MARINE REPORT / 72 HOURS

Heron Island Snorkel Report Today

Australia · Updated Sat 13:36 (AEST) · Source: Snapshot

The skinny

Marginal Data updated Sat 13:36 (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 · 2.2/10

Sat 14:00 (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 5.1/10 Fair · Sat 16:00 Cairns 5.0/10 Fair · Sat 16:00 Whitsundays 3.1/10 Poor · Sat 15:00

Weakest nearby later today

Whitsundays Lady Elliot Island

Sunrise

05:18

Sunset

17:57

Water

23.2°C

Max air

22.0°C

Sky

Cloudy

98% 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 (68 hours)
  • Wind (68 hours)
  • Tide/current (64 hours)

Jellyfish drift risk

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

Low · 26/100

Low peak drift risk around Sat 20:00.

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

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 5.1/10 Cairns Fair · Sat 16:00 5.0/10 Whitsundays Poor · Sat 15:00 3.1/10 Lady Elliot Island Poor · Sat 15:00 2.3/10

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 historical data

Wed 14:00 – Sat 14:00 (AEST)

Previous day Yesterday Next day Live

Snorkel Score (selected 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.5 around Wed 17:00; 4 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.

3/24 sampled hours stay at or below 0.36m (range 0.34m to 1.52m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 10/24 sampled hours (range 0.11 to 13.22m/s).

Tides range from -0.43m to 1.35m; 1 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour historical 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
Wed 14:00 0.40 · high 5.12 · good 24.30 · good Fair
Wed 15:00 0.40 · high 4.90 · good 24.40 · good Fair
Wed 16:00 0.42 · high 5.00 · good 24.40 · good Fair
Wed 17:00 0.40 · high 5.35 · good 24.40 · good Fair
Wed 18:00 0.40 · high 4.45 · good 24.40 · good Poor
Wed 19:00 0.38 · high 2.16 · good 24.30 · good Poor
Wed 20:00 0.36 · good 0.35 · good 24.30 · good Poor
Wed 21:00 0.36 · good 3.25 · good 24.30 · good Poor
Wed 22:00 0.34 · good 0.11 · good 24.20 · good Poor
Wed 23:00 0.54 · high 2.78 · good 24.20 · good Poor
Thu 00:00 0.76 · high 9.53 · high 24.10 · good Poor
Thu 01:00 0.96 · high 9.63 · high 24.10 · good Poor
Thu 02:00 1.04 · high 11.19 · high 24.10 · good Poor
Thu 03:00 1.14 · high 12.35 · high 24.10 · good Poor
Thu 04:00 1.22 · high 13.22 · high 24.10 · good Poor
Thu 05:00 1.32 · high 12.71 · high 24.10 · good Poor
Thu 06:00 1.40 · high 12.98 · high 24.20 · good Poor
Thu 07:00 1.50 · high 12.90 · high 24.20 · good Poor
Thu 08:00 1.50 · high 12.91 · high 24.30 · good Poor
Thu 09:00 1.48 · high 12.96 · high 24.30 · good Poor
Thu 10:00 1.52 · high 12.88 · high 24.30 · good Poor
Thu 11:00 1.50 · high 12.84 · high 24.40 · good Poor
Thu 12:00 1.46 · high 12.75 · high 24.40 · good Poor
Thu 13:00 1.44 · high 12.57 · high 24.40 · good Poor
Thu 14:00 1.42 · high 12.29 · high 24.50 · good Poor
Thu 15:00 1.40 · high 13.04 · high 24.50 · good Poor
Thu 16:00 1.38 · high 12.23 · high 24.50 · good Poor
Thu 17:00 1.40 · high 12.19 · high 24.50 · good Poor
Thu 18:00 1.40 · high 12.75 · high 24.40 · good Poor
Thu 19:00 1.42 · high 12.32 · high 24.40 · good Poor
Thu 20:00 1.38 · high 11.39 · high 24.30 · good Poor
Thu 21:00 1.40 · high 12.31 · high 24.20 · good Poor
Thu 22:00 1.38 · high 11.04 · high 24.10 · good Poor
Thu 23:00 1.36 · high 11.05 · high 24.10 · good Poor
Fri 00:00 1.34 · high 10.77 · high 24.00 · good Poor
Fri 01:00 1.32 · high 10.51 · high 24.00 · good Poor
Fri 02:00 1.20 · high 10.05 · high 23.90 · good Poor
Fri 03:00 1.18 · high 9.38 · high 23.90 · good Poor
Fri 04:00 1.14 · high 9.43 · high 23.90 · good Poor
Fri 05:00 1.12 · high 9.50 · high 23.80 · good Poor
Fri 06:00 1.12 · high 9.62 · high 23.80 · good Poor
Fri 07:00 1.10 · high 9.43 · high 23.80 · good Poor
Fri 08:00 1.10 · high 9.75 · high 23.80 · good Poor
Fri 09:00 1.10 · high 9.94 · high 23.70 · good Poor
Fri 10:00 1.10 · high 9.86 · high 23.70 · good Poor
Fri 11:00 1.08 · high 9.71 · high 23.70 · good Poor
Fri 12:00 1.04 · high 9.70 · high 23.70 · good Poor
Fri 13:00 1.02 · high 9.11 · high 23.80 · good Poor
Fri 14:00 1.02 · high 8.25 · high 23.80 · good Poor
Fri 15:00 1.04 · high 8.60 · high 23.80 · good Poor
Fri 16:00 1.04 · high 10.29 · high 23.80 · good Poor
Fri 17:00 1.10 · high 10.13 · high 23.80 · good Poor
Fri 18:00 1.14 · high 10.03 · high 23.70 · good Poor
Fri 19:00 1.20 · high 10.20 · high 23.70 · good Poor
Fri 20:00 1.24 · high 10.00 · high 23.70 · good Poor
Fri 21:00 1.16 · high 10.48 · high 23.60 · good Poor
Fri 22:00 1.18 · high 10.49 · high 23.60 · good Poor
Fri 23:00 1.18 · high 10.87 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Sat 00:00 1.16 · high 11.08 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Sat 01:00 1.16 · high 10.82 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Sat 02:00 1.18 · high 10.77 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Sat 03:00 1.18 · high 10.41 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Sat 04:00 1.20 · high 10.03 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Sat 05:00 1.22 · high 9.71 · high 23.20 · good Poor
Sat 06:00 1.22 · high 9.86 · high 23.20 · good Poor
Sat 07:00 1.12 · high 9.98 · high 23.20 · good Poor
Sat 08:00 1.12 · high 9.98 · high 23.10 · good Poor
Sat 09:00 1.12 · high 9.90 · high 23.10 · good Poor
Sat 10:00 1.12 · high 10.05 · high 23.10 · good Poor
Sat 11:00 1.14 · high 9.67 · high 23.10 · good Poor
Sat 12:00 1.14 · high 9.40 · high 23.10 · good Poor
Sat 13:00 1.16 · high 9.76 · high 23.10 · good Poor