
Surf Forecasts:
The Spit surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 3 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 13s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 2 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s period, SE swell with 564 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 3 Aug, 7AM (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 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m 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 1.8m 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 01) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Spit over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.
First up, the outlook is a bit grim for the immediate future. We’re looking at a long stretch of flat, messy conditions. From Friday the 31st of July right through to the end of the first week of August, it’s just not doing much. The wind is all over the place, mostly cross or cross-onshore, and the swell is weak and short-period. There are a few mornings with clean-looking conditions, but the waves are tiny and the energy is just not there. It’s a tough run.
The first real flicker of hope comes on Tuesday the 4th of August. The wind goes light and cross-offshore from the NW, cleaning things up. The swell is tiny, only 1ft from the ESE with a period of 9 seconds, but the energy is weak (72). It’s a *maybe* if you’re desperate and have a longboard.
Wednesday the 5th is similar – light WNW wind, clean, but again, just 2ft and weak.
Then on Thursday the 6th of August, we get a glassy morning. The wind is dead calm, which is a major positive. The swell is still tiny at 2ft from the ENE, but that glassy surface will make it look pretty. The energy is only 46 though, so it’s really just a gentle ripple.
The pattern of tiny, clean waves continues through the weekend and into the next week. There are a few mornings with light offshore winds (NW or WNW), and the swell is consistently around 2ft to 3ft. It’s all very ordinary.
Now, the real news. The true standout period is Tuesday the 11th of August through to Thursday the 13th of August. This is the best on offer. The wind swings to a solid offshore from the WNW and W, 12-15 mph, which is exactly what we need for a clean face. The swell picks up a bit, but more importantly, the period gets long. On Tuesday afternoon, we have a 2ft swell from the E with a 13-second period, giving a combined energy of 281 – that’s moderate energy and it’s a proper groundswell. Wednesday and Thursday mornings see 3-3ft from the E with 11-second periods and energy in the 200-245 range. The wind is offshore and clean. This is when you want to be at The Spit.
The Spit is a river break, and with this long-period swell coming from the east, it should line up nicely. The long period will mean longer waits between sets but the waves will have more push and shape. The water temperature is around 69°, which is pretty normal for the time of year. Just keep in mind that The Spit can get crowded, so you’ll have company.
After that, the window closes a bit. Friday the 14th has a strong offshore wind (22 mph), which might be too much, and Saturday the 15th offers a clean-ish morning but the wind goes cross-off, and the surf is just ordinary again.
So, to sum it up: you’ve got a long, flat gap until the second week. The genuine highlight is from Tuesday the 11th to Thursday the 13th of August. That’s your window. Make the call.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri morning, min 14°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Fri afternoon, light winds from the SSE by Sun night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Wed morning, min 12°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 7 | SE 5 | SE 7 | SSE 6 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | SE 9 | ESE 15 | E 7 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SE 10 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | E 9 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ESE 8 | E 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
34 | 35 | 85 | 29 | 75 | 91 | 537 | 86 | 82 | 61 | 134 | 79 | 30 | 33 | 37 | 25 | 85 | 43 | 29 | 39 | 26 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:28PM1.63m | 9:52AM1.18m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:53PM0.23m | 3:58AM0.19m | 3:32PM0.25m | 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 | ||||||||
6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | |
— | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 21 | 21 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 14 |
Feels °C | 12 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | E 5 | E 9 | SE 10 | ESE 6 | E 6 | E 7 | E 6 | SE 11 | SE 10 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | E 9 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 |
34 | 33 | 9 | 14 | 2 | 35 | 80 | 66 | 69 | 51 | 134 | 79 | 22 | 23 | 37 | 25 | 85 | 43 | 29 | 31 | 26 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | NE 8 | SE 11 | SE 10 | E 18 | E 8 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | E 6 | ENE 6 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | SSE 10 | E 4 |
10 | 2 | 18 | 16 | 6 | 5 | 34 | 49 | 82 | 61 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 33 | 27 | 22 | 5 | 26 | 12 | 11 | 8 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | E 13 | ENE 8 | ENE 6 | E 18 | E 17 | ENE 7 | ESE 15 | ESE 14 | ESE 12 | E 15 | ESE 12 | SE 9 | ESE 10 | E 13 | E 10 | E 18 | E 18 | SE 11 | E 16 | ESE 8 |
14 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 86 | 73 | 61 | 4 | 28 | 20 | 20 | 3 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 5 | SE 5 | SE 7 | SSE 6 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | SE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | NW 3 | — | — | — | SSE 4 | ESE 8 | ESE 4 |
9 | 35 | 85 | 29 | 75 | 91 | 537 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 39 | 10 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 28 | 166 | 20 | 28 | 28 | 17 | 24 | 28 | 14 | 12 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 149 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
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.











