
Surf Forecasts:
Backdoor 4 surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 6 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 11s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 11s period, S swell with 2,160 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 6 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 11s 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 Sunday (Sep 06) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 0.2m and 10s 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 3.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 06) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Sun 6th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Sun 6th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Backdoor 4 over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cooking at Backdoor 4 (United States).
Right now, we’ve got a bit of a slow start, but don’t walk away. The first real sniff of action comes Friday morning, September 4th. It’s early, but the conditions are set up nicely—glassed-off, a light southerly breeze, and a solid 5ft southeast swell pushing in with good energy (539). The water’s sitting at 66°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there. That Friday morning window is the one to jump on before the wind swings around.
The weekend is a write-off, plain and simple. Strong onshore winds and drop in swell size mean it’s not worth paddling out. Sunday has a brief moment of clean conditions but with tiny waves, so it’s barely a ripple.
Monday morning, September 7th, is a real highlight. Glassy conditions again, a clean 5ft southerly swell, and the energy is building nicely (321). The wind is offshore from the WSW, making for some clean, lined-up waves. This is a standout session for intermediate surfers—the size is manageable, and the quality is there.
Tuesday, September 8th, gets bigger. The morning swell jumps to 8ft, and by the afternoon it’s 8ft from the SSE. The energy is cranking (1033 and 1486), and the wind is clean offshore, but this is now pushing into expert territory. That’s a heavy paddle, and the reef won’t forgive mistakes. If you’re not experienced, stay out of the water.
The middle of the week sees solid, clean swell holding through Wednesday and Thursday, but the size stays big—8ft to 10ft, with offshore winds at times. This is all expert-level stuff. The energy readings are massive (up to 3166), so expect powerful, barreling waves. Not for the faint-hearted.
Friday, September 11th, is a real standout for the experienced crew. The morning is a bit muscular at 8ft, but the afternoon drops to a more manageable 7ft, with clean offshore winds and a long 11-second period. That’s groundswell energy, and it is going to line up beautifully on the reef. The energy is still high (1542), so the waves will have push. This is the best session of the whole run for those who can handle it.
After that, the swell eases into the weekend of September 12th–13th. Saturday morning offers 6ft with clean conditions, which is a nice return to intermediate-friendly surf. The period is long at 12 seconds, so the waves will have shape and power but not the heavy size.
Then we hit a dry spell. From Sunday afternoon through to Wednesday, September 16th, the surf drops off hard. Tiny waves, onshore winds, and choppy conditions make it a waste of time.
There’s a late pulse kicking up around Thursday, September 17th, but it’s too big again (8ft) and messy. Friday, September 18th, sees the biggest swell of the forecast—12ft from the south with a very long 14–15 second period. The energy is through the roof (4651–5454). That’s a massive, powerful groundswell, and with offshore winds, it’s an epic day for experts only. This is a promising, standout event but it’s far out, so keep an eye on it.
The final weekend, September 19th, still holds size at 8–8ft, but the wind is cross-shore, so it’s not as clean.
Best bets: Glassy Friday morning September 4th for a fun start, Monday September 7th for clean intermediate waves, and Friday September 11th afternoon for the best expert session. The big pulse on September 18th is worth watching.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Sat afternoon, min 14°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Sat night, light winds from the WSW by Mon morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Wed night. Warm (max 20°C on Wed morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Mainly strong winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | ||||||||||||||
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 9 | S 12 | S 10 | S 9 | S 10 | NE 7 | S 8 | S 11 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
198 | 68 | 121 | 58 | 45 | 23 | 111 | 2160 | 421 | 348 | 867 | 1019 | 1479 | 754 | 461 | 385 | 2114 | 1374 | 992 | 1160 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-off | off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 2:14AM0.96m | 2:40PM1.44m | 3:44AM0.96m | 3:54PM1.49m | 4:59AM1.02m | 5:00PM1.56m | 5:57AM1.12m | 5:57PM1.63m | 6:45AM1.22m | 6:46PM1.66m | 7:28AM1.31m | 7:31PM1.65m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:22PM0.37m | 7:47AM0.46m | 9:46PM0.33m | 9:08AM0.47m | 10:58PM0.24m | 10:24AM0.43m | 11:54PM0.15m | 11:29AM0.35m | 00:41AM0.08m | 12:24PM0.27m | 1:23AM0.04m | 1:14PM0.21m | 2:00AM0.03m | |||||||
— | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | |
5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 27 | 29 | 26 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 20 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Feels °C | 13 | 15 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | S 8 | S 10 | S 9 | NE 6 | SSW 7 | NE 6 | S 11 | S 9 | S 9 | E 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | ENE 9 | E 16 | S 22 | S 17 | S 10 |
198 | 57 | 121 | 58 | 39 | 65 | 6 | 1729 | 421 | 348 | 9 | 1019 | 1479 | 754 | 461 | 8 | 5 | 89 | 91 | 1160 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 10 | S 12 | ENE 9 | ENE 4 | S 10 | NE 7 | E 10 | ENE 10 | E 10 | ENE 10 | NE 8 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | — | S 17 | E 16 | E 16 | SSE 23 | SSE 23 |
18 | 68 | 17 | 13 | 45 | 23 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 2 | — | 5 | 5 | 5 | 176 | 175 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | NE 4 | — | E 9 | N 4 | E 11 | S 15 | E 10 | NE 8 | NE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | E 17 | — | — | E 9 | E 10 |
6 | 6 | — | 15 | 1 | 9 | 17 | 8 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | 2 | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | — | N 3 | NNW 3 | WSW 3 | W 3 | S 8 | S 11 | — | — | SSE 8 | — | — | NNE 3 | NNW 3 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 9 | — |
14 | — | 5 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 111 | 2160 | — | — | 867 | — | — | 1 | 3 | 385 | 2114 | 1374 | 992 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 163 | 0 | 37 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 596 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 215 | 1 | 36 | 2 | 2 | 117 | 248 | 215 | 444 | 146 |
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.










