MARINE REPORT / 72 HOURS

Heron Island Snorkel Report Today

Australia · Updated Sat 11:01 (AEST) · Source: Snapshot

The skinny

Marginal Data updated Sat 11:01 (AEST)

Heron Island looks marginal today. The least-bad daylight window is around Sat 15:00, but waves is limiting the forecast.

Right now (forecast)

Poor · 2.1/10

Sat 11:00 (AEST)

Later today

Poor · 2.4/10

Sat 15:00 (AEST)

Next three days

Fair · 3.6/10

Mon 14:00 (AEST)

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

Score: 2.4/10

Best time: Sat 15:00

Main risk: Waves

No useful morning window is showing yet.

Best afternoon signal: Sat 15:00 (Poor). Peak afternoon wind is about 11.0 m/s.

Email me when it is good Compare nearby spots

Best nearby spots later today

Port Douglas 5.0/10 Fair · Sat 16:00 Cairns 5.0/10 Fair · Sat 16:00 Whitsundays 3.7/10 Fair · Sat 12:00

Weakest nearby later today

Lady Elliot Island

Sunrise

05:18

Sunset

17:57

Water

23.2°C

Max air

22.0°C

Sky

Cloudy

100% cloud

No good model window in the next 72 hours

Use the best-available section for the least-bad times.

3-day planner Best available Show data

3-day planner

Saturday

❌ Poor conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Sunday

❌ Poor conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Monday

⚠️ Fair conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Best available hours

  • Mon 14:00: Fair (0.36) · still limited by waves, wind
  • Mon 15:00: Fair (0.36) · still limited by waves, wind
  • Mon 13:00: Poor (0.35) · still limited by waves, wind

Why this verdict

Main blockers across the next 72 hours:

  • Waves (71 hours)
  • Wind (71 hours)
  • Tide/current (67 hours)

Jellyfish drift risk

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

Low · 26/100

Low drift risk now.

water is warm enough for occasional jellyfish; 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: Sun 01:00

Sat 12:00, Sun 01:00, Sun 14:00, Mon 15:00, Tue 04:00

Nearby snorkel spot map

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

Port Douglas Fair · Sat 16:00 5.0/10 Cairns Fair · Sat 16:00 5.0/10 Whitsundays Fair · Sat 12:00 3.7/10 Lady Elliot Island Poor · Sat 13:00 2.9/10

Forecast spot map

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

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

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

Nearby alternatives in Australia

Lady Elliot Island

110 km away

❌ Poor

Whitsundays

462 km away

❌ Poor

Byron Bay

603 km away

⚠️ Fair

Flynn Reef

951 km away

⚠️ Fair

Advanced forecast data

Viewing current forecast

Sat 11:00 – Tue 11:00 (AEST)

Previous day Yesterday

Snorkel Score (next 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.24 around Sat 15:00; 0 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 1.06m to 1.3m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 0/24 sampled hours (range 9.07 to 11.07m/s).

Tides range from 0.02m to 1.09m; 2 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour forecast overview
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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
Sat 12:00 1.08 · high 9.40 · high 23.20 · good Poor
Sat 13:00 1.06 · high 9.46 · high 23.20 · good Poor
Sat 14:00 1.10 · high 9.82 · high 23.20 · good Poor
Sat 15:00 1.12 · high 10.39 · high 23.20 · good Poor
Sat 16:00 1.16 · high 11.00 · high 23.20 · good Poor
Sat 17:00 1.18 · high 10.30 · high 23.20 · good Poor
Sat 18:00 1.20 · high 11.00 · high 23.20 · good Poor
Sat 19:00 1.22 · high 10.73 · high 23.10 · good Poor
Sat 20:00 1.24 · high 10.63 · high 23.10 · good Poor
Sat 21:00 1.28 · high 11.07 · high 23.10 · good Poor
Sat 22:00 1.30 · high 11.07 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Sat 23:00 1.28 · high 10.74 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Sun 00:00 1.26 · high 10.29 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Sun 01:00 1.24 · high 10.10 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Sun 02:00 1.22 · high 9.99 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Sun 03:00 1.20 · high 9.32 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Sun 04:00 1.18 · high 9.60 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Sun 05:00 1.16 · high 9.89 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Sun 06:00 1.14 · high 9.59 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Sun 07:00 1.12 · high 9.25 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Sun 08:00 1.12 · high 9.07 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Sun 09:00 1.10 · high 9.52 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Sun 10:00 1.10 · high 9.17 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Sun 11:00 1.10 · high 9.13 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Sun 12:00 1.08 · high 8.71 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Sun 13:00 1.08 · high 9.08 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Sun 14:00 1.10 · high 9.66 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Sun 15:00 1.10 · high 9.70 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Sun 16:00 1.12 · high 9.39 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Sun 17:00 1.14 · high 10.20 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Sun 18:00 1.18 · high 10.12 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Sun 19:00 1.20 · high 10.63 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Sun 20:00 1.20 · high 10.87 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Sun 21:00 1.18 · high 10.83 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Sun 22:00 1.18 · high 10.20 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Sun 23:00 1.16 · high 9.86 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Mon 00:00 1.14 · high 9.55 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Mon 01:00 1.12 · high 9.21 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Mon 02:00 1.08 · high 8.68 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Mon 03:00 1.06 · high 8.59 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Mon 04:00 1.02 · high 8.66 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Mon 05:00 1.00 · high 8.86 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Mon 06:00 1.00 · high 8.55 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Mon 07:00 0.98 · high 8.87 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Mon 08:00 0.96 · high 8.54 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Mon 09:00 0.92 · high 8.08 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Mon 10:00 0.90 · high 7.69 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Mon 11:00 0.88 · high 7.41 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Mon 12:00 0.86 · high 7.18 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Mon 13:00 0.84 · high 7.10 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Mon 14:00 0.84 · high 6.76 · high 23.10 · good Fair
Mon 15:00 0.84 · high 6.81 · high 23.10 · good Fair
Mon 16:00 0.84 · high 7.30 · high 23.20 · good Poor
Mon 17:00 0.86 · high 7.70 · high 23.20 · good Poor
Mon 18:00 0.86 · high 7.95 · high 23.20 · good Poor
Mon 19:00 0.88 · high 8.17 · high 23.20 · good Poor
Mon 20:00 0.90 · high 8.21 · high 23.10 · good Poor
Mon 21:00 0.90 · high 8.13 · high 23.10 · good Poor
Mon 22:00 0.92 · high 7.96 · high 23.10 · good Poor
Mon 23:00 0.94 · high 8.29 · high 23.10 · good Poor
Tue 00:00 0.96 · high 8.58 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Tue 01:00 0.98 · high 8.10 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Tue 02:00 0.98 · high 8.44 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Tue 03:00 0.98 · high 8.07 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Tue 04:00 0.98 · high 8.43 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Tue 05:00 1.00 · high 9.00 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Tue 06:00 1.02 · high 8.92 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Tue 07:00 1.04 · high 9.07 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Tue 08:00 1.04 · high 9.20 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Tue 09:00 1.04 · high 8.86 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Tue 10:00 1.04 · high 9.08 · high 23.00 · good Poor