Surf Forecasts:
Thirroul surf forecast from 27 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period, SSE swell with 631 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 9s period with S 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 Thursday (Aug 27) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Thirroul in the next 16 days are 1.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thirroul over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, Rusty here. Look, I won't lie to you, this stretch ahead is a bit of a mixed bag, with a real slow patch in the middle. We've got a couple of windows that look alright, but you'll need to be patient and pick your moments.
The action starts this Thursday morning, the 27th of August, at Thirroul. It's a beach and reef set-up, exposed to the south-east. We're looking at a 7ft south swell, period around 9 seconds, and the combined energy is sitting at 1214, which is strong. That's a decent size, maybe a bit much for the groms, but it's cross-shore from the SSW at 6 mph, which keeps it a little messy. The water temp is 64°, just about normal for this time of year.
Thursday afternoon, the swell drops fast to 5ft, but the wind goes onshore from the ESE, so it's a write-off.
Friday the 28th, the morning has a 5ft SSE swell, period 11 seconds, with a cross-shore SSW breeze. The energy is 597, moderate. It's marginal, but you could find a workable one. The afternoon is no good, with strong cross-onshore winds.
Saturday the 29th morning is the first real standout. Glassy conditions with a light SE breeze at 3 mph, and a clean 4ft SSE swell. Combined energy is 433, moderate. It's small, but it'll be clean and fun for a log or a mid-length. The crowds are sometimes a factor here, so get in early.
Sunday the 30th morning is also glassy, with a tiny 3ft south swell. It's a knee-high dribbler, but if you're keen on a longboard, it's an option.
Then we hit a dry spell. From Monday afternoon through to Sunday the 6th of September, it's mostly flat or tiny, with poor conditions. There's a few 2ft to 3ft pulses, but nothing to write home about.
The next real chance comes on Monday the 7th of September. The morning sees a 5ft south swell, 10-second period, and a clean cross-offshore breeze from the NNW. The energy is 478, moderate. It's got some push and should be clean at Thirroul. This one is worth keeping an eye on.
After that, it's back to small, ordinary surf for the rest of the run. The later part of the window has a few glassy mornings with tiny swell, but it's really just a paddle.
So, to sum it up: Saturday the 29th morning is your best bet for clean, small waves on the glass. And if you can wait, Monday the 7th of September morning has the best size and shape with a clean offshore wind. Don't bother with the long flat spell in between.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun morning, min 10°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Wed morning, min 11°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 9 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 17 | SSE 11 | S 9 | S 11 | SSE 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | ENE 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
297 | 285 | 511 | 446 | 261 | 226 | 211 | 134 | 153 | 162 | 246 | 157 | 191 | 76 | 151 | 153 | 108 | 74 | 49 | 33 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | on | off | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off |
High Tide | 7:41PM1.53m | 8:16AM1.21m | 8:16PM1.53m | 8:51AM1.27m | 8:52PM1.50m | 9:26AM1.33m | 9:30PM1.43m | 10:03AM1.38m | 10:11PM1.34m | 10:43AM1.41m | 10:56PM1.23m | 11:28AM1.41m | 11:50PM1.11m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:15AM0.13m | 1:59PM0.28m | 2:45AM0.11m | 2:40PM0.25m | 3:16AM0.11m | 3:22PM0.25m | 3:48AM0.13m | 4:08PM0.25m | 4:22AM0.18m | 4:58PM0.28m | 5:01AM0.25m | 5:55PM0.31m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | |
5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 11 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 18 | 16 | 13 | 20 | 18 | 13 | 25 | 24 | 17 | 27 | 27 | 19 |
Feels °C | 13 | 9 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 20 | 20 | 14 | 23 | 24 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | S 8 | SSE 11 | ENE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | SSE 11 | S 9 | S 11 | SSE 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | ENE 10 |
297 | 157 | 511 | 26 | 261 | 226 | 211 | 134 | 153 | 162 | 246 | 131 | 191 | 76 | 151 | 153 | 108 | 74 | 49 | 33 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | SSE 12 | ENE 8 | SSW 11 | NE 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | SE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | SSE 17 | SSE 16 | S 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 6 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | SSE 10 |
24 | 285 | 27 | 40 | 17 | 107 | 135 | 99 | 71 | 15 | 15 | 157 | 94 | 66 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 33 | 33 | 31 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 14 | ENE 9 | SSW 13 | S 11 | S 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | SE 9 | SSE 17 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | N 13 | NE 12 | ENE 10 | NE 12 | NE 5 | NE 5 |
37 | 31 | 59 | 39 | 34 | 15 | 25 | 16 | 26 | 20 | 57 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 3 | 6 | 35 | 6 | 10 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SSE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 3 | — | NNE 4 | NE 5 | NNW 2 | NNE 6 | — | — |
— | — | — | 446 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | 17 | 1 | 20 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 36 | 0 | 2 | 48 | 0 | 5 | 94 | 0 | 5 | 79 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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.











