MARINE REPORT / 72 HOURS

Cairns Snorkel Report Today

Australia · Updated Mon 18:14 (AEST) · Source: Snapshot

The skinny

Poor Data updated Mon 18:14 (AEST)

Cairns has no good model window later today. Check the three-day outlook and official beach advisories.

Right now (forecast)

Good · 6.3/10

Mon 18:00 (AEST)

Later today

No fresh data for this period.

Next three days

Good · 7.1/10

Wed 18:00 (AEST)

Model estimates using Open-Meteo; not observations or safety guarantees. Check official advisories and conditions at the beach.

Score: 0.0/10

Best time: -

Main risk: Darkness

No useful morning window is showing yet.

No useful afternoon window is showing yet.

Email me when it is good Compare nearby spots Tours & water activities

Plan your visit

These notes help with planning. Rules and closures can change.

Open map

AccessCairns is a gateway. Green Island, Fitzroy Island and the outer reefs have their own wind and swell. Open those reports before you leave the harbour.

ParkingParking and boat-harbour rules vary by operator and town. Use marked spaces and never block ramps or residents.

ReservationsMany of the best reefs here are boat-only. Book a permitted operator and ask about weather cancellations.

ClosuresWind, swell, and park rules can close a site even when the town beach looks calm. Check the official source before entering.

Marine lifeDo not touch, chase, or feed marine life. Stay off coral and follow local park rules.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Sunrise

05:38

Sunset

18:22

Water

28.9°C

Max air

24.9°C

Sky

Cloudy

84% cloud

Good model window in the next 72 hours

Next good model window: Tue 10:00–18:00 (36% of the next 72h meets the model threshold)

3-day planner Best available Show data

3-day planner

Monday

❌ Poor conditions

Main blocker: Darkness

Tuesday

✅ Good conditions

Main blocker: Darkness

Wednesday

✅ Good conditions

Main blocker: Darkness

Best available hours

The next good model window starts at Tue 10:00 and lasts until 18:00.

Why this verdict

Main blockers across the next 72 hours:

  • Darkness (45 hours)
  • Tide/current (25 hours)
  • Waves (2 hours)

Jellyfish drift risk

Drift estimate from wind, swell, current and warm water.

Low · 28/100

Low peak drift risk around Tue 10:00.

warm water supports seasonal jellyfish activity; surface drift/current is noticeable; local shoreline exposure is not mapped yet.

Sightings override the model: if you see small purple jellyfish with long trailing tentacles, treat them as sting-capable and give them space.

Upcoming high tides

Next early morning high tide: Tue 05:00

Tue 05:00, Tue 17:00, Wed 05:00, Wed 17:00, Thu 06:00

Bookable snorkel tours near Cairns

Prices and availability from Viator. Check conditions before you book.

We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

MV Evolution - the regions most luxurious Outer Reef day cruise vessel

Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling and Diving Cruise from Cairns

4.7/5 3968 reviews 8h 30m
From USD 196.79 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Cairns Half Day Tour a Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling Experience

Cairns Half Day Tour a Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling Experience

4.8/5 542 reviews 4h
From USD 128.09 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Ocean Freedom: Great Barrier Reef Stylish Snorkel, Dive Reef Tour

Ocean Freedom: Great Barrier Reef Stylish Snorkel, Dive Reef Tour

4.8/5 2054 reviews 9h
From USD 159.76 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Afternoon Fitzroy Island Escape – Return Ferry Included

Afternoon Fitzroy Island Escape – Return Ferry Included

3.9/5 18 reviews 4h 30m
From USD 77.29 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Visit a pristine outer reef site

Premium Half-Day Outer Reef Snokel Tour

4.7/5 547 reviews 6h
From USD 139.54 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Cairns Full-Day Great Barrier Reef Snorkel Tour

Cairns Full-Day Great Barrier Reef Snorkel Tour

4.8/5 427 reviews 9h
From USD 173.25 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Nearby snorkel spot map

Compare nearby spot forecasts for later today before choosing a beach.

Fitzroy Island Unknown No recent score Flynn Reef Unknown No recent score Green Island Unknown No recent score Hastings Reef Unknown No recent score Michaelmas Cay Unknown No recent score Moore Reef Unknown No recent score

Forecast spot map

Use the map to see where the compared spots sit. Open a card for the hourly forecast.

Fitzroy Island Flynn Reef Green Island Hastings Reef Michaelmas Cay Moore Reef
  1. Fitzroy Island
  2. Flynn Reef
  3. Green Island
  4. Hastings Reef
  5. Michaelmas Cay
  6. Moore Reef

This is a location diagram, not a marine chart. Check the shore and local signs in person.

Nearby alternatives in Australia

Fitzroy Island

24 km away

✅ Good

Green Island

28 km away

✅ Good

Arlington Reef

38 km away

✅ Good

Michaelmas Cay

41 km away

✅ Good

Advanced forecast data

Viewing historical data

Wed 18:00 – Sat 18:00 (AEST)

Previous day Yesterday Next day Live

Snorkel Score (selected 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.68 around Thu 13:00; 9 of 24 hours are good, fair, or excellent.

Score trend, higher is better. Excellent ≥ 0.72, good 0.55–0.72, fair 0.35–0.55.

Conditions (24h trends)

Tap a chart to load just that series.

0/24 sampled hours stay at or below 0.36m (range 0.48m to 0.48m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 24/24 sampled hours (range 0.8 to 3.64m/s).

