Ballina North Wall Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Ballina North Wall over the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 69°F, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there. The opening of the period kicks off this Monday morning (10th August), but it’s a bit of a tricky start. We’ve got a 7ft swell coming out of the north with a short, weak 6-second period. The combined energy reading is 505 (moderate), but the wind is a fresh 19 mph from the NNW, making it a cross-off breeze. The forecast says it’s too big for this break, so leave the log at home. By Monday afternoon, the swell drops to 5ft, but the wind swings to a cross-off from the WNW and the surf quality goes poor. Not our day.

Tuesday morning (11th August) sees the swell drop right away to a tiny 2ft from the ENE, period stretching to 9 seconds. Wind is offshore from the west at 16 mph, and the energy is only 135 (weak). It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Tuesday afternoon is poor with a light cross-on breeze. Wednesday (12th August) morning is similar, 2ft from the east, 9-second period, and a light offshore from the WSW. Energy is down to 99 (weak). Clean, but tiny. The weak wave energy means you’ll be scratching for a ride. Wednesday afternoon and Thursday are much the same – small, weak, and ordinary. The pattern stays quiet through to the end of the week. The energy drops into the weak two-digit range all week. From Friday (14th) through to Saturday (15th) afternoon, the swell bottom’s out at 1ft to 2ft. There's a weird long-period spike of 21 seconds on Saturday morning, but the swell height is just 1ft from the SSE, so it’s not doing anything for us.

Sunday (16th) we see a bump to 4ft from the SE, but the period is a short 6 seconds and the wind is cross-shore from the south at 16 mph. High energy at 106 (weak) but the quality is poor with a cross-chop. That trend holds through Monday (17th) and Tuesday (18th) with the swell building to 5ft and 6ft from the SE and ESE, but the wind stays cross-onshore and choppy. The combined energy jumps into the moderate range on Tuesday morning at 494, but it’s messy.

Now, if you’re willing to wait, the standout window arrives on Wednesday morning (19th August). The swell is 7ft from the ESE, period 8 seconds, and the wind goes glassy-light from the SSW at just 3 mph – that’s cross-off and clean. The energy reading is a strong 1147. The forecast says excellent surf for experienced surfers. This is a clean, solid session for the advanced crew. Watch the afternoon, though, as the wind swings onshore and spoils it.

Thursday morning (20th August) brings a big pulse: 12ft from the east at 9 seconds, energy surging to 2039 (very strong). Wind is light cross-shore from the SSE. The report says it’s too big for this break, so that’s strictly for experts only. Friday morning (21st) is still pumping at 8ft east, energy 1270, with a clean cross-off from the SSW. Again, it’s huge and only for the experienced. That theme runs through the weekend, with the swell sitting around 7ft east, period 10 seconds, but winds get more cross-shore and onshore, pushing the quality down to marginal.

By Sunday morning (23rd August), the surf settles to a much friendlier 5ft from the ENE, 10-second period, with light offshore from the WSW. Energy is 386 (moderate). This will be clean and have more shape. That’s your best bet if the big stuff is too much. Monday (24th) stays around 5ft, but a strong offshore wind of 25 mph from the west makes it clean but hard to paddle into. Tuesday (25th) is similar with a fresh offshore.

So for the standout, I’d target Wednesday morning (19th August) for a powerful, clean session if you’re advanced, and Sunday morning (23rd) for a more manageable, clean, and lined-up wave. The Ballina North Wall is a consistent spot, so even with the flat spells, it won’t stay poor for long. Get amongst it when the wind lines up.

Rusty.

Read more