Gold & Sunshine Coast Report issued at 5.45am Thursday 18th April 2024

Weather Forecast: Partly cloudy with a 50-60% chance of afternoon and evening showers and storms and a top temperature 27 degrees. There are showers on the Sunshine Coast this morning, but they should clear soon

Wind Forecast: 5-10kts SW/S early, becoming 10kts S/SE on the Gold Coast and 10kts SE/E on the Sunshine Coast during the morning and 10kts N/NE on the Gold Coast this afternoon.

Swell: 1m Easterly on the Gold Coast. 1-1.2m Easterly on the Sunshine Coast.

Tides: Mooloolaba: High @ 4.34am 5.17pm … Low @ 11.23am

Snapper Rocks: High @ 4.09am & 4.57pm … Low @ 10.56am

Best waves: Much the same as yesterday. Look for waves on the points and while the wind is SW/S early, the beach breaks on the open beaches. The wind was fresher onshore on the Sunshine Coast overnight and combined with the wind speed and direction being variable due to morning showers, the open beaches aren’t as clean as the Gold Coast  

Best Beaches: A few early showers on the Sunshine Coast this morning, but they should clear soon and with the chance of afternoon showers and storms, the best time for the beach will be this morning. Swim in the patrolled areas marked by the red and yellow flags, particularly on the open beaches, where there are inshore holes and gutters and on the morning ebb tide, any rips and sweep working around those holes and gutters will be enhanced as the water drains off the beach

In onshore winds, there’s always the chance of bluebottles being blown inshore, so check along the tide line for them before you go in the water, look for stinger warning signs in the patrolled areas, or ask the lifeguard if there’s been any. If you are stung, seek help from the beach patrol