Gold & Sunshine Coast Report issued at 5.30am Friday 19th April 2024

Weather Forecast: Partly cloudy with a 60% chance of afternoon and evening showers on the Gold Coast and a 30% chance on the Sunshine Coast. The top temperature should be 27 degrees

Wind Forecast: 5-10kts W/SW early, becoming 10kts S/SW this morning and 10-15kts S/SE during the day

Swell: 1m Easterly

Tides: Mooloolaba: High @ 5.18am & 5.58pm … Low @ 11.55am

Snapper Rocks: High @ 4.57am & 5.41pm … Low @ 11.34am

Best waves: Early this morning, while the tide is high and the wind is light W/SW, look for beach breaks on the open beaches. During the morning as the tide falls off and the wind swings S/SE and freshens, the points will be the best options  

Best Beaches: Based on the weather forecasts, the morning looks to be the best time to go to the beach and in the forecast S/SE winds, the bays on the north side of the headlands at Noosa, Burleigh, Kirra, Greenmount and Rainbow Bay will be the best places to be. The Australian Surf Life Saving Championships are being held between Maroochydore and Mooloolaba and will continue through the weekend. Unless you want to watch the competition, it might be best to avoid those beaches, as there’s be a lot going on and parking will be more difficult than usual

It will be full moon next Tuesday night and tidal differences are increasing. There’s inshore holes and gutters along the beaches, particularly along the open stretches and on the morning ebb tide, any rips and sweep working around those holes and gutters will be enhanced as the increased volume of water drains off the beach, so swim in the patrolled areas marked by the red and yellow flags