Gold & Sunshine Coast Report Issued at 5.40am 4th March 2024

Weather:

The forecast is for a cloudy day with a high chance of showers and storms, ahead of and with a SE change which should come through the Gold Coast this morning and the Sunshine Coast late morning. Top temperatures are forecast to be 29 degrees on the Gold Coast and 30 on the Sunshine Coast

Wind:

5-10kts SW/NW early, forecast to become 10-15kts S/SE on the Gold Coast this morning and the Sunshine Coast late morning. Winds are expected to become SE during the day and freshen to 15-20kts this afternoon

Swell:

There’s a 1m SE swell offshore and it’s refracting onto the beaches at 0.5-0.75m E/SE and lacking power

Tides:

Low 9am … High: 2.15pm

Best waves:

Not much doing this morning. Best chance of snaring a few waves will be to look for beach breaks early while the wind is light offshore at the northern ends of the Gold and Sunshine Coast, or at Duranbah and along the Tweed Coast

If the SE wind freshens as forecast during the morning, the points will have the cleanest conditions, but the swell is tiny and hopefully increases a bit

Best Beaches:

The best time for a swim will be this morning while the wind is light SW/NW. Early this morning and from mid afternoon to dark on the ebb tides, the water draining off the beach will enhance any rips and sweep working in and around the inshore holes and gutters. Use sun protection and despite the small swell, swim in the patrolled areas marked by the red and yellow flags.

If the wind swings SE as forecast, the bays on the northern side of the headlands at Noosa, Mooloolaba, Burleigh, Kirra, Greenmount and Rainbow Bay will be the most pleasant places for a hang on the beach