What is the best time of day to snorkel in Rottnest Island?

Snorkel in daylight, if possible in the morning before the wind picks up. Currents are often weaker near high slack tide. SnorkelForecast scores each daylight hour for Rottnest Island.

What is the best tide for snorkeling?

High slack tide, within about an hour of the high-tide peak, often has weaker currents. Strong low tides and tidal flow near channels or headlands reduce the score.

Rottnest Island Snorkel Report Today

Australia · Updated Tue 13:32 (AEST) · Source: Snapshot

The skinny

Marginal Data updated Tue 13:32 (AEST)

Rottnest Island looks marginal today. The least-bad daylight window is around Tue 18:00, but waves is limiting the forecast.

Right now (forecast)

Poor · 3.5/10

Tue 13:00 (AEST)

Later today

Fair · 4.3/10

Tue 18:00 (AEST)

Next three days

Fair · 5.0/10

Thu 14:00 (AEST)

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

Score: 4.3/10

Best time: Tue 18:00

Main risk: Waves

No useful morning window is showing yet.

Best afternoon signal: Tue 18:00 (Fair). Peak afternoon wind is about 6.0 m/s.

Email me when it is good

Sunrise

08:08

Sunset

20:14

Water

19.0°C

Max air

18.2°C

Sky

Clear

1% 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

Tuesday

⚠️ Fair conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Wednesday

⚠️ Fair conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Thursday

⚠️ Fair conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Best available hours

Thu 14:00: Fair (0.50) · still limited by waves, sea temperature
Thu 13:00: Fair (0.50) · still limited by waves, sea temperature
Thu 15:00: Fair (0.49) · still limited by waves, sea temperature

Why this verdict

Main blockers across the next 72 hours:

Waves (71 hours)
Sea temperature (71 hours)
Tide/current (40 hours)

Jellyfish drift risk

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

Low · 14/100

Low drift risk now.

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: Wed 08:00

Wed 08:00, Thu 09:00, Thu 23:00, Fri 10:00

Nearby alternatives in Australia

Esperance

629 km away

❌ Poor

Ningaloo - Coral Bay

1000 km away

⚠️ Fair

Ningaloo Reef

1057 km away

⚠️ Fair

Exmouth

1129 km away

✅ Good

Advanced forecast data

Viewing historical data

Sun 13:00 – Wed 13:00 (AEST)

Previous day Yesterday Next day Live

Snorkel Score (selected 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.52 around Sun 15:00; 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 1.84m to 1.94m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 22/24 sampled hours (range 0.59 to 5.7m/s).

Tides range from 0.08m to 0.32m; 1 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour historical overview

Sun 13:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Sun 14:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Sun 15:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Sun 16:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Sun 17:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Sun 18:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Sun 19:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Sun 20:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sun 21:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sun 22:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Sun 23:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 00:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 01:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 02:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 03:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 04:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 05:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 06:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 07:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 08:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 09:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 10:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Mon 11:00 Fair ⚠️ Fair

Mon 12:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 13:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 14:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 15:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 16:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 17:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 18:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 19:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 20:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 21:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 22:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Mon 23:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 00:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 01:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 02:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 03:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 04:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 05:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 06:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 07:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 08:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 09:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 10:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 11:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 12:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 13:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 14:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 15:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 16:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 17:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 18:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 19:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 20:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 21:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 22:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Tue 23:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 00:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 01:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 02:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 03:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 04:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 05:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 06:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 07:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 08:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 09:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 10:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 11:00 Poor ❌ Limited

