MARINE REPORT / 72 HOURS

Great Barrier Reef Snorkel Report Today

Australia · Updated Wed 21:59 (AEST) · Source: Snapshot

The skinny

Go in the best window Data updated Wed 21:59 (AEST)

Great Barrier Reef has a usable snorkeling window around Thu 10:00. The main thing to watch is tide/current.

Right now (forecast)

Poor · 0.0/10

Thu 00:00 (AEST)

Later today

Excellent · 7.4/10

Thu 12:00 (AEST)

Next three days

Excellent · 7.7/10

Fri 11:00 (AEST)

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

Score: 7.4/10

Best time: Thu 10:00

Main risk: Tide/Current

Best morning signal: Thu 10:00 (Good).

Best afternoon signal: Thu 12:00 (Excellent). Peak afternoon wind is about 2.5 m/s.

Later today looks usable around Thu 10:00. Check boat availability.

Email me when it is good Compare nearby spots Check boat availability

Best nearby spots later today

Port Douglas 8.2/10 Excellent · Thu 18:00 Cairns 7.5/10 Excellent · Thu 18:00 Heron Island 6.1/10 Good · Thu 13:00

Planning Great Barrier Reef in January? Where to snorkel in January compares destinations and local seasonal cautions.

Plan your visit

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

Open map

AccessMost Great Barrier Reef snorkeling is a boat trip from Cairns, Port Douglas or an island. Use the site cards below, not the mainland harbour, for the reef forecast.

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

27.6°C

Max air

27.0°C

Sky

Cloudy

98% cloud

Good model window in the next 72 hours

Next good model window: Thu 10:00–18:00 (38% of the next 72h meets the model threshold)

3-day planner Best available Show data

3-day planner

Thursday

✅ Excellent conditions

Main blocker: Tide/current

Friday

✅ Excellent conditions

Main blocker: Tide/current

Saturday

✅ Good conditions

Main blocker: Tide/current

Best available hours

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

Why this verdict

Main blockers across the next 72 hours:

  • Tide/current (67 hours)
  • Darkness (41 hours)

Jellyfish drift risk

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

Low · 34/100

Low peak drift risk around Thu 15:00.

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: Thu 06:00

Thu 06:00, Thu 18:00, Fri 07:00, Fri 18:00, Sat 07:00, Sat 19:00

Bookable snorkel tours near Great Barrier Reef

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

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

Silversonic 3 Outer Barrier Reef Sites in 1 Day from Port Douglas

Silversonic 3 Outer Barrier Reef Sites in 1 Day from Port Douglas

4.8/5 556 reviews 10h
From USD 197.99 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Low Isles

Half Day Low Isles Snorkelling Tour from Port Douglas

4.8/5 414 reviews 4h
From USD 174.69 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Afternoon Low Isles Snorkelling & Sunset Sail from Port Douglas

Afternoon Low Isles Snorkelling & Sunset Sail from Port Douglas

4.8/5 370 reviews 5h 30m
From USD 233.28 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Outer Reef Mackay Cay Sail & Snorkel Adventure from Port Douglas

Outer Reef Mackay Cay Sail & Snorkel Adventure from Port Douglas

4.9/5 474 reviews 9h
From USD 236.48 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Green Island Day Trip from Cairns with Beaches Transfers

Green Island Day Trip from Cairns with Beaches Transfers

4.5/5 14 reviews 8h
From USD 118.59 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Calypso Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise from Port Douglas

Calypso Outer Great Barrier Reef Cruise from Port Douglas

4.8/5 1475 reviews 8h
From USD 226.53 Check availability

Free cancellation available

Nearby snorkel spot map

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

Port Douglas Excellent · Thu 18:00 8.2/10 Cairns Excellent · Thu 18:00 7.5/10 Heron Island Good · Thu 13:00 6.1/10 Whitsundays Fair · Thu 17:00 5.4/10 Lady Elliot Island Fair · Thu 12:00 4.8/10

Forecast spot map

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

Port Douglas Cairns Heron Island Whitsundays Lady Elliot Island
  1. Port Douglas
  2. Cairns
  3. Heron Island
  4. Whitsundays
  5. Lady Elliot Island

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

Nearby alternatives in Australia

Low Isles

18 km away

✅ Good

Agincourt Reef

33 km away

✅ Good

Port Douglas

33 km away

✅ Good

Hastings Reef

43 km away

✅ Good

Advanced forecast data

Viewing historical data

Tue 00:00 – Fri 00:00 (AEST)

Previous day Yesterday Next day Live

Snorkel Score (selected 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.56 around Tue 18:00; 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 0.38m to 0.42m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 19/24 sampled hours (range 2.81 to 5.84m/s).

Tides range from -0.59m to 1.65m; 2 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour historical overview
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Good 🌟 Good
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Good 🌟 Good
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Fair ⚠️ Fair
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Good 🌟 Good
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
Poor ❌ Limited
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
Tue 00:00 0.38 · high 4.57 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Tue 01:00 0.40 · high 4.40 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Tue 02:00 0.40 · high 3.69 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Tue 03:00 0.40 · high 3.63 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Tue 04:00 0.40 · high 3.66 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Tue 05:00 0.40 · high 4.07 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Tue 06:00 0.40 · high 4.92 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Tue 07:00 0.40 · high 5.84 · high 26.80 · good Poor
Tue 08:00 0.40 · high 5.54 · high 26.80 · good Poor
Tue 09:00 0.42 · high 5.72 · high 26.80 · good Poor
Tue 10:00 0.42 · high 5.64 · high 26.80 · good Fair
Tue 11:00 0.42 · high 5.52 · high 26.90 · good Fair
Tue 12:00 0.42 · high 5.30 · good 27.00 · good Fair
Tue 13:00 0.42 · high 5.03 · good 27.10 · good Fair
Tue 14:00 0.42 · high 4.53 · good 27.20 · good Fair
Tue 15:00 0.42 · high 4.26 · good 27.30 · good Fair
Tue 16:00 0.42 · high 2.81 · good 27.40 · good Fair
Tue 17:00 0.42 · high 3.04 · good 27.40 · good Fair
Tue 18:00 0.40 · high 3.15 · good 27.30 · good Good
Tue 19:00 0.40 · high 3.44 · good 27.10 · good Poor
Tue 20:00 0.40 · high 3.05 · good 27.10 · good Poor
Tue 21:00 0.38 · high 3.39 · good 27.00 · good Poor
Tue 22:00 0.38 · high 4.24 · good 27.00 · good Poor
Tue 23:00 0.38 · high 4.28 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Wed 00:00 0.40 · high 4.08 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Wed 01:00 0.40 · high 4.35 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Wed 02:00 0.40 · high 3.96 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Wed 03:00 0.42 · high 4.16 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Wed 04:00 0.42 · high 4.57 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Wed 05:00 0.42 · high 4.83 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Wed 06:00 0.42 · high 4.77 · good 26.80 · good Poor
Wed 07:00 0.42 · high 4.70 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Wed 08:00 0.42 · high 5.04 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Wed 09:00 0.42 · high 5.48 · high 26.90 · good Poor
Wed 10:00 0.42 · high 4.75 · good 27.00 · good Good
Wed 11:00 0.42 · high 5.20 · good 27.00 · good Fair
Wed 12:00 0.40 · high 4.49 · good 27.10 · good Fair
Wed 13:00 0.40 · high 4.06 · good 27.20 · good Fair
Wed 14:00 0.40 · high 3.98 · good 27.30 · good Fair
Wed 15:00 0.40 · high 3.59 · good 27.40 · good Fair
Wed 16:00 0.40 · high 3.15 · good 27.40 · good Good
Wed 17:00 0.40 · high 2.86 · good 27.40 · good Good
Wed 18:00 0.40 · high 3.11 · good 27.40 · good Good
Wed 19:00 0.40 · high 2.63 · good 27.30 · good Poor
Wed 20:00 0.42 · high 3.30 · good 27.20 · good Poor
Wed 21:00 0.42 · high 3.36 · good 27.10 · good Poor
Wed 22:00 0.42 · high 3.42 · good 27.00 · good Poor
Wed 23:00 0.42 · high 3.76 · good 27.00 · good Poor
Thu 00:00 0.42 · high 3.73 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Thu 01:00 0.42 · high 3.81 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Thu 02:00 0.42 · high 4.37 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Thu 03:00 0.40 · high 4.86 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Thu 04:00 0.40 · high 4.79 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Thu 05:00 0.40 · high 3.95 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Thu 06:00 0.40 · high 4.18 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Thu 07:00 0.40 · high 4.26 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Thu 08:00 0.40 · high 4.33 · good 26.90 · good Poor
Thu 09:00 0.42 · high 4.13 · good 27.00 · good Poor
Thu 10:00 0.42 · high 3.74 · good 27.00 · good Good
Thu 11:00 0.42 · high 4.06 · good 27.10 · good Good
Thu 12:00 0.42 · high 4.33 · good 27.20 · good Good
Thu 13:00 0.42 · high 4.50 · good 27.30 · good Good
Thu 14:00 0.42 · high 4.75 · good 27.50 · good Good
Thu 15:00 0.42 · high 4.88 · good 27.50 · good Good
Thu 16:00 0.42 · high 4.16 · good 27.60 · good Good
Thu 17:00 0.42 · high 4.53 · good 27.60 · good Good
Thu 18:00 0.42 · high 4.49 · good 27.50 · good Good
Thu 19:00 0.40 · high 4.16 · good 27.30 · good Poor
Thu 20:00 0.40 · high 4.51 · good 27.20 · good Poor
Thu 21:00 0.42 · high 4.75 · good 27.10 · good Poor
Thu 22:00 0.42 · high 5.30 · good 27.10 · good Poor
Thu 23:00 0.46 · high 5.94 · high 27.00 · good Poor