
Surf Forecasts:
Broken Head surf forecast from 12 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 18 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 16 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 10s period, SSE swell with 4,507 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 13 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 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 Sunday (Sep 13) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 20s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Broken Head in the next 16 days are 4.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 4.0m 9s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Sun 13th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Wed 16th Sep) | 15ft (4.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Broken Head over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s talk about Broken Head. The next couple of weeks are a real mixed bag, so let’s get into it.
The week kicks off with a small window of workable waves on Sunday the 13th. Morning is the call here, with a clean 4ft swell from the SE, period at 11 seconds. The wind is a light cross-off from the SSE, and the combined energy sits at a moderate 470. The water temp is 69°, which is about normal for this time of year. It's small and clean, but nothing to get too worked up about. The afternoon gets messy with a cross-on breeze, so your best bet is an early paddle.
Monday the 14th starts with glassy conditions and a dropping swell, 3ft from the SSE. It’s surfable but ordinary – the energy is down to 178. It’s really just a morning session before a NE onshore wind ruins it by lunch.
Tuesday the 15th is poor. The swell drops to 2ft, the wind turns onshore, and the energy is weak. Honestly, don't bother. This flat spell stretches right through until Wednesday morning the 16th, where we get a tiny 2ft E swell with a short 6-second period and energy at just 35. There’s really nothing happening.
After a big gap of poor surf, things look interesting but tricky from Thursday the 17th. Thursday morning brings a sudden jump to 10ft from the SSE, with a period of 10 seconds and strong energy of 1837. That’s a solid amount of water moving, but it’s accompanied by a fresh 30 km/h cross-off wind and a rain shower warning. It’s raw and powerful – only for experienced surfers, and I’d say the wind and tide could make it a bit of a handful. Friday the 18th is the standout. Morning is still hefty at 10ft from the SSE and energy at 1551, but the real gem is Friday afternoon. The swell drops to a still-chunky 7ft from the SE, period at a nice 11 seconds, and the wind is a gentle cross-off from the SSE. The energy reads 1229, and conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. That’s the session to circle on your calendar.
Saturday the 19th still has size – 7ft from the SE in the morning – but the wind swings around to a light cross-on from the NNE, making it look a bit bumpy. The afternoon turns onshore and messy. Sunday the 20th and the following week fall off a cliff. The swell drops below 3ft, the wind is mostly cross-onshore or onshore, and energy levels drop back into the weak two and three digits. There is a brief moment on Sunday the 27th with a 4ft swell and a gentle offshore from the SSW, but the period is a short 6 seconds and the energy is only 133 – very ordinary. The rest of the run into late September looks like a flat, blown-out mess with no real punch.
So, if you’re looking for the best on offer, it’s Friday the 18th afternoon at Broken Head. That SE swell at a solid 7ft with a clean cross-off breeze and plenty of energy is your true standout. It’s a point break that works well with this swell direction, but with that kind of size and power, it’s for experienced surfers only. Crowds can be an issue here often, so get in the water early.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 21°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon morning, fresh winds from the S by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed morning, min 13°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Wed afternoon, calm by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | NNE 5 | NE 5 | E 6 | E 13 | ENE 13 | SSE 10 | E 13 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 11 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
328 | 240 | 188 | 161 | 116 | 97 | 64 | 56 | 32 | 18 | 4 | 17 | 1824 | 3 | 2405 | 1538 | 1226 | 1448 | 990 | 584 | 311 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross |
High Tide | 9:12PM1.44m | 9:41AM1.46m | 9:46PM1.29m | 10:20AM1.43m | 10:20PM1.14m | 11:03AM1.36m | 10:58PM1.00m | 11:54AM1.29m | 11:46PM0.89m | 12:58PM1.22m | 1:01AM0.81m | 2:17PM1.20m | 2:42AM0.79m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:07PM0.12m | 3:23AM0.07m | 3:50PM0.21m | 3:53AM0.13m | 4:34PM0.32m | 4:24AM0.21m | 5:24PM0.43m | 4:59AM0.30m | 6:26PM0.52m | 5:44AM0.39m | 7:51PM0.57m | 6:49AM0.45m | 9:27PM0.54m | ||||||||
5:47 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | |
— | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:38 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 22 | 21 | 18 |
Feels °C | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | ENE 6 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | NE 5 | E 6 | E 13 | ENE 13 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | S 19 | SSE 10 | SE 11 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 |
328 | 240 | 188 | 161 | 116 | 31 | 64 | 56 | 32 | 18 | 4 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 1538 | 1226 | 1448 | 990 | 584 | 311 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 20 | SSE 18 | SSE 16 | ENE 5 | E 10 | SSE 11 | E 11 | NE 12 | SSE 10 | N 5 | — | — | NE 13 | E 13 | NE 12 | NE 16 | S 10 | E 8 | SSE 18 | S 9 | S 9 |
129 | 65 | 26 | 9 | 2 | 97 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 13 | — | — | 7 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 318 | 1 | 30 | 137 | 104 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | NE 12 | E 10 | E 14 | E 15 | E 12 | E 13 | — | — | — | — | — | E 12 | E 12 | S 18 | NE 8 | SSE 17 | SSE 16 |
13 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 94 | 138 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | ENE 5 | NNW 2 | NE 6 | NNE 5 | NNW 4 | S 6 | S 8 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | S 10 | S 10 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 16 | 1 | 32 | 56 | 24 | 224 | 1432 | 3882 | 1824 | 1930 | 2405 | 1037 | 458 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 230 | 2 | 19 | 236 | 19 | 264 | 1324 | 65 | 230 | 266 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 208 | 2 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Coast - New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