Tides range from 0.03m to 1.0m; 2 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour historical overview
Good 🌟 Good
Poor ❌ Limited
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Poor ❌ Limited
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Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
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Good 🌟 Good
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Scoring methodology (for technical users)

We score each hour from 0 to 1 using daylight and these weighted components:

  • Wave height (35%): best below 0.36m, then decreases as it rises.
  • Wind speed (25%): best below 5.4m/s, lower is better.
  • Sea surface temperature (15%): best within 20.6°C to 30.4°C.
  • Tide and currents (15%): best around slack/high-tide windows.
  • Daylight (10%): visibility is better in daylight, so night hours score lower.
Detailed hourly data table
Time Wave (m) Wind (m/s) Sea temp (°C) Status
Wed 18:00 0.48 · high 2.29 · good 26.40 · good Good
Wed 19:00 0.48 · high 1.74 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Wed 20:00 0.48 · high 1.42 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Wed 21:00 0.48 · high 0.80 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Wed 22:00 0.48 · high 0.96 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Wed 23:00 0.48 · high 1.10 · good 26.20 · good Poor
Thu 00:00 0.48 · high 1.52 · good 26.20 · good Poor
Thu 01:00 0.48 · high 1.79 · good 26.20 · good Poor
Thu 02:00 0.48 · high 1.73 · good 26.20 · good Poor
Thu 03:00 0.48 · high 1.50 · good 26.10 · good Poor
Thu 04:00 0.48 · high 1.51 · good 26.10 · good Poor
Thu 05:00 0.48 · high 1.38 · good 26.10 · good Poor
Thu 06:00 0.48 · high 1.41 · good 26.10 · good Poor
Thu 07:00 0.48 · high 1.84 · good 26.10 · good Poor
Thu 08:00 0.48 · high 2.40 · good 26.10 · good Poor
Thu 09:00 0.48 · high 2.85 · good 26.10 · good Poor
Thu 10:00 0.48 · high 3.21 · good 26.10 · good Good
Thu 11:00 0.48 · high 3.43 · good 26.20 · good Good
Thu 12:00 0.48 · high 3.64 · good 26.20 · good Good
Thu 13:00 0.48 · high 3.62 · good 26.30 · good Good
Thu 14:00 0.48 · high 3.55 · good 26.40 · good Good
Thu 15:00 0.48 · high 3.49 · good 26.50 · good Good
Thu 16:00 0.48 · high 2.98 · good 26.50 · good Good
Thu 17:00 0.48 · high 2.51 · good 26.50 · good Good
Thu 18:00 0.48 · high 1.75 · good 26.50 · good Good
Thu 19:00 0.48 · high 1.27 · good 26.50 · good Poor
Thu 20:00 0.48 · high 1.11 · good 26.40 · good Poor
Thu 21:00 0.46 · high 1.32 · good 26.40 · good Poor
Thu 22:00 0.46 · high 1.71 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Thu 23:00 0.46 · high 1.63 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Fri 00:00 0.48 · high 1.88 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Fri 01:00 0.52 · high 1.79 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Fri 02:00 0.52 · high 1.90 · good 26.20 · good Poor
Fri 03:00 0.52 · high 1.74 · good 26.20 · good Poor
Fri 04:00 0.52 · high 1.68 · good 26.20 · good Poor
Fri 05:00 0.52 · high 1.35 · good 26.20 · good Poor
Fri 06:00 0.54 · high 1.60 · good 26.20 · good Poor
Fri 07:00 0.54 · high 1.59 · good 26.20 · good Poor
Fri 08:00 0.56 · high 2.14 · good 26.20 · good Poor
Fri 09:00 0.56 · high 3.48 · good 26.20 · good Poor
Fri 10:00 0.58 · high 3.32 · good 26.20 · good Fair
Fri 11:00 0.58 · high 3.72 · good 26.30 · good Fair
Fri 12:00 0.58 · high 4.05 · good 26.30 · good Fair
Fri 13:00 0.58 · high 4.00 · good 26.40 · good Fair
Fri 14:00 0.58 · high 3.79 · good 26.50 · good Fair
Fri 15:00 0.56 · high 3.76 · good 26.50 · good Good
Fri 16:00 0.56 · high 3.56 · good 26.60 · good Good
Fri 17:00 0.56 · high 3.24 · good 26.60 · good Good
Fri 18:00 0.56 · high 2.53 · good 26.60 · good Good
Fri 19:00 0.56 · high 1.64 · good 26.60 · good Poor
Fri 20:00 0.56 · high 1.69 · good 26.50 · good Poor
Fri 21:00 0.54 · high 2.06 · good 26.40 · good Poor
Fri 22:00 0.54 · high 1.87 · good 26.40 · good Poor
Fri 23:00 0.56 · high 1.64 · good 26.40 · good Poor
Sat 00:00 0.56 · high 1.92 · good 26.40 · good Poor
Sat 01:00 0.58 · high 2.05 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Sat 02:00 0.58 · high 2.16 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Sat 03:00 0.58 · high 1.52 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Sat 04:00 0.58 · high 1.50 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Sat 05:00 0.58 · high 1.43 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Sat 06:00 0.58 · high 1.61 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Sat 07:00 0.60 · high 1.73 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Sat 08:00 0.60 · high 2.22 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Sat 09:00 0.58 · high 2.83 · good 26.30 · good Poor
Sat 10:00 0.58 · high 2.94 · good 26.30 · good Good
Sat 11:00 0.58 · high 3.02 · good 26.40 · good Good
Sat 12:00 0.58 · high 3.41 · good 26.40 · good Good
Sat 13:00 0.58 · high 3.49 · good 26.50 · good Good
Sat 14:00 0.58 · high 3.51 · good 26.60 · good Good
Sat 15:00 0.58 · high 3.26 · good 26.60 · good Good
Sat 16:00 0.58 · high 3.49 · good 26.70 · good Good
Sat 17:00 0.58 · high 3.13 · good 26.70 · good Good