Surf Forecasts:
Backdoor 4 surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 26 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 7s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, S swell with 356 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 26 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s period with ENE 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 26) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 16s. 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 1.6m 8s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Wed 26th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Wed 26th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Backdoor 4 over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it. The next couple of weeks here are a bit of a slow burn, to be honest. There’s a lot of small, weak swell on the table, and you’ll need to pick your moments. We’ve got a few windows where it cleans up and shows some promise, but it’s not going to be non-stop perfection. First surf worth getting excited about rolls in on Thursday morning, the 27th. Before that, it’s pretty ordinary – Tuesday and Wednesday are messy with onshore winds and lumpy conditions, not really worth paddling out for.
So, Thursday morning at Backdoor 4 (Oahu) is when things start to turn. The swell from the south brings in 5ft waves with a period of 8 seconds. It’s not huge, but it’s a step up. The wind is offshore from the SSW, which will keep the faces pretty clean. Combined swell energy is moderate at 425. It’s going to be a fun, punchy day for the intermediate crew. This is one of the better windows in the whole run.
Friday morning on the 28th still looks good—glassy conditions with a light NNW wind and about 3ft of south swell. The energy is moderate (223) and it’s going to be clean. That’s a solid choice too if you can’t make Thursday.
Over the weekend, Saturday the 29th has some options. The morning is looking clean with a moderate offshore wind from the south, and 4ft of swell. It might be slightly wind-affected but still surfable. The afternoon looks a touch cleaner with a light cross-offshore breeze and a bit more size at 4ft. That’s a decent call for the afternoon session.
By Sunday the 30th, things start to back off a little. The morning looks glassy with the swell dropping to 3ft. It’s a bit small, but if you’ve got a log, it could be a fun one. The afternoon gets onshore and lumpy, so make the most of the morning.
Looking into the first week of September, the swell really takes a holiday. We’re looking at a lot of sub-3ft surf with poor wind and mostly onshore conditions. There’s a noticeable drop in energy, and the wave quality goes down the drain. Some of this period has longer period south swell, but the size is just too small to be interesting. You’re probably better off doing something else for a few days. The gap of quality surf runs from the 31st all the way through to the 3rd, with very little on offer.
Then on Thursday the 3rd, there’s a glimmer. The afternoon brings a 3ft south swell with a light offshore wind. It’s not much, but it’s clean. And Friday the 4th could be alright—south swell in the 4ft range, but the wind is going to be howling offshore. It’ll be clean, but fresh. Might be a bit wild.
The standout for the whole trip, though, is Saturday the 5th of September. The morning session sees a 3ft south-southeast swell with a 11-second period, and it’s clean. The energy jumps to 579, which is the strongest of the whole forecast. The wind is light and cross-offshore, and the break should be handling it well. The afternoon looks just as good, with 3ft of swell and clean conditions. This is a prime window—good energy, clean conditions, and a longer period swell. This is the one to circle on the calendar. It’s a bit further out, so don’t hold me to it, but it has real potential.
The week after that, the energy fades again and we’re back to small, weak surf with poor wind. The 7th and 8th are looking pretty grim, with tiny waves and onshore breezes. Not much to get excited about there.
So, to sum it up: Thursday the 27th is your first solid option, and the real standout is Saturday the 5th of September. Everything else is either small, windy, or just plain average. Water temp is 64°F, which is right about normal for this time of year, so a spring suit is still the call.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 22°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NNE on Mon afternoon, light winds from the SE by Thu morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 10 | NE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 7 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | SSE 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
123 | 75 | 131 | 178 | 162 | 126 | 93 | 262 | 356 | 266 | 153 | 135 | 190 | 201 | 193 | 293 | 148 | 103 | 78 | 40 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 5:46PM1.42m | 6:29AM1.01m | 6:27PM1.49m | 7:06AM1.09m | 7:05PM1.54m | 7:41AM1.17m | 7:40PM1.57m | 8:15AM1.25m | 8:15PM1.57m | 8:49AM1.32m | 8:50PM1.54m | 9:24AM1.38m | 9:27PM1.47m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:37AM0.32m | 11:56AM0.43m | 1:12AM0.24m | 12:39PM0.37m | 1:43AM0.18m | 1:19PM0.32m | 2:14AM0.13m | 1:59PM0.28m | 2:44AM0.10m | 2:39PM0.26m | 3:14AM0.10m | 3:21PM0.25m | 3:46AM0.12m | |||||||
— | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | |
5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 2 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 17 | 22 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | SSE 8 |
123 | 73 | 131 | 178 | 162 | 126 | 93 | 54 | 356 | 266 | 153 | 135 | 190 | 201 | 193 | 293 | 148 | 103 | 78 | 40 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NE 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 16 | S 15 | S 11 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | S 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 8 | S 10 | S 9 | S 8 | ENE 9 |
— | 21 | 47 | 30 | 15 | 19 | 4 | 2 | 52 | 34 | 59 | 37 | 48 | 24 | 28 | 63 | 94 | 54 | 50 | 33 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | S 18 | S 16 | S 16 | S 16 | N 3 | — | S 15 | S 15 | S 15 | S 13 | SSE 10 | ENE 8 | S 11 | S 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | S 8 |
3 | 6 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 1 | — | 5 | 17 | 38 | 87 | 51 | 36 | 38 | 18 | 30 | 30 | 46 | 47 | 21 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 5 | NE 6 | — | NW 2 | NW 2 | WSW 2 | S 5 | S 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 4 |
68 | 75 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 57 | 262 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 242 | 37 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 141 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 176 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 338 | 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.