Wed 12:00 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
Sun 13:00	1.84 · high	3.36 · good	18.50 · out of range	Fair
Sun 14:00	1.86 · high	2.02 · good	18.60 · out of range	Fair
Sun 15:00	1.88 · high	0.59 · good	18.70 · out of range	Fair
Sun 16:00	1.90 · high	0.72 · good	18.80 · out of range	Fair
Sun 17:00	1.92 · high	3.92 · good	18.80 · out of range	Fair
Sun 18:00	1.92 · high	5.59 · high	18.80 · out of range	Fair
Sun 19:00	1.94 · high	5.70 · high	18.70 · out of range	Fair
Sun 20:00	1.94 · high	4.95 · good	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Sun 21:00	1.94 · high	4.41 · good	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Sun 22:00	1.94 · high	2.30 · good	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Sun 23:00	1.94 · high	2.06 · good	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Mon 00:00	1.92 · high	1.94 · good	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Mon 01:00	1.92 · high	1.62 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Mon 02:00	1.92 · high	2.09 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Mon 03:00	1.90 · high	3.08 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Mon 04:00	1.90 · high	3.11 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Mon 05:00	1.90 · high	3.68 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Mon 06:00	1.86 · high	1.96 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Mon 07:00	1.84 · high	2.11 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Mon 08:00	1.84 · high	2.78 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Mon 09:00	1.84 · high	4.00 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Mon 10:00	1.84 · high	4.76 · good	18.50 · out of range	Fair
Mon 11:00	1.84 · high	4.68 · good	18.50 · out of range	Fair
Mon 12:00	1.84 · high	4.77 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Mon 13:00	1.84 · high	5.80 · high	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Mon 14:00	1.86 · high	7.69 · high	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Mon 15:00	1.90 · high	6.89 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Mon 16:00	1.92 · high	6.99 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Mon 17:00	1.96 · high	7.10 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Mon 18:00	1.98 · high	7.18 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Mon 19:00	2.02 · high	7.01 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Mon 20:00	2.04 · high	8.01 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Mon 21:00	2.06 · high	7.54 · high	18.80 · out of range	Poor
Mon 22:00	2.08 · high	7.85 · high	18.80 · out of range	Poor
Mon 23:00	2.10 · high	6.82 · high	18.80 · out of range	Poor
Tue 00:00	2.14 · high	9.80 · high	18.80 · out of range	Poor
Tue 01:00	2.16 · high	12.71 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Tue 02:00	2.22 · high	12.33 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Tue 03:00	2.28 · high	11.11 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Tue 04:00	2.34 · high	10.18 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Tue 05:00	2.36 · high	9.93 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Tue 06:00	2.38 · high	9.75 · high	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Tue 07:00	2.40 · high	9.49 · high	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Tue 08:00	2.40 · high	8.50 · high	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Tue 09:00	2.38 · high	7.83 · high	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Tue 10:00	2.38 · high	7.60 · high	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Tue 11:00	2.36 · high	7.18 · high	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Tue 12:00	2.34 · high	6.79 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Tue 13:00	2.32 · high	5.91 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Tue 14:00	2.32 · high	5.57 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Tue 15:00	2.30 · high	5.71 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Tue 16:00	2.30 · high	4.37 · good	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Tue 17:00	2.32 · high	5.04 · good	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Tue 18:00	2.32 · high	5.50 · high	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Tue 19:00	2.34 · high	5.23 · good	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Tue 20:00	2.34 · high	5.00 · good	18.70 · out of range	Poor
Tue 21:00	2.34 · high	4.94 · good	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Tue 22:00	2.34 · high	4.15 · good	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Tue 23:00	2.34 · high	4.01 · good	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Wed 00:00	2.34 · high	3.97 · good	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Wed 01:00	2.34 · high	3.58 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Wed 02:00	2.34 · high	3.26 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Wed 03:00	2.34 · high	3.16 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Wed 04:00	2.34 · high	3.65 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Wed 05:00	2.34 · high	5.34 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Wed 06:00	2.34 · high	4.94 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Wed 07:00	2.34 · high	4.52 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Wed 08:00	2.34 · high	4.81 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Wed 09:00	2.36 · high	3.97 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Wed 10:00	2.36 · high	3.70 · good	18.50 · out of range	Poor
Wed 11:00	2.38 · high	4.29 · good	18.60 · out of range	Poor
Wed 12:00	2.38 · high	3.41 · good	18.60 · out of range	Fair