Surf Forecasts:
The Spit surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 7s period, E swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period, SE swell with 377 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 7s 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 Friday (Aug 21) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 8s. 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 1.4m 10s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) 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 0.5m 3s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Spit over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s cut to it – the next couple weeks are going to be a grind. For the most part, the surf is small, weak, and sloppy, with only a couple of windows that might get you out of bed. The good news? It ain’t gonna stay flat forever, and there’s one morning that looks like it could be special, but you’ll need to wait for it.
The first few days are a wash. Wednesday the 19th kicks off with a cross-onshore breeze and a choppy 5ft of swell, but the energy is soft and the period is short. It’s ugly. Thursday is more of the same, just smaller. Friday morning the 21st is the first time we see a hint of hope – the wind goes glassy, and there’s a tiny 3ft wave with an easterly direction. It’s surfable, but honestly, nothing to write home about.
The weekend follows the same theme. Saturday the 22nd has a clean, cross-off breeze in the morning, but the swell is still tiny at 3ft. Sunday and Monday mornings are glassy but small as well. There’s just no push. We’re talking weak, short-period energy that’s going to feel mushy. If you’re desperate for a splash, you can get wet, but you won’t be getting any proper waves.
The middle of the week doesn’t offer much of a change. Tuesday the 25th has more wind, and while Wednesday the 26th sees a proper offshore breeze, the swell is still only 3ft. It’s clean, but it’s tiny. This pattern of small, clean but weak surf continues right through the 29th. A real lull.
Now, here’s the standout. Sunday morning the 30th of August. The forecast shows a jump in size – 7ft of swell coming from the SSE, with a period of 9 seconds. The wind is a light cross-offshore, the water temp is 68° which is about normal for this time of year, and the energy is strong. This looks like the best surf of the entire period. The Spit is a river break, and this swell direction is perfect for it. It’s going to have some real power behind it. This is the one to circle on the calendar. But, and it’s a big but – 7ft is pushing it for beginners. This is one for the experienced crew. After that, the swell quickly fades again, and the following week looks pretty grim. Monday the 31st has a fresh cross-shore breeze and lumpy conditions, and Tuesday the 1st of September has a bigger 6ft swell, but it’s coming in from the SSE with a cross-onshore wind, making it choppy and messy. Not a good look.
So, to sum it up: we’ve got a long, flat, and uninspiring stretch of days ahead. All the early mornings are small, and the afternoons are a mess. The one bright spot is that Sunday morning the 30th, which looks like it could be a real treat if you’ve got the skills to handle it. Everything after that is back to small and messy. Keep your hopes up, because this spot is consistent, so the surf won’t stay pathetic forever. But for now, be patient.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed morning, min 16°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 20°C on Mon morning, min 15°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 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) | SE 11 | ESE 7 | ESE 10 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
564 | 178 | 120 | 178 | 187 | 130 | 82 | 38 | 63 | 67 | 65 | 73 | 81 | 58 | 57 | 62 | 62 | 85 | 85 | 87 | 116 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:04PM1.20m | 00:45AM0.95m | 2:07PM1.18m | 1:41AM0.84m | 3:23PM1.20m | 3:04AM0.79m | 4:32PM1.25m | 4:42AM0.80m | 5:25PM1.33m | 5:45AM0.86m | 6:07PM1.41m | 6:29AM0.94m | 6:43PM1.48m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:28PM0.58m | 7:08AM0.37m | 8:57PM0.61m | 8:04AM0.41m | 10:29PM0.58m | 9:09AM0.42m | 11:31PM0.50m | 10:15AM0.40m | 00:13AM0.42m | 11:10AM0.36m | 00:48AM0.33m | 11:57AM0.31m | 1:19AM0.26m | ||||||||
6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | |
— | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | |
mm | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 6 |
Temp °C | 19 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 |
Feels °C | 15 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | ENE 7 | ESE 10 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
134 | 70 | 120 | 178 | 187 | 130 | 82 | 38 | 63 | 67 | 65 | 73 | 81 | 58 | 57 | 62 | 62 | 85 | 85 | 87 | 116 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 11 | — | ENE 7 | ESE 9 | — | ESE 8 | NE 7 | ESE 7 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | ENE 9 | SE 9 | SE 7 | SSE 7 | — | NE 7 | S 7 | S 6 | S 6 | — | NE 8 |
151 | — | 47 | 32 | — | 85 | 47 | 29 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 5 | — | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 9 | — | — | SE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | E 14 | E 12 | SE 7 | SE 7 | S 9 | NE 10 | S 8 | S 9 | S 7 | NNE 7 | — | S 9 | — |
— | — | 6 | — | — | 71 | 34 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 4 | — | 7 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 11 | ESE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 2 | NNE 4 | N 5 |
564 | 178 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 7 | 20 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 28 | 28 | 14 | 22 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 176 | 0 | 0 | 81 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 149 | 0 | 130 | 149 | 66 |
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.











