Broken Head Surf Break

Lat Long: 28.71° S 153.62° E

Broken Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 pm 18 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Broken Head sea temperature is
20.0° C
0.6° 

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


Broken Head surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 11s period, SE swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period, ESE swell with 537 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 11s period with SE swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Broken Head this week:

The surf forecast for Broken Head over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Broken Head in the next 16 days are 1.7m 10s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 12s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 10PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7AM (Wed 19th Aug)5ft (1.5m) 11s
Best Surf 7AM (Wed 19th Aug)5ft (1.5m) 11s
Most Powerful 4PM (Wed 19th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Broken Head over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the surf ahead for Broken Head.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you: the next week or so is looking pretty grim. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, weak swell and onshore winds that just won’t quit. From Tuesday the 18th all the way through to Saturday the 29th of August, it’s a real struggle. Most days the waves are under 3ft, the period is short, and the wind is either cross or onshore, making for chop and poor conditions. There’s a couple of brief moments – like Thursday morning the 20th and Sunday morning the 23rd – where the wind goes offshore or glassy, but the swell is just too small to get excited about, with combined energy barely cracking 100. It’s not a total loss, but you’d be paddling for ankle-biters.

Now, the real story is what’s brewing out there for the very end of the month and into early September. This is the promising part, but it’s a long-range call, so keep that in mind.

The first real standout is looking like Sunday the 30th of August. The morning shows a 5ft SSE swell with a period of 14 seconds, pushing strong energy (963). The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the S at 15 km/h. That’s a solid, clean groundswell for Broken Head. The afternoon gets even bigger, with a 7ft SSE swell and a very long period of 18 seconds, pumping out massive energy (3340). That’s a serious groundswell, and for a point break like this, it’s going to draw in nicely. The wind stays cross-off, so the face should be clean. For experienced surfers, the afternoon is the pick of the entire forecast, but that 7ft is getting into expert territory. The water temp is about 68°, which is pretty average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

The run continues into Monday the 31st with a 7ft SSE swell (13 sec, 1444 energy) and clean cross-off winds, offering another quality day. Then Tuesday the 1st of September still has a respectable 5ft SSE swell (12 sec, 591 energy) with clean conditions in the morning. That’s a great, solid option for the start of spring.

So, to sum it up: the first week and a half is a write-off, with a whole lot of flat, windy days. The best surf on offer is undoubtedly the late-season groundswell hitting on Sunday the 30th and Monday the 31st of August. The Sunday afternoon session is the biggest and most powerful, but know your limits. The Tuesday morning on the 1st of September is a solid, more manageable option. Don’t bother paddling out before the 30th unless you’re desperate for a splash.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 13°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Mon morning, min 15°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Tue
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
2
3
3
2
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
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)
1.8
SE
8
1.7
ESE
9
1.5
SE
11
1.7
ESE
10
1.2
SE
10
1.6
ESE
8
1.6
ESE
8
1
ESE
8
0.8
ENE
6
0.8
ENE
7
0.9
ENE
7
0.8
ENE
7
0.9
ENE
7
0.9
ENE
8
0.9
ENE
8
0.9
ENE
8
0.9
ENE
7
0.8
ENE
7
0.6
ENE
8
0.7
ENE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
439
475
505
537
262
291
266
117
52
62
78
59
68
85
89
88
81
64
51
68
Wind (km/h)
15
SE
10
SE
5
SSE
15
SE
10
SW
10
SW
5
ESE
10
N
10
N
20
NNE
15
N
15
N
20
NNE
10
NNW
0
SSW
10
NE
10
N
15
N
20
NNE
20
N
Wind State
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
off
off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
glassy
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
High Tide
11:35PM1.11m
12:42PM1.24m
00:20AM0.96m
1:49PM1.21m
1:26AM0.85m
3:05PM1.21m
3:01AM0.80m
4:16PM1.27m
4:25AM0.83m
5:11PM1.35m
5:23AM0.89m
5:54PM1.45m
Low Tide
5:49PM0.45m
5:52AM0.26m
6:54PM0.56m
6:36AM0.34m
8:25PM0.62m
7:36AM0.40m
10:07PM0.59m
8:54AM0.42m
11:16PM0.51m
10:07AM0.38m
00:01AM0.41m
11:04AM0.31m
00:36AM0.32m
clear
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:13
6:13
6:11
6:11
6:09
6:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:22
5:23
5:23
5:24
5:24
5:25
5:25
 mm
1
2
1
3
Temp °C
18
17
17
18
16
17
17
17
19
18
17
20
19
17
19
19
18
21
20
18
Feels °C
15
14
16
15
15
17
16
15
16
15
14
17
16
16
18
18
17
19
18
15
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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 Broken Head Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Broken Head provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Broken Head can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Broken Head 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 (Broken Head) 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 Broken Head 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.

Broken Head is 19 km (12 miles) from Ballina. If you plan a holiday in North Coast - New South Wales, look for hotels and other accommodation in Ballina. Ballina has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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