Broken Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, this is Rusty.

Let’s look at what we’ve got for Broken Head. The first half of this run is a bit of a struggle, but there’s a decent window of cleaner surf to look forward to later on.

The week starts off rough. Monday afternoon is a no-go with light cross-onshore ENE wind and a weak, short-period 3ft ENE swell. The combined energy is weak (99). Tuesday and Wednesday are pretty much the same story – poor conditions with onshore winds and small, messy waves. The wind turns favourable on Wednesday morning, with a light W cross-offshore, cleaning up that 3ft ENE swell, but the period is a short 7 seconds, so it’s not going to have much push. It’s a slight improvement, but not a standout.

Thursday morning brings a bit of a shift. A light rain band with a moderate S cross-offshore wind, and a 3ft E swell. The period is still short, but the wind is clean, making it surfable. That afternoon, the wind eