 | E 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
36 | 82 | 63 | 85 | 82 | 134 | 127 | 98 | 30 | 33 | 130 | 120 | 99 | 78 | 54 | 29 | 38 | 29 | 39 | 42 | |
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 | cross-on | on | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 10:02PM1.59m | 10:29AM1.22m | 10:38PM1.51m | 11:10AM1.25m | 11:16PM1.41m | 11:56AM1.28m | 11:59PM1.29m | 12:50PM1.30m | 00:49AM1.17m | 1:55PM1.33m | 1:53AM1.05m | 3:12PM1.39m | 3:16AM0.97m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:30AM0.20m | 4:13PM0.29m | 5:03AM0.23m | 4:59PM0.36m | 5:40AM0.26m | 5:54PM0.43m | 6:22AM0.29m | 7:01PM0.51m | 7:12AM0.33m | 8:26PM0.56m | 8:14AM0.35m | 10:04PM0.55m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | |
5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:19 | — | |
mm | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | E 7 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ENE 7 | SE 8 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 | E 8 |
17 | 35 | 34 | 65 | 42 | 134 | 127 | 98 | 18 | 33 | 130 | 120 | 99 | 78 | 54 | 29 | 38 | 29 | 39 | 42 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 6 | E 8 | SE 16 | ESE 15 | SE 10 | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 7 | ESE 9 | ENE 6 | NE 9 | E 18 | E 18 | E 18 | E 16 | ENE 7 | SE 10 | ESE 7 | SSE 10 | SE 10 |
4 | 5 | 63 | 85 | 82 | 39 | 24 | 15 | 30 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 19 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 25 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 17 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | — | — | SE 9 | E 11 | E 19 | E 18 | S 8 | E 17 | SE 11 | SE 10 | E 16 | SE 10 | E 10 | E 15 |
2 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 73 | 16 | — | — | 19 | 20 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | NNW 3 | — | — | — | SSE 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
36 | 82 | 61 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 28 | 28 | 17 | 22 | 22 | 4 | 22 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 28 | 28 | 17 | 28 | 28 |
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.











