Backdoor 4 Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.28° S 151.57° E

Backdoor 4 Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 pm 15 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Backdoor 4 sea temperature is
17.3° C
1.0° 

Backdoor 4 surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Backdoor 4 surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 15 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 8s period, S swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 8s period, S swell with 279 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 15 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 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 Saturday (Aug 15) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 18s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m 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 1.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 7PM. 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 6s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 7PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7PM (Sat 15th Aug)5ft (1.5m) 8s
Best Surf 7PM (Sat 15th Aug)5ft (1.5m) 8s
Most Powerful 7PM (Sat 15th Aug)5ft (1.5m) 8s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Backdoor 4 over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

G’day, it’s Rusty here, and I’ve been poring over the charts for our stretch of the coast. We’ve got a bit of a mixed plate coming our way over the next two weeks. The opening days look like a treat, but we hit a flat and messy patch in the middle, and then a big pulse of energy rolls through in the final week that’s going to sort the men from the boys. Water temps are at 63°, which is a touch cooler than we’d expect for this time of August, so you’ll want that extra layer of neoprene.

We kick off on Saturday the 15th at Backdoor 4. It’s a reef break, very consistent, and it’s exposed to the south. Saturday morning has a clean 4ft of south swell with a 9-second period, light offshore winds, and the wave energy is moderate (281). It’s a solid opener. Saturday afternoon picks up slightly to 5ft, still offshore but a touch more wind, and the energy bumps up a bit (341). This is a good, clean window to get wet.

Sunday the 16th is a step down. A 17-second period swell gives us a long-period groundswell, which can feel a bit lined-up, but the height drops to 2ft in the morning and it’s crossed-up with a cross-offshore breeze. The afternoon sees the swell jump to 5ft but the period crashes to 7 seconds, making it short, weak, and a bit jumbled. I’d give this one a miss.

Monday the 17th is back to a smaller, cleaner feel with 3ft of south swell in the morning, period around 10 seconds, and a gentle cross-offshore wind. The energy is on the weak side (224). It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about. The afternoon gets more ordinary, so grab your morning session.

Tuesday the 18th is all cross-offshore with a 7-second period and around 3ft of ESE swell. The morning is clean enough, but the energy is low (184). Afternoon conditions stay similar. It’s small and a bit weak.

Then we hit the jewel of the first week. Wednesday morning the 19th, the wind drops to glassy, 4ft of SE swell, period around 7 seconds, and the energy is moderate (227). The report says to expect good surf conditions. This is the one to point the car at before work. The afternoon dies out with a cross-onshore breeze and poor conditions.

We then enter a poor spell. From Thursday the 20th through to Saturday the 22nd, the swell drops off hard. We’re looking at small, weak, and mostly poor conditions. The winds swing around and get fresh. Saturday the 22nd does finish with a glimmer – a 5ft swell shows up late in the day with a fresh offshore wind, but the period is a short 6 seconds, so it’s going to be bumpy and weak. More frustrating than fun.

Sunday the 23rd, we get another taste. The morning is glassy again with 4ft of south swell and an 8-second period. Energy is moderate (266). It’s clean, and it’s rideable. This is the last good one for a few days.

Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th are a tale of two worlds. Monday is poor, with a tiny 2ft of weak swell and cross-onshore winds. But Tuesday the 25th is where things start to get interesting. We get a 7ft SSE swell with a 7-second period, gentle offshore winds in the morning, and the energy jumps to a strong (448). The report flags it as favorable wind and tide, but states the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. That’s a warning for the intermediates – this one is getting into expert territory and could be a real handful.

The last days of the month are a full-on pulse. From Wednesday the 26th onwards, we see a steady rise in energy. Swell heights are around 7ft to 8ft, all from the east, but the winds are just terrible. We get fresh cross-onshore and onshore winds, and the combined energy values are through the roof – we’re talking 618, 659, and up to 1002 by Thursday afternoon. That is very strong energy, but the conditions are going to be a complete mess: lumpy, choppy, and blown out. With that much swell and onshore wind pounding a reef break, this is going to look a whole lot more interesting for the kite surfers than for the paddle crew. The swell peak looks like Thursday the 27th afternoon with 8ft, but it’s onshore and chaotic.

We finish out the period with similar conditions – big, messy swell, 7ft to 8ft, cross-onshore winds, and strong energy readings. Sunday the 30th finally sees the swell ease back to around 3ft with a glassy afternoon, but it’s ordinary at best.

So, if you’re picking your moments, you’re looking at Saturday morning the 15th and Wednesday morning the 19th as the clean, fun windows. Beyond that, Tuesday the 25th has the size but it’s for experts only. The second week is a raw, powerful mess. It’s one for the brave or the kiteboarders.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Tue night. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Sat
15
Sunday
16
Monday
17
Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
1
1
2
2
1
2
1
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.4
S
8
1.3
S
7
1.5
SSE
6
1.4
SE
7
0.9
S
11
0.8
S
10
1
ESE
7
1.2
ESE
7
1.1
ESE
7
1
ESE
7
1.3
ESE
7
1
SE
7
1.1
ESE
10
1.2
ESE
7
1
ESE
7
0.8
ENE
7
1.1
ENE
7
1
ENE
7
0.9
ENE
7
0.8
ENE
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
257
166
159
158
189
116
96
117
107
88
142
90
226
124
102
62
114
102
68
70
Wind (km/h)
15
S
15
SW
20
SE
20
SE
10
ESE
10
ESE
15
ESE
10
ESE
15
ESE
15
SE
5
ENE
0
SSE
10
ENE
10
NNW
10
N
25
NE
15
N
15
NNW
25
NW
20
NW
Wind State
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
glassy
cross
on
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
10:01PM1.55m
10:39AM1.38m
10:43PM1.39m
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
Low Tide
4:26AM0.10m
4:39PM0.29m
5:00AM0.19m
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
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
clear
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:31
6:30
6:28
6:28
6:26
6:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:23
5:23
5:24
5:25
5:27
5:27
5:28
 mm
2
1
1
2
1
1
Temp °C
16
15
15
16
15
15
16
15
16
16
16
16
16
16
18
19
17
19
17
14
Feels °C
12
11
11
12
11
12
13
13
14
14
15
14
14
14
13
15
13
13
12
11
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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