MARINE REPORT / 72 HOURS

Heron Island Snorkel Report Today

Australia · Updated Sun 12:42 (AEST) · Source: Snapshot

The skinny

Marginal Data updated Sun 12:42 (AEST)

Heron Island looks marginal today. The least-bad daylight window is around Sun 17:00, but waves is limiting the forecast.

Right now (forecast)

Poor · 2.9/10

Sun 14:00 (AEST)

Later today

Poor · 3.3/10

Sun 17:00 (AEST)

Next three days

Fair · 5.1/10

Wed 11:00 (AEST)

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

Score: 3.3/10

Best time: Sun 17:00

Main risk: Waves

No useful morning window is showing yet.

Best afternoon signal: Sun 17:00 (Poor). Peak afternoon wind is about 10.8 m/s.

Email me when it is good Compare nearby spots

Best nearby spots later today

Cairns 5.5/10 Good · Sun 18:00

Weakest nearby later today

Lady Elliot Island

Sunrise

05:17

Sunset

17:58

Water

23.2°C

Max air

22.7°C

Sky

Clear

9% 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

Sunday

❌ Poor conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Monday

⚠️ Fair conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Tuesday

⚠️ Fair conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Best available hours

  • Wed 11:00: Fair (0.51) · still limited by waves, tide/current
  • Wed 10:00: Fair (0.49) · still limited by waves, wind
  • Mon 17:00: Fair (0.41) · still limited by waves, wind

Why this verdict

Main blockers across the next 72 hours:

  • Waves (69 hours)
  • Wind (63 hours)
  • Tide/current (61 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: Tue 04:00

Mon 15:00, Tue 04:00, Tue 16:00, Wed 05:00

Nearby snorkel spot map

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

Cairns Good · Sun 18:00 5.5/10 Port Douglas Fair · Sun 18:00 5.1/10 Whitsundays Fair · Sun 16:00 4.7/10 Lady Elliot Island Poor · Sun 15:00 3.5/10

Forecast spot map

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

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

⚠️ Fair

Byron Bay

603 km away

⚠️ Fair

Flynn Reef

951 km away

⚠️ Fair

Advanced forecast data

Viewing historical data

Wed 14:00 – Sat 14:00 (AEST)

Previous day Yesterday Next day Live

Snorkel Score (selected 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.34 around Thu 11:00; 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 0.88m to 1.16m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 0/24 sampled hours (range 8.5 to 10.91m/s).

Tides range from -0.57m to 1.66m; 2 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour historical overview
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Fair ⚠️ Fair
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 14:00 0.90 · high 9.27 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Wed 15:00 0.88 · high 9.45 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Wed 16:00 0.88 · high 9.19 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Wed 17:00 0.90 · high 9.03 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Wed 18:00 0.94 · high 8.93 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Wed 19:00 0.96 · high 9.31 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Wed 20:00 0.98 · high 9.53 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Wed 21:00 1.00 · high 9.17 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Wed 22:00 1.02 · high 9.17 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Wed 23:00 1.02 · high 9.09 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Thu 00:00 1.02 · high 9.01 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Thu 01:00 1.02 · high 8.93 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Thu 02:00 1.00 · high 9.72 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Thu 03:00 1.00 · high 9.57 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Thu 04:00 1.02 · high 9.70 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Thu 05:00 1.06 · high 9.86 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Thu 06:00 1.12 · high 9.24 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Thu 07:00 1.16 · high 10.67 · high 22.60 · good Poor
Thu 08:00 1.16 · high 10.91 · high 22.60 · good Poor
Thu 09:00 1.16 · high 10.87 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Thu 10:00 1.16 · high 9.97 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Thu 11:00 1.16 · high 8.50 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Thu 12:00 1.16 · high 10.88 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Thu 13:00 1.16 · high 10.33 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Thu 14:00 1.16 · high 10.12 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Thu 15:00 1.16 · high 9.72 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Thu 16:00 1.16 · high 11.11 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Thu 17:00 1.16 · high 10.89 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Thu 18:00 1.16 · high 11.08 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Thu 19:00 1.16 · high 10.27 · high 23.00 · good Poor
Thu 20:00 1.16 · high 11.11 · high 22.90 · good Poor
Thu 21:00 1.18 · high 9.92 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Thu 22:00 1.18 · high 9.68 · high 22.80 · good Poor
Thu 23:00 1.18 · high 10.19 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Fri 00:00 1.18 · high 7.78 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Fri 01:00 1.18 · high 10.17 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Fri 02:00 1.10 · high 10.51 · high 22.60 · good Poor
Fri 03:00 1.10 · high 10.05 · high 22.60 · good Poor
Fri 04:00 1.10 · high 9.92 · high 22.60 · good Poor
Fri 05:00 1.10 · high 10.53 · high 22.60 · good Poor
Fri 06:00 1.12 · high 9.72 · high 22.50 · good Poor
Fri 07:00 1.12 · high 9.49 · high 22.50 · good Poor
Fri 08:00 1.14 · high 11.00 · high 22.50 · good Poor
Fri 09:00 1.14 · high 11.16 · high 22.50 · good Poor
Fri 10:00 1.16 · high 10.65 · high 22.50 · good Poor
Fri 11:00 1.18 · high 10.31 · high 22.50 · good Poor
Fri 12:00 1.20 · high 9.91 · high 22.60 · good Poor
Fri 13:00 1.22 · high 9.33 · high 22.60 · good Poor
Fri 14:00 1.24 · high 9.24 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Fri 15:00 1.26 · high 9.59 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Fri 16:00 1.28 · high 10.22 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Fri 17:00 1.28 · high 10.40 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Fri 18:00 1.26 · high 10.00 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Fri 19:00 1.26 · high 10.33 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Fri 20:00 1.24 · high 10.22 · high 22.60 · good Poor
Fri 21:00 1.14 · high 10.54 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Fri 22:00 1.14 · high 9.99 · high 22.70 · good Poor
Fri 23:00 1.14 · high 9.89 · high 22.60 · good Poor
Sat 00:00 1.18 · high 9.84 · high 22.60 · good Poor
Sat 01:00 1.16 · high 9.50 · high 22.60 · good Poor
Sat 02:00 1.14 · high 9.13 · high 22.50 · good Poor
Sat 03:00 1.10 · high 8.90 · high 22.50 · good Poor
Sat 04:00 1.08 · high 8.92 · high 22.50 · good Poor
Sat 05:00 1.10 · high 8.99 · high 22.50 · good Poor
Sat 06:00 1.10 · high 9.31 · high 22.40 · good Poor
Sat 07:00 1.12 · high 9.68 · high 22.40 · good Poor
Sat 08:00 1.12 · high 9.47 · high 22.40 · good Poor
Sat 09:00 1.12 · high 8.84 · high 22.40 · good Poor
Sat 10:00 1.12 · high 8.93 · high 22.40 · good Poor
Sat 11:00 1.14 · high 8.21 · high 22.50 · good Poor
Sat 12:00 1.14 · high 9.37 · high 22.50 · good Poor
Sat 13:00 1.16 · high 6.38 · high 22.60 · good Fair