
Surf Forecasts:
Thirroul surf forecast from 13 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 7PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s period, SSE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s period, S swell with 3,075 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 14 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 7s period with NE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Thirroul this week:
The surf forecast for Thirroul over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 14) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 11s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Thirroul in the next 16 days are 3.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 2s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 20) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Mon 14th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Thu 17th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thirroul over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright mate, let's talk surf for Thirroul. The next couple of weeks are a real mixed bag, with some solid size coming through but the wind is gonna be the main character. Water temp is sitting right on average for this time of year at 64°, so nothing unusual there. The first few days are a bit of a write-off, but things get interesting later on.
Monday morning is looking alright to kick things off. We've got a light NNW cross-off breeze and clean 4ft waves from the NE with a short period of 7 seconds. It's not huge, and the combined swell energy is a weak 283, so it's small and clean – good for a longboard or a fun little grovel session.
Monday afternoon drops right off, with a tiny 2ft from the S and onshore wind, so that's done. Tuesday is pretty flat and messy, nothing to get excited about. The real story starts Wednesday morning. We see a jump to 8ft from the S, but the wind is a strong cross-shore at 16 mph. The combined energy jumps to a strong 1391, but with that wind it's going to be a choppy, lumpy mess. This one is for experts only, and honestly, with that wind, it might be more fun on a kite than a paddle board. Wednesday afternoon is even bigger at 10ft but with a fresh onshore wind – forget about it.
Thursday morning is the first real standout. A solid 10ft S swell with a long period of 10 seconds and only a gentle cross-shore breeze. The combined energy is a very strong 2674. This is proper groundswell energy, and while the wind isn't perfect, it's manageable for experienced surfers. The wave comment says marginal due to tide, so pick your bank carefully. This is your best option for a proper, big-wave session.
Friday morning is another standout, and probably the pick of the first week. The swell drops back to a clean 4ft from the SSE with a 9-second period, and the wind goes completely glassy – zero. The combined energy is a moderate 280, and the water is glass. This will be perfect, clean, and fun for everyone. Get out there early.
The weekend is small and ordinary, with light winds but tiny waves. Sunday afternoon, however, has a real wildcard. A clean 7ft from the SSE with a moderate offshore wind from the NW. The combined energy is 526, and the forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” This one is a real sleeper for the weekend.
Looking into the second week, things get bigger again. Monday the 21st brings a big 10ft S swell, but the wind is onshore and choppy. Not good. Tuesday the 22nd has a 7ft SSE swell with a very long 12-second period, but a moderate cross-shore wind. That long period is great for the reefs and points, but the wind is a spoiler. Wednesday the 23rd is your next likely winner: 4ft from the SSE with a very long 12-second period and completely glassy conditions. The combined energy is 382. That's a beautiful, clean, long-period groundswell – absolute perfection for a point break or a reef.
The final few days into the end of the month are messy again, with onshore winds and lumpy conditions. The Sunday the 27th afternoon is a potential standout: 7ft from the SSE with a solid offshore wind from the NW, giving you a clean 526 energy. That's a promising finish to the period, but it's a long way out, so keep an eye on it.
So, to sum it up: the best on offer is Thursday the 17th morning for the big wave crew (10ft, clean enough), and Friday the 18th morning for everyone else (4ft, glassy perfection). In the second week, Wednesday the 23rd morning looks like the absolute gem – glassy, long-period, and clean.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 23°C on Mon morning, min 9°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNW on Mon night, fresh winds from the S by Wed afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sat morning, min 8°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NE 7 | S 10 | ENE 6 | NE 7 | SSE 6 | SSE 9 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 11 | S 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 8 | S 11 | S 4 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
131 | 56 | 74 | 50 | 51 | 1215 | 1352 | 1411 | 2651 | 1509 | 655 | 322 | 264 | 211 | 138 | 76 | 51 | 35 | 14 | 9 | 13 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | on | off | glassy | cross-on | off | cross | cross-on | off | cross-off | off | off |
High Tide | 10:18PM1.22m | 10:37AM1.41m | 11:00PM1.09m | 11:17AM1.36m | 11:46PM0.98m | 12:02PM1.30m | 00:43AM0.90m | 12:58PM1.25m | 1:57AM0.85m | 2:06PM1.22m | 3:21AM0.85m | 3:17PM1.23m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 4:18PM0.23m | 4:14AM0.28m | 5:05PM0.29m | 4:47AM0.37m | 5:56PM0.37m | 5:23AM0.46m | 6:56PM0.43m | 6:08AM0.53m | 8:07PM0.47m | 7:08AM0.59m | 9:23PM0.47m | 8:26AM0.60m | 10:27PM0.42m | ||||||||
5:58 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | |
— | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 22 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 21 | 18 | 17 | 25 | 24 | 18 | 31 | 30 | 22 |
Feels °C | 20 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 21 | 20 | 15 | 27 | 26 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | S 10 | ENE 6 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 14 | NE 14 | ENE 13 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 5 |
54 | 56 | 74 | 50 | 39 | 7 | 20 | 8 | 17 | 1155 | 655 | 322 | 264 | 211 | 138 | 76 | 51 | 35 | 6 | 4 | 5 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | ENE 13 | SSE 10 | S 9 | S 9 | E 14 | ENE 14 | — | — | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | SE 18 | SSE 18 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | NE 4 | NE 4 | SSE 8 | S 8 | S 11 |
85 | 17 | 31 | 15 | 14 | 4 | 19 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 60 | 102 | 52 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 4 | 9 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | S 15 | E 12 | E 12 | E 13 | S 16 | — | — | — | S 19 | S 19 | S 19 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | NE 4 | SSE 16 | SE 15 | E 11 | S 11 | E 8 |
13 | 5 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 5 | — | — | — | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 50 | 9 | 3 | 9 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | NE 6 | — | SW 4 | SSE 6 | SSE 9 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 11 | S 10 | — | — | — | ENE 2 | NW 2 | — | NE 4 | — | NNW 2 | W 2 | S 4 |
131 | 46 | — | 2 | 51 | 1215 | 1352 | 1411 | 2651 | 1509 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 14 | — | 1 | 1 | 13 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 40 | 0 | 2 | 881 | 39 | 824 | 658 | 39 | 5 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 78 | 234 | 37 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Illawarra | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Thirroul Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Thirroul provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Thirroul can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Thirroul 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 (Thirroul) 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 Thirroul 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Illawarra? If you are looking for accommodation near Thirroul, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Illawarra, consider staying in Wollongong which is 12 km (7 miles) away. Other places in and around Illawarra where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Port Kembla which is 19 km (12 miles) away, Engadine, Cronulla and Caringbah.










