
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 2,432 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 17 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period with SSE 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 Thursday (Sep 17) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.8m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore 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 0.4m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 17) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| 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
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve gotta be straight with you—this 16-day stretch for The Spit is a tough one. The forecast is pretty bleak, with no real standouts to get excited about. We’ve got a long gap of poor conditions from now (11 September) all the way through, with only a brief flicker of hope near the middle of the second week, but even that’s marginal. If you’re desperate for a paddle, there’s literally one morning that might offer a glimpse of something, but don't hold your breath.
Alright, let’s start with the first recommendation we get, which is Friday morning, 11 September. The Spit is an exposed river mouth, and the swell is 7 ft from the SSE with a 9-second period. The combined swell energy is moderate at 966, but honestly the cross-shore wind is nasty, blowing at 12 mph from the south, and it’s putting a chop on the surface. The water temp is about average for this time of year at 69°, nothing unusual there. The setup is too big for this break anyway, so it’s a no-go for surf. The whole of Friday afternoon and all of Saturday and Sunday (12-13 September) are a write-off—small, weak swell with cross-onshore winds and choppy seas.
We slide into the next week, Monday 14 September right through to Friday 18 September, and it’s more of the same: tiny, gutless swell (2 ft to 2 ft) with periods of 6 seconds, and energy readings as low as 30. The wind is either cross-shore or cross-off, but it’s not making up for the lack of waves. A few mornings see clean conditions (like Tuesday 15 and Thursday 17), but the swell is pathetic. On Wednesday afternoon the 16th, a sudden jump to 7 ft from the SSE and 8-second period with 558 of energy arrives, but that’s locked into a strong 28 mph cross-shore wind—total mess, and the wave comment says “poor surf conditions” outright.
The only slight highlight in this whole stretch is Saturday morning, 19 September. We get a 4 ft swell from the ESE with a 10-second period (that’s a longer period, good shape potential, but it’s a SE swell direction, not the optimum E for The Spit). The combined energy is moderate at 516. The wind is a gentle 9 mph cross-onshore from the ESE, so it’s a bit choppy, but the wave comment says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions,” giving it a score of 1 out of 10. That’s the best on offer, but it’s still a “maybe” at best. The crowds at The Spit are often busy, so if you do go, you’ll have company, but the waves are so weak it’s unlikely to be crowded with surfers.
After that, from Sunday 20 September onwards, it’s back into the doldrums: tiny swells (1 ft to 3 ft) with weak energy (25 to 110), mostly cross-onshore or cross-shore winds, and the wave comment never gets above “poor surf conditions.” The second week (from about 21 September to the 26th) is uninspired—barely any size, and the wind is often fresh and messy.
So, bottom line: this is a blank run for The Spit. No standout sessions. The faintest flicker is Saturday morning 19 September, but it’s marginal. For a river mouth that’s usually consistent, this is a rough patch. Keep an eye on the forecasts, because it tends not to stay poor for long. Until then, maybe it’s time to clean the wax off your board and wait.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 15°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Tue morning, min 12°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Mon night, strong winds from the SSE by Wed morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 9 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | E 6 | E 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 6 | E 6 | SSE 8 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
732 | 219 | 467 | 63 | 39 | 31 | 82 | 62 | 34 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 17 | 16 | 41 | 20 | 554 | 919 | 546 | 614 | 1736 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 8:32PM1.57m | 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 | 2:11PM0.11m | 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 | ||||||||
5:50 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | |
— | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:38 | — | |
mm | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 16 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | E 14 | ESE 6 | E 6 | SE 7 | E 6 | SE 11 | SSE 10 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 6 | E 6 | E 13 | — | NE 13 | NE 13 | SE 9 |
230 | 4 | 61 | 38 | 37 | 31 | 18 | 11 | 34 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 17 | 16 | 41 | 20 | 4 | — | 7 | 7 | 499 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | S 22 | SE 8 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 6 | E 13 | E 13 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | NNE 5 | — | — | — | — | — |
4 | 9 | 53 | 18 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | E 14 | E 15 | E 14 | SE 8 | SE 21 | SE 19 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | E 15 | E 15 | E 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | E 6 | — | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | NNW 3 | SSE 2 | SSE 8 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 9 |
732 | 219 | 467 | 63 | 39 | — | 82 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 1 | 2 | 554 | 919 | 546 | 614 | 1736 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 14 | 28 | 17 | 28 | 28 | 17 | 28 | 28 | 17 | 28 | 176 | 17 | 18 | 288 | 66 | 176 | 1391 | 22 | 460 | 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.










