MARINE REPORT / 72 HOURS

Lady Elliot Island Snorkel Report Today

Australia · Updated Sat 14:09 (AEST) · Source: Snapshot

The skinny

Marginal Data updated Sat 14:09 (AEST)

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

Right now (forecast)

Poor · 2.3/10

Sat 15:00 (AEST)

Later today

Poor · 1.7/10

Sat 17:00 (AEST)

Next three days

Poor · 3.4/10

Sun 15:00 (AEST)

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

Score: 1.7/10

Best time: Sat 17:00

Main risk: Waves

No useful morning window is showing yet.

Best afternoon signal: Sat 17:00 (Poor). Peak afternoon wind is about 11.1 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 3.0/10 Poor · Sat 17:00

Weakest nearby later today

Whitsundays Heron Island

Sunrise

05:14

Sunset

17:54

Water

23.3°C

Max air

21.8°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

❌ Poor conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Best available hours

  • Sun 15:00: Poor (0.34) · still limited by waves, wind
  • Tue 12:00: Poor (0.31) · still limited by waves, wind
  • Mon 16:00: Poor (0.31) · still limited by waves, wind

Why this verdict

Main blockers across the next 72 hours:

  • Waves (69 hours)
  • Wind (69 hours)
  • Tide/current (67 hours)

Jellyfish drift risk

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

Low · 26/100

Low peak drift risk around Sat 17:00.

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 00:00

Sun 00:00, Sun 13:00, Mon 02:00, Mon 15:00, Tue 03:00

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 17:00 3.0/10 Heron Island Poor · Sat 16:00 2.4/10

Forecast spot map

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

Port Douglas Cairns Whitsundays Heron Island
  1. Port Douglas
  2. Cairns
  3. Whitsundays
  4. Heron Island

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

Nearby alternatives in Australia

Heron Island

110 km away

❌ Poor

Byron Bay

511 km away

⚠️ Fair

Whitsundays

572 km away

❌ Poor

Port Stephens

959 km away

⚠️ Fair

Advanced forecast data

Viewing historical data

Tue 15:00 – Fri 15:00 (AEST)

Previous day Yesterday Next day Live

Snorkel Score (selected 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.4 around Tue 16:00; 2 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 0.78m to 0.9m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 3/24 sampled hours (range 4.94 to 6.82m/s).

Tides range from -0.42m to 1.2m; 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
Tue 15:00 0.80 · high 6.64 · high 23.80 · good Fair
Tue 16:00 0.82 · high 6.80 · high 23.80 · good Fair
Tue 17:00 0.82 · high 6.37 · high 23.80 · good Poor
Tue 18:00 0.84 · high 6.16 · high 23.70 · good Poor
Tue 19:00 0.84 · high 6.25 · high 23.70 · good Poor
Tue 20:00 0.84 · high 6.23 · high 23.70 · good Poor
Tue 21:00 0.90 · high 6.33 · high 23.60 · good Poor
Tue 22:00 0.90 · high 6.31 · high 23.60 · good Poor
Tue 23:00 0.90 · high 6.51 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Wed 00:00 0.88 · high 6.82 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Wed 01:00 0.88 · high 6.62 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Wed 02:00 0.88 · high 6.04 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Wed 03:00 0.86 · high 5.69 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Wed 04:00 0.84 · high 5.15 · good 23.50 · good Poor
Wed 05:00 0.82 · high 5.34 · good 23.50 · good Poor
Wed 06:00 0.82 · high 4.94 · good 23.50 · good Poor
Wed 07:00 0.80 · high 5.50 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Wed 08:00 0.80 · high 5.47 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Wed 09:00 0.78 · high 6.05 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Wed 10:00 0.78 · high 6.15 · high 23.60 · good Poor
Wed 11:00 0.78 · high 6.35 · high 23.60 · good Poor
Wed 12:00 0.80 · high 6.33 · high 23.70 · good Poor
Wed 13:00 0.80 · high 6.37 · high 23.80 · good Poor
Wed 14:00 0.78 · high 6.56 · high 23.90 · good Poor
Wed 15:00 0.74 · high 6.57 · high 24.00 · good Poor
Wed 16:00 0.72 · high 3.91 · good 24.00 · good Fair
Wed 17:00 0.72 · high 1.97 · good 23.90 · good Fair
Wed 18:00 0.72 · high 3.58 · good 23.90 · good Poor
Wed 19:00 0.72 · high 6.88 · high 23.80 · good Poor
Wed 20:00 0.86 · high 10.66 · high 23.60 · good Poor
Wed 21:00 1.02 · high 11.78 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Wed 22:00 1.24 · high 10.63 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Wed 23:00 1.40 · high 11.33 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Thu 00:00 1.54 · high 12.74 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Thu 01:00 1.70 · high 13.30 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 02:00 1.78 · high 13.17 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 03:00 1.86 · high 13.90 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 04:00 1.94 · high 14.17 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 05:00 1.98 · high 14.31 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 06:00 2.00 · high 14.24 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 07:00 2.04 · high 13.84 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 08:00 2.02 · high 13.56 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 09:00 2.02 · high 13.49 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 10:00 2.08 · high 13.11 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 11:00 2.04 · high 12.71 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 12:00 1.98 · high 11.95 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 13:00 1.94 · high 12.44 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Thu 14:00 1.94 · high 12.59 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Thu 15:00 1.92 · high 12.34 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Thu 16:00 1.92 · high 13.11 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Thu 17:00 1.92 · high 13.58 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Thu 18:00 1.94 · high 12.80 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Thu 19:00 1.94 · high 12.04 · high 23.50 · good Poor
Thu 20:00 1.88 · high 11.80 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 21:00 1.94 · high 11.31 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 22:00 1.90 · high 10.85 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Thu 23:00 1.86 · high 10.78 · high 23.40 · good Poor
Fri 00:00 1.82 · high 10.45 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Fri 01:00 1.78 · high 10.51 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Fri 02:00 1.80 · high 10.68 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Fri 03:00 1.78 · high 10.31 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Fri 04:00 1.76 · high 10.07 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Fri 05:00 1.76 · high 10.46 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Fri 06:00 1.76 · high 10.74 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Fri 07:00 1.76 · high 10.43 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Fri 08:00 1.78 · high 10.85 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Fri 09:00 1.78 · high 11.06 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Fri 10:00 1.80 · high 10.31 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Fri 11:00 1.78 · high 10.42 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Fri 12:00 1.78 · high 10.20 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Fri 13:00 1.76 · high 9.86 · high 23.30 · good Poor
Fri 14:00 1.76 · high 9.66 · high 23.30 · good Poor