
Surf Forecasts:
Backdoor 4 surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 8s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, S swell with 2,716 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 8s period with SSE 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 Tuesday (Sep 08) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 10s. 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 3.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) 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 1.6m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4PM (Tue 8th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 4PM (Tue 8th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Thu 10th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Backdoor 4 over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright crew, Rusty here. Let’s have a yarn about what’s coming our way for the next couple of weeks. We’ve only got one break on the table for this stretch, so all eyes are on Backdoor 4.
The window kicks off with a bang, but it’s not one for the faint-hearted. We’re looking at a run of powerful, oversized swell that’s going to be well out of the comfort zone for most punters. The real standout action is packed into the first few days, with some seriously heavy energy on offer.
Tuesday the 8th hits the ground running with a solid 8ft swell from the south, packing a massive 1132 units of energy. That’s strong, grunty stuff. The morning has a moderate offshore breeze, keeping things clean, but at this size, it’s expert territory only. The afternoon cleans up even more with a gentle cross-off breeze and the swell dropping slightly to 7ft, but still, this is a big, raw ocean.
Wednesday the 9th is the pick of the early run. The morning sees the swell drop right back to a much more manageable 4ft from the south, with a light cross-off breeze. Clean, user-friendly, and a proper window for intermediate surfers to get a piece. The afternoon, though, swings back to a wild 8ft with a strong 25 mph offshore wind. That’s powerful, clean, but paddling into it will be a battle. Not for the faint-hearted.
Thursday the 10th continues the big-swell theme with another 8ft day from the south. The morning is clean but heavy, and by the afternoon we’re seeing a very long-period 11-second groundswell with 1816 units of energy – that’s a lot of grunt. The offshore wind keeps it clean, but that’s a serious paddle. Best left to the chargers.
Friday the 11th eases off a touch. The morning still has 7ft swell, but the afternoon is the real gem: 6ft of clean, glassy surf with a gentle offshore breeze. That’s the sweet spot for the first week – quality, manageable, and clean.
Saturday the 12th morning offers another clean, fun-sized day with 5ft and a light breeze. After that, the bottom drops out. From Saturday afternoon right through to Tuesday the 15th, it’s a graveyard. Small, chopped-up, onshore junk. Not worth looking at.
We do get a flicker on Wednesday the 16th. The morning brings 5ft from the SSE with a gentle offshore – clean and fun. But the afternoon is the standout of the second week: 6ft from the south with a very long 13-second period and a clean offshore breeze. This is quality, punchy groundswell. It’s got that extra energy (1273 units) and will be best handled by experienced surfers, but for the crew that knows what they’re doing, this is a proper session.
After that, it’s back to small, lumpy, and onshore through to the 23rd. There’s a tiny glimmer on Sunday the 20th with glassy conditions and a knee-high swell, but it’s pretty ordinary.
So to sum it up: the first few days are for the big-wave specialists only, with Wednesday the 9th morning and Friday the 11th afternoon being the best bets for the majority. The second week’s highlight is Wednesday the 16th afternoon – a proper groundswell hit with clean winds.
Stay safe out there, and don’t be a hero when it’s overhead and heavy.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue morning, min 11°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SE on Tue afternoon, strong winds from the S by Wed afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | S 8 | S 7 | S 10 | S 9 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 11 | S 20 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1124 | 588 | 477 | 165 | 723 | 2716 | 1279 | 1538 | 1384 | 861 | 696 | 435 | 386 | 358 | 194 | 122 | 188 | 100 | 175 | 166 | 112 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 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 | 9:57AM1.49m | 10:13PM1.25m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 4:15PM0.24m | ||||||||
6:03 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | |
— | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 23 | 21 | 23 |
Feels °C | 10 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | S 8 | ESE 13 | ESE 11 | S 9 | S 22 | SSE 22 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | NE 6 | S 12 | S 12 | NE 6 |
8 | 588 | 477 | 165 | 17 | 47 | 1279 | 254 | 48 | 861 | 696 | 435 | 386 | 358 | 161 | 122 | 188 | 64 | 175 | 166 | 31 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 10 | E 10 | ESE 7 | E 9 | S 25 | ESE 10 | SE 9 | E 15 | E 15 | E 14 | E 13 | SSE 19 | S 18 | S 20 | NE 4 | ENE 13 | S 10 | NE 6 | ENE 12 | S 11 |
— | 8 | 7 | 66 | 6 | 12 | 38 | 22 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 118 | 162 | 194 | 10 | 17 | 100 | 20 | 15 | 112 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NE 9 | E 15 | E 9 | E 17 | S 21 | S 23 | E 9 | E 10 | S 21 | ENE 14 | S 18 | ENE 14 | E 14 | ENE 13 | S 17 | ENE 13 | S 13 | ENE 13 | — | E 12 |
— | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 36 | 93 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 18 | 25 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 94 | 17 | 55 | 17 | — | 12 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | — | — | NW 3 | S 7 | S 10 | — | S 11 | S 10 | — | — | — | — | E 3 | NE 5 | NNE 4 | ENE 4 | — | NW 3 | NE 4 | WSW 2 |
1124 | — | — | 2 | 723 | 2716 | — | 1538 | 1384 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 30 | 13 | 54 | — | 3 | 24 | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 176 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 731 | 135 | 0 | 248 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 2 | 3 | 180 | 0 | 2 | 91 | 0 |
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.










