Surf Forecasts:
Backdoor 4 surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 11s period, ESE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s period, E swell with 246 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 11s 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.9m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Backdoor 4 in the next 16 days are 1.2m 9s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Backdoor 4 over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what's on offer at Backdoor 4 over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, water temps are sitting at 63.5°, which is just a touch below what you'd normally expect for this time of year, so nothing too crazy.
The start of this run is pretty ordinary. Monday the 17th has a small 3.6ft ESE swell, but the cross-off wind keeps it rideable. Honestly, after that, it gets grim. From Tuesday the 18th all the way through to Friday the 22nd, it's a real struggle. We're looking at tiny, weak waves with barely any energy, and the wind is all over the shop. You could pretty much write off that whole week for a proper session.
There's a flicker of hope on Sunday morning the 23rd – glassy conditions but with a minuscule 0.7ft south swell, so it's more of a paddle than a surf. That afternoon sees a jump in energy (117) as a 1ft groundswell rolls in with a very long 17-second period, but it's still tiny.
Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th show some improvements. Tuesday morning is your best early bet: a clean 2.3ft south swell with offshore wind. Energy is solid at (246) and the 10-second period suggests some decent shape. Wednesday the 26th is glassy but small again.
Now, hold onto your board, because things get interesting towards the end of the month. Saturday the 29th sees a big jump in size. The morning has a clean 5.9ft south swell, but that's blowing a fresh 35 km/h cross-off, which is going to be a mission. The afternoon cleans up with a solid 5.6ft south swell and offshore wind, and healthy energy at (509). That's looking good for the more experienced crew. But the standout is certainly Sunday the 30th afternoon. The swell pumps up to a full 9.8ft from the south with strong energy (1159) and fresh offshore wind. However, that's expert territory only—way too big for anyone but the absolute chargers. It also has an 8-second period, which is short and punchy, so it'll be a handful on the reef.
For the second week, the best of the bunch looks like Tuesday the 1st of September. Morning has a clean 6.2ft south swell with a long 14-second period and light offshore wind. The energy is massive at (1358). That's excellent, but it's a powerful groundswell, so expect it to be a little reformy at a beach break. At Backdoor 4, a reef setup, that long period should produce some nice, lined-up walls for the experienced surfer. The afternoon stays good at 5.2ft, but the wind goes cross-off, so the morning is the pick there.
The real standout in this whole 16-day window is that Sunday the 30th afternoon swell if you're an expert, but the most balanced and high-quality option for a stronger surfer is the Tuesday the 1st of September morning session. That's a combination of size, power, and clean wind. Expect crowds to be *sometimes* an issue here, as always.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 21°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Fri night. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu night, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 7 | ESE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 9 | S 16 | S 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
139 | 128 | 108 | 140 | 90 | 235 | 95 | 75 | 43 | 62 | 34 | 20 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 30 | 78 | 69 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | on | cross | off | off | cross-on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 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 | 5:34AM0.29m | 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 | |||||||
— | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 |
Feels °C | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 11 | S 11 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | S 8 | SE 9 | ESE 7 | ESE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | S 5 | S 9 | S 7 |
35 | 85 | 56 | 140 | 76 | 10 | 95 | 75 | 43 | 62 | 34 | 20 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 17 | 40 | 40 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | E 9 | ESE 14 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | S 15 | E 12 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | S 5 | S 5 | S 4 | S 5 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | S 12 |
25 | 6 | 71 | 113 | 90 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 30 | 29 | 69 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 11 | SE 15 | E 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 15 | E 12 | E 11 | — | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | NNW 3 | S 8 | S 16 | E 4 |
12 | 9 | 6 | 47 | 26 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 78 | 9 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | E 5 | — | ESE 10 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 4 | NW 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 5 | SE 5 | — |
139 | 128 | 108 | 45 | — | 235 | 51 | 24 | 14 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 36 | 25 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 73 | 91 | 180 | 1 | 0 | 91 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 208 | 218 | 208 | 285 | 150 | 3 | 182 | 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.











