Backsides Surf Forecast

/ NSW – North Coast (46 breaks) / New South Wales (297 breaks) /

Australia (828 breaks)

Surf Forecasts:

Backsides surfForecast / NSW – North Coast / Australia

48hr Weather and Surf, issued 3 pm Saturday 23 May 2026 AEST

Forecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent

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

Today's Backsides sea temperature is 23.0° C
(Which is normal for this time of year)

How big are the waves at Backsides today?

The current surf forecast for Backsides at 9PM is: 4.0m 12s primary swell from a Southeast direction and 4.0m 12s secondary swell from a East-southeast direction (forecast issued at 03:00pm May 23). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-shore and the swell rating is 11.

Time (AEST) & Date	Wave Height	Wave Period
Morning (23 May)	-	-
Afternoon (23 May)	11ft (3.5m)	12s
Evening (23 May)	13ft (4.0m)	12s

Table - waves today at Backsides. (Swell directed towards the surf break)

Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent

	Short Range Forecast Heavy rain (total 29mm), heaviest during Mon morning. Warm (max 21°C on Sat afternoon, min 19°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Sat afternoon, calm by Tue morning).
	Sat 23				Sunday 24								Monday 25								Tue 26
	1 PM	4 PM	7 PM	10 PM	1 AM	4 AM	7 AM	10 AM	1 PM	4 PM	7 PM	10 PM	1 AM	4 AM	7 AM	10 AM	1 PM	4 PM	7 PM	10 PM	1 AM	4 AM	7 AM	10 AM
Rating (10 max)	0	!	!	!	!	!	!	0	0	0	!	!	!	!	!	!	!	!	!	!	!	!	!	!
Swell Height Map See all maps
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s)	SE 12	ESE 12	SE 12	ESE 12	ESE 12	ESE 12	ESE 12	ESE 12	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	SE 11	SE 10	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11
Wave Graph
kJ	5027	3735	4945	4758	4631	4248	4000	3529	2957	2546	2222	2031	1154	922	1857	1925	1909	1862	1768	1756	1593	1565	1422	1390
Wind (km/h)	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	S	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SSE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	SE	ESE	SE	ESE	NNE
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross-on	cross-on	cross-on	cross-on	cross-on	cross-on	cross-on	cross-on	cross-on	on	cross-on	cross-on	cross-on	cross-on	cross-on	on	glassy
High Tide		2:21PM0.89m				2:20AM1.29m				3:32PM0.97m				3:22AM1.20m					4:31PM1.07m				4:18AM1.13m
Low Tide				7:45PM0.38m				9:14AM0.19m				9:01PM0.40m					10:02AM0.18m				10:16PM0.41m


	—	—	—	—	—	6:24	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	6:26	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	6:26	—	—
	—	4:58	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	4:58	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	4:58	—	—	—	—	—	4:57
mm	—	—	—	—	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	2	3	2	2	1	1	1	2	2
Temp °C	21	20	21	20	20	19	19	21	21	21	20	20	20	20	19	20	21	21	20	20	20	20	20	20
Feels °C	15	14	15	15	16	15	16	18	18	19	18	19	20	20	19	21	21	21	20	20	20	21	20	22
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	—	ESE 12	—	ESE 12	ESE 12	S 21	S 20	S 18	S 18	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	SE 11	SE 10	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11	ESE 11
kJ	—	3735	—	4054	4631	8	30	27	25	2546	2222	2031	1154	922	1857	1925	1909	1862	1768	1756	1593	1565	1422	1390
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	S 17	—	—	—	E 12	E 11	S 13	—	—	—	S 18	S 18	S 16	SSE 16	SSE 16	SSE 15
kJ	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	6	—	—	—	833	828	3	—	—	—	6	6	5	25	24	21
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	S 11	S 10	S 10
kJ	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	2	2
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s)	SE 12	S 10	SE 12	SE 12	S 8	ESE 12	ESE 12	ESE 12	ESE 11	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
kJ	5027	804	4945	4758	477	4248	4000	3529	2957	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Nearest Offshore or Glassy	Lady Jane Bay NSW - Sydney North Coast	Sandon Point NSW - Illawarra	Peggys NSW - Illawarra	Hat Head NSW - Port Macquarie	Turners Beach NSW - North Coast	Turners Beach NSW - North Coast	Turners Beach NSW - North Coast	The Pass NSW - North Coast	The Pass NSW - North Coast	The Pass NSW - North Coast	The Pass NSW - North Coast	The Pass NSW - North Coast	Broken Head NSW - North Coast	Broken Head NSW - North Coast	Broken Head NSW - North Coast	The Pass NSW - North Coast	The Pass NSW - North Coast	The Pass NSW - North Coast	The Pass NSW - North Coast	The Pass NSW - North Coast	The Pass NSW - North Coast	The Pass NSW - North Coast	The Pass NSW - North Coast	Flat Rock NSW - North Coast
Rating (10 max)	2	4	4	5	5	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Distance (km)	598	665	671	251	69	69	69	23	23	23	23	23	15	15	15	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	0
Best forecast wave conditions in North Coast - New South Wales					Arrawarra	Arrawarra	Turners Beach	The Pass	The Pass	The Pass	Arrawarra	Arrawarra	Broken Head	Arrawarra	Arrawarra	Arrawarra	Emerald Beach	Emerald Beach	Emerald Beach	Emerald Beach	Black Rock	Emerald Beach	Black Rock	Black Rock
Rating (10 max)					5	8	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia	Luna Park VIC - Far West	Luna Park VIC - Far West	Luna Park VIC - Far West	Hat Head NSW - Port Macquarie	Currumbin Point QLD - Gold Coast	Currumbin Point QLD - Gold Coast	Currumbin Point QLD - Gold Coast	Noosa - Boiling Pot QLD - Sunshine Coast	Rennies Beach NSW - South Coast	Rennies Beach NSW - South Coast	Mystics NSW - Illawarra	Depot Beach NSW - South Coast	Depot Beach NSW - South Coast	Depot Beach NSW - South Coast	Depot Beach NSW - South Coast	Depot Beach NSW - South Coast	Bilgola Beach NSW - Sydney North Coast	Bilgola Beach NSW - Sydney North Coast	Depot Beach NSW - South Coast	Depot Beach NSW - South Coast	Depot Beach NSW - South Coast	Depot Beach NSW - South Coast	Depot Beach NSW - South Coast	Depot Beach NSW - South Coast
Rating (10 max)	4	4	4	5	6	5	5	6	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Header Global	Saint Leu Reunion	Papatowai New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Arrawarra Australia	Cannibal Bay New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Chameau Mauritius	Chameau Mauritius	Chameau Mauritius	Chameau Mauritius	Chameau Mauritius	Chameau Mauritius	Chameau Mauritius	Aileen's Ireland	The Hoek South Africa	Cape St Martin South Africa	Ahijedero Mexico	Ahijedero Mexico	Boneyards South Africa	Boneyards South Africa	Albatross South Africa
Rating (10 max)	5	6	7	8	7	8	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	4	5	5	4	4	5	5	4

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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Backsides Surf Forecast

Backsides surfForecast / NSW – North Coast / Australia

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