
Surf Forecasts:
Backdoor 4 surf forecast from 7 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 7 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, S swell with 2,906 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period with S 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 (Sep 07) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 8s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Backdoor 4 in the next 16 days are 4.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Thu 10th Sep) | 13ft (4.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Backdoor 4 over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking at Backdoor 4 over the next couple of weeks.
We’ve got a classic tale of two halves playing out here. The first few days are a bit of a write-off, but then things get real interesting. The water temp is sitting at about 66°F which is pretty normal for this time of year, nothing wild there.
The opening day, Monday the 7th, is a no-go with a messy cross-shore wind and weak, choppy 5ft SSE swell. Just leave it. Tuesday the 8th is where the story starts. The morning session is a beast, with a solid 8ft S swell pumping in under clean offshore wind. The combined energy is massive at 1120 (moderate to strong), but here’s the catch: that 8ft is pushing it for most average surfers. This is expert territory. The afternoon drops to 7ft, still clean, still powerful. This is a true standout window for the crew who can handle it.
Wednesday the 9th is a mixed bag. The morning drop to a smaller 4ft S swell with gentle offshore wind is clean, but the energy is weak (224). The afternoon, however, goes nuclear. A 10ft S swell with a 28 mph offshore wind. The combined energy hits 1066 (strong), but that wind is going to make it incredibly hard to get out. It’s a battle. Thursday the 10th continues the pulse of 10ft S swell, but the morning is cross-offshore, while the afternoon is pure offshore glass. The energy on Thursday afternoon is a staggering 2594 (very strong). This is big, powerful, and for experts only.
Friday the 11th is still big, with 8ft in the morning and 8ft in the afternoon, both clean. Good energy. Then Saturday the 12th morning is a hidden gem. The swell drops to 5ft SSE, but the wind is dead calm, glassy. The combined energy is 572 (moderate). For a reef break like Backdoor 4, that glassy surface with a 10-second period groundswell is a recipe for perfection. The best session for the average intermediate surfer in the entire outlook. The afternoon goes to crap though, so hit that dawn patrol.
After that, the surf fades. Sunday the 13th through Tuesday the 15th of September is a gap of poor, blown-out, or tiny surf. Nothing to ride. We get a brief flicker on Wednesday the 16th morning with a 5ft SSE swell, but it’s a marginal, cross-onshore mess. Another small window on Thursday the 17th morning, but it’s only 5ft and the energy is weak (310).
Then, hold onto your boards. Thursday the 17th afternoon through Saturday the 19th sees a return of colossal swell. Thursday afternoon is a 15ft S swell, Friday the 18th morning is 13ft, and Friday afternoon is 12ft. The combined energy is off the charts, hitting 5080, 5821, and 3422 respectively. This is big ocean, serious power, and absolutely not for anyone but the hardcore, big-wave chargers. The winds are clean, but it’s a washing machine. By Saturday the 19th afternoon, the swell backs down to a very surfable 6ft SSE with clean offshore wind – a solid end to the action.
The final few days, the 20th, 21st, and 22nd, are a slow fade back to tiny, choppy, and cross-onshore junk. That’s the story.
So, the standouts? Tuesday the 8th morning for the experts who want thick, powerful walls. And for the rest of us, Saturday the 12th morning is the absolute pick: glassy, clean, and a proper 5ft groundswell. That’s the one.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon afternoon, min 11°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNE on Tue night, strong winds from the S by Wed afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the S on Thu afternoon, calm by Sat morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 9 | S 8 | S 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | S 10 | SSE 9 | S 10 | S 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
396 | 1029 | 1112 | 588 | 477 | 165 | 1037 | 2906 | 1633 | 2319 | 1869 | 1260 | 845 | 567 | 492 | 485 | 231 | 193 | 130 | 94 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 5:00PM1.56m | 5:57AM1.12m | 5:57PM1.63m | 6:45AM1.22m | 6:46PM1.66m | 7:28AM1.31m | 7:31PM1.65m | 8:07AM1.40m | 8:14PM1.59m | 8:44AM1.46m | 8:54PM1.50m | 9:21AM1.49m | 9:34PM1.38m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:54PM0.15m | 11:29AM0.35m | 00:41AM0.08m | 12:24PM0.27m | 1:23AM0.04m | 1:14PM0.21m | 2:00AM0.03m | 2:01PM0.17m | 2:35AM0.06m | 2:47PM0.17m | 3:07AM0.11m | 3:31PM0.19m | 3:39AM0.19m | |||||||
— | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | |
5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | |
mm | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 13 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | E 11 | E 10 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | S 8 | ESE 13 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | S 22 | SSE 22 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | S 10 | SSE 9 | S 10 | NE 5 |
396 | 9 | 8 | 588 | 477 | 165 | 17 | 47 | 38 | 249 | 48 | 1260 | 845 | 567 | 492 | 485 | 231 | 193 | 130 | 57 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | — | — | E 10 | E 10 | SE 7 | E 18 | S 26 | S 23 | SE 9 | E 15 | E 15 | E 14 | E 13 | S 19 | S 18 | S 20 | S 18 | S 17 | S 10 |
8 | — | — | 8 | 7 | 51 | 6 | 13 | 41 | 22 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 61 | 97 | 74 | 58 | 50 | 94 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 8 | — | — | NE 9 | E 15 | E 9 | E 17 | NE 16 | E 16 | E 15 | E 18 | S 21 | ENE 14 | E 8 | ENE 14 | ENE 14 | ENE 13 | ENE 13 | ENE 13 | E 13 |
2 | — | — | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 18 | 1 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 13 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 10 | S 8 | S 9 | — | — | NW 3 | S 8 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | — | — | — | — | NE 2 | NE 4 | NNE 4 | ENE 4 | NE 5 |
9 | 1029 | 1112 | — | — | 1 | 1037 | 2906 | 1633 | 2319 | 1869 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 18 | 7 | 34 | 85 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 37 | 168 | 167 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 731 | 141 | 52 | 169 | 0 | 0 | 176 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 2 | 2 | 180 | 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.










