Broken Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at Broken Head for the next little while.

The early part of the outlook is a slow burn, with the first real chance to get wet arriving on Saturday morning the 29th of August. Before that, Friday afternoon the 28th is a write-off – small, messy, and cross-shore at 5ft from the SSE with only 12 seconds of period. The combined energy is moderate (760), but conditions are marginal, so I’d give it a miss.

Saturday morning the 29th is where it starts to feel right. We’ve got a clean 4ft SSE swell with a 10-second period, light offshore wind from the SW, and a solid moderate energy reading (396). The water’s sitting at 69°F, which is about average for the time of year. Broken Head is a point break that’s fairly consistent and beginner-friendly, so this is a nice window for a long, easy session. The chop stays away, and the offshore breeze will keep things smooth. Afternoon sees a bit of rain and a pick-up in wind, so the morning is your pick.

Sunday the 30th brings a bit more size – 7ft from the SSE in the morning, dropping to 6ft in the afternoon. The period drops to 9 seconds, so it’s a bit shorter and punchier. The wind is cross-offshore from the S at 12 mph, which keeps it reasonably clean, but the energy is high (642 in the morning). For beginners, this is pushing the limit at over 5ft; it’s still manageable for most intermediate surfers, but the shorter period means it’ll be a bit more walled and less forgiving.

Monday the 31st sees the swell settle around 5ft with an 8-second period, south-easterly wind, and clean conditions. The energy is moderate (around 426–452). It’s a solid, workable day but nothing to write home about.

Now, the standout of the whole run is Thursday morning the 10th of September. This is the one to circle on your calendar. We’ve got a 5ft SSE groundswell with a 12-second period, combined energy reading of 560, and it’s dead glassy – zero wind. That’s about as clean as it gets. The swell direction is SSE, which matches the optimum ENE direction reasonably well, and the long period means those waves will have real shape and power. This is a point break, so the long period won’t be a problem – it’ll wrap in nicely. For intermediate to advanced surfers, this is a premium session. Keep in mind it’s over a week away, so the vibe is promising but not locked in just yet.

Between that and the weekend, there’s a fair bit of average to poor surf. From Tuesday the 1st of September through to Tuesday the 8th, the conditions are mostly poor – small, cross-onshore, or onshore winds, and short-period windswell. The energy drops away to low numbers (down to 13 or 20 at times), and there’s a run of days where the swell is under 2ft. It’s a real dry spell, so don’t get your hopes up in that middle week.

The tail end of the outlook, around Saturday the 12th of September, flirts with a bit of size again – 7ft from the SSE – but the period is a short 6 seconds and the wind is cross-shore, so it’s likely to be a messy, lumpy affair. Probably one for the kites more than a paddle board.

So, if you’re keen, hit Saturday morning the 29th of August for a clean, fun session, and definitely keep your eyes peeled for Thursday the 10th of September – that glassy morning with a long-period groundswell could be the best wave of the month.

Rusty.

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