Coolum Beach
Pull to refresh
Hourly Forecast
Timezone: Australia/Brisbane
⏱️s.
⚡️kJ
Saturday 13
Sunday 14
Monday 15
Tuesday 16
Wednesday 17
Thursday 18
Tap a forecast cell to explore conditions on the map.
Surfnerd Logo
Join Surfnerd for free to check this forecast
Join Surfnerd to check forecasts, set your homespot, save and create spots and log your surf sessions.
Sign up with AppleSign up with Google

Coolum Beach surf guide

Coolum Beach is a popular surf spot located on the Sunshine Coast of Australia. It's an easygoing place that attracts both locals and visitors. The beach is mostly sandy, offering a casual vibe and great views. It’s a continuation of Sunshine Beach, so you’ll find some decent waves here, although it's not always consistent. The area can get crowded, especially during the summer months, so getting there early is a smart move if you want a good parking spot.

The surf at Coolum Beach works best with southeast swells and can handle sizes from about 1 foot (0.3 meters) and up. When the conditions line up right, you can find nice peaks that tend to be punchy and hollow, making for some fun rides for surfers. Waves generally break both left and right over the sandy bottom. If you’re a beginner, this spot can be suitable for you, especially during smaller swells. Wind coming from the west is preferred for cleaner waves. It’s worth noting that the best sessions usually happen around low, mid, and high tide, but conditions can be a bit fickle, so keep an eye on the forecasts.

Besides the surf, you might want to explore Stumers Creek, which can sometimes deliver better waves and even some barrels on good days. The rocky areas like Point Perry and Three Bays can also be interesting, but they need a decent swell size to really kick in, as they’re sheltered from southerly swells and winds by Point Arkwright. Overall, Coolum Beach offers a mixed bag of surf options, with the main beach often being the most reliable choice.

Surf reports and surf forecasts nearby Coolum Beach

Granite Bay
Queensland, Australia
Point break
Sat 13
Sun 14
Mon 15
Tue 16
Wed 17
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Alexandria Bay
Queensland, Australia
Beach break
Sat 13
Sun 14
Mon 15
Tue 16
Wed 17
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Tea Tree
Queensland, Australia
Point break
Sat 13
Sun 14
Mon 15
Tue 16
Wed 17
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Boiling Pot
Queensland, Australia
Point break
Sat 13
Sun 14
Mon 15
Tue 16
Wed 17
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Sunshine Beach
Queensland, Australia
Beach break
Sat 13
Sun 14
Mon 15
Tue 16
Wed 17
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Peregian Creek
Queensland, Australia
Beach break
Sat 13
Sun 14
Mon 15
Tue 16
Wed 17
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Coolum Beach
Queensland, Australia
Beach break
Sat 13
Sun 14
Mon 15
Tue 16
Wed 17
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Mudjimba Island
Queensland, Australia
Reef break
Sat 13
Sun 14
Mon 15
Tue 16
Wed 17
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Pin Cushion
Queensland, Australia
Beach break
Sat 13
Sun 14
Mon 15
Tue 16
Wed 17
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
The Bluff
Queensland, Australia
Point break
Sat 13
Sun 14
Mon 15
Tue 16
Wed 17
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24

Readme

Welcome! If you’re new to surf forecasting, check out this quick guide.

Forecast Table

The forecast table (the section on the page with all the numbers) is designed to pack as much information in the screen as possible. Although intimidating at first, it will help you make informed decisions about the waves faster, trust me :D. The table consists of roughly four sections, time and predictions, wind, waves, and tides:

🔮 Time and predictions section

Here we show the forecast thour and the overall surf quality prediction. This is determined based on the wave, wind and tide quality prediction. These individual predictions can be found on the forecast map.

💨 Wind section

The first row on the table (with the 💨 icon) shows wind speed, direction and gust. The more the wind speed the more aggressive the color (from blue, green, orange to red).

🌊 Wave section

The waves section consists of three rows, one for wave height and direction, one for period and one for wave energy. Our algorithm choices the "dominant wave". This is normally the first swell partition, but with heavy local storms it displays the wind waves. If that's the case, we display the numbers in italic and in gray.

🌒 Tide section

The tide section consists of a row with the actual heights per hour (measured at the half hour) and a table that displays the flow of the tide and the extremes (lows and highs).

Forecast map

The forecast map consists of arrows. These arrows represent all wave partitions (swell partitions and wind wave partition) and the wind. This allows you to see things like: a secondary swell or wind waves messes up the surf, or the wind is just a tick offshore so very surfable. Click a metric label in the bottom left to bring that arrow to the front — handy when arrows overlap.

Forecast Cheat Sheet

Short on time? Focus on wave energy. It’s the best single metric to gauge how big and powerful the waves will be.

Click any table cell to jump to that forecast hour. The map will update with forecast arrows, so you can see if wind and swell direction are lining up.

Use the table sidebar to switch units for height and speed.

Log your surf sessions to compare forecasts with real sessions and sharpen future predictions.

Models and Updates

Surfnerd blends multiple global and local wind and swell models using advanced interpolation and spatial techniques to create an "ensemble" forecast. Forecasts are refreshed hourly.

Surf Predictions

Our AI-driven algorithm scores surf quality, shown by green, orange, and gray dots. Each forecast hour is rated for wind, swell, and tide quality, then combined into an overall score. Here’s the scale:

Perfect
Good
Average
Bad or No Data

Session logs also feed the algorithm — the more you log, the smarter your forecasts get.

With Surfnerd, no more "you should have been here yesterday"

Wind certainty

Wind certainty tells you how much the weather models agree on the forecast.

  • High certainty: Models agree closely; forecast is reliable.
  • Medium certainty: Some disagreement; conditions may shift slightly.
  • Low certainty: Models diverge; treat forecast with caution.

We calculate this by comparing wind speed, gust and direction from multiple models (like GFS, ECMWF, Arome, and Harmonie) and seeing how closely they match. They are weighted, meaning that some models count more than others, depending on how good they are for a certain spot.

Login to do spot actions
Surfnerd Logo
Join Surfnerd+ and get:
  • 12-day
    forecast range
    (vs 6-day)
  • Unlimited
    spot checks
    (vs 5/day)
  • Expert AI
    surf forecast write-ups
"Great Forecasts. Nothing more, nothing less."
Surfnerd for iOS: Faster loading, smoother experience.
Download on the App Store