Broken Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty. Let’s get straight into it. Looking at the next couple of weeks, we’ve got a bit of a slow start, a punchy middle, and then a proper run of solid, clean groundswell that’ll have the point humming. Don’t get too excited about the immediate forecast, though—this one’s about patience.

The first few days are pretty grim. Sunday the 9th has a bit of 4ft east swell filtering in, with a light cross-onshore breeze, but it’s barely worth suiting up. The energy is weak (211), and it’s just lumpy and uninviting. Monday the 10th sees a jump in size to 6ft, but it’s coming from the NNE with a fresh cross-onshore wind, and the period has dropped to a short 6 seconds. That’s a messy, blown-out combo (425), and the surf quality is poor. We’re looking at a gap of several days here where there’s nothing worth paddling out for. Through Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th, the swell backs right off to 2ft, and while the winds turn cleaner and offshore, the energy is just too weak. It’s tiny, and not a whole lot of push. Thursday the 13th is even smaller, down to 2ft—honestly, that’s a flat spell, and I’d give it a miss.

Now, here’s where things start to shift. Friday the 14th afternoon brings a pulse of 6ft from the SSE with a 10-second period. It’s still a bit raw, and the tide might be messing with it, but the wind is cross-offshore and it cleans up. That’s a hint of what’s coming. The energy jumps to 593, which is a moderate push. Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th are still messy, with more rain and variable winds, and the swell is inconsistent. Not worth the drive yet. Monday the 17th is a write-off—strong onshore winds and 7ft of short-period slop. That’s kite-surfing weather, not paddle surfing. The same goes for Tuesday the 18th; it’s big-ish but cross-shore and lumpy. Just leave it.

Then we hit the real deal. From Wednesday the 19th, the swell starts to organize, and the wind is working with us. By Thursday the 20th, Broken Head (Byron Bay) really turns it on. We’ve got 8ft of ESE groundswell with a 9-second period, light cross-offshore winds, and clean conditions all day. The energy reading is strong (1159 in the morning, 1196 in the afternoon), and the surf quality is rated as excellent for experienced surfers. This is the first true standout. It’s a proper, powerful wave. Because it’s over 8ft, you’d want to be comfortable in bigger surf—this isn’t a beginner’s day. It’s a point break, so it’ll hold that size well, and the direction is right in the optimum zone.

Friday the 21st keeps the quality high. There’s 7ft of east swell with the same light cross-off breeze, and the energy is still strong (1159). Morning conditions are clean and glassy. It’s a touch smaller but still solid, and for me, this is another excellent day. Saturday the 22nd is the pick of the bunch, though. We get a 7ft east swell in the morning, building to 8ft by the afternoon, with a longer 11-second period and a clean light offshore wind. The energy jumps to 1798 in the arvo, which is a serious amount of water moving. This is powerful, well-shaped surf. Again, this is expert territory at that size, but for the crew who charge, this is as good as it gets.

Sunday the 23rd, it’s still pumping. Morning glass is on, with 8ft east swell and a long 12-second period. The energy is massive (1539). It’s clean, glassy, and lined up. The only caveat is that the afternoon wind swings onshore, which could mess with the face, so make the most of the early session. And over a week out, into Monday the 24th, we’ve got 6ft of east groundswell with offshore winds and clean conditions. It’s still very good, but the size is easing.

So, if you can hold off, the window from Thursday the 20th through to Sunday the 23rd is the one. Broken Head (Byron Bay) is the place to be. It’s consistent, it’s a point, and it’s handling this size as good as any spot around. Get on it.

Rusty.

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