Surf Forecasts:
Backdoor 4 surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 11s period, ESE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 10s period, ESE swell with 248 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 7s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Backdoor 4 this week:
The surf forecast for Backdoor 4 over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 17) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Backdoor 4 in the next 16 days are 1.2m 10s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 8s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Backdoor 4 over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what’s cooking for the next couple of weeks.
Alright, straight up, this is a lean run for Backdoor 4. For the first several days, we’ve got waves, but they’re pretty average, and the conditions just aren’t cooperating. There is no real standout in the first week, but there are a couple of days that could be worth a paddle if you’re keen.
The first real chance to get wet comes on Monday, the 17th of August. It’s not big, with waves around 4ft to 4ft coming from the ESE, but the wind is light and cross-offshore. The water is sitting at 63°, which is about normal for this time of year. The energy is moderate (248, 209), so there’s some push. It’s just average, but you could snag a few clean ones.
Tuesday the 18th is a write-off with stronger cross-shore wind chopping things up. Wednesday the 19th morning is a tease – glassy conditions with a long period groundswell (10 seconds) but only 2ft of wave. That long period means longer waits between sets, but the shape could be okay if you’re patient. The energy is moderate (163).
Then we hit a flat spell from Thursday the 20th all the way through to Sunday the 23rd of August. Wave heights drop to under 3ft and the energy is weak (19 to 111). Not much point suiting up.
We get a little pulse on Monday the 24th of August afternoon, with a 2ft South swell and clean cross-off wind, but the energy is only moderate (177). Still not really worth the hype.
Tuesday the 25th of August sees a jump in size with a 5ft South swell, but the wind is cranking at 18 mph. It's cross-offshore, so it’s clean, but that’s a lot of breeze. The energy is strong (353), but it’s more of a windy battle than great surf. Wednesday the 26th of August morning has a big jump in energy (499) with a 4ft South swell and a long 11-second period, but the cross-offshore wind is still fresh at 18 mph. That afternoon, a 6ft swell from the ENE appears, but the period is short (6 seconds), so it’s going to be lumpy and weak despite the moderate offshore wind.
Now, Thursday the 27th of August is the first real standout. The morning is clean with a gentle cross-off breeze, a 5ft NE swell, and the energy is pumping (565). That’s strong wave energy. The swell direction is coming from the NE, which isn’t the absolute optimum E, but it’s close enough and the conditions are clean. This is the best of the first two weeks. The afternoon is also good for a session with a 4ft ENE swell and light cross-off wind. This is a solid day.
After that, it gets messy again. Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th of August are mostly poor, with onshore winds and small, weak swell.
But wait – the last real standout is Sunday the 30th of August. The morning is looking prime. A clean, light offshore wind from the SSE, and a 7ft South swell rolling in with a 10-second period. The energy is very strong (817). That is a proper swell. The wind is light offshore, so the waves should be clean and lined up. That’s a big day, but at 7ft it’s getting solid, so it’s better for intermediate to experienced surfers. The afternoon gets a bit messy with cross-shore wind and the swell dropping to 5ft.
The last couple of days into September are back to small and weak.
So, to wrap it up: the best of the bunch is without a doubt Thursday the 27th of August morning. It’s got size, clean wind, and strong energy. The second real standout, and the biggest swell of the period, is Sunday the 30th of August morning. That’s a powerful South swell with light offshore wind – one for the crew who can handle it.
Keep an eye on the sky, because these longer-range ones can change.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Mon morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon morning, min 14°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 21°C on Thu morning, min 13°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 7 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | S 16 | S 14 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
132 | 105 | 139 | 128 | 118 | 116 | 90 | 248 | 93 | 77 | 67 | 49 | 38 | 20 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 44 | 34 | 27 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 11:21AM1.37m | 11:25PM1.23m | 12:04PM1.35m | 00:11AM1.08m | 12:52PM1.32m | 1:05AM0.96m | 1:49PM1.28m | 2:17AM0.88m | 2:54PM1.27m | 3:41AM0.86m | 4:01PM1.29m | 4:54AM0.89m | 4:58PM1.35m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:30PM0.36m | 5:34AM0.29m | 6:25PM0.44m | 6:11AM0.39m | 7:30PM0.50m | 6:53AM0.47m | 8:46PM0.53m | 7:49AM0.53m | 10:05PM0.51m | 8:59AM0.56m | 11:10PM0.46m | 10:09AM0.54m | 11:58PM0.39m | ||||||||
6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | |
— | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 18 |
Feels °C | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | S 8 | S 11 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | SE 7 | ESE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 7 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | S 9 | S 8 | S 10 |
132 | 105 | 35 | 85 | 118 | 116 | 52 | 248 | 93 | 77 | 67 | 49 | 38 | 20 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 39 | 32 | 54 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 9 | S 12 | E 9 | S 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | S 8 | E 12 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | S 11 | S 5 | S 5 | S 5 | S 9 | S 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 |
116 | 104 | 25 | 6 | 56 | 113 | 90 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 28 | 30 | 27 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | ESE 11 | SE 15 | ESE 14 | S 10 | E 6 | E 9 | — | — | S 14 | S 13 | E 10 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | S 5 | NE 9 | S 16 | S 14 | S 7 |
63 | 53 | 12 | 9 | 71 | 47 | 21 | 2 | — | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 44 | 34 | 8 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | — | NE 4 | — | — | — | NNE 2 | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 2 |
— | — | 139 | 128 | — | — | — | — | 24 | — | 13 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 37 | 75 | 72 | 0 | 0 | 117 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 101 | 134 | 208 | 218 | 134 | 2 | 82 | 2 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Newcastle | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Backdoor 4 Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Backdoor 4 provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Backdoor 4 can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Backdoor 4 surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Backdoor 4) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Backdoor 4 may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Backdoor 4 is 14 km (9 miles) from the city of Catherine Hill Bay. If you plan a holiday in Newcastle, look for hotels and other accommodation in Catherine Hill Bay. Catherine Hill Bay has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











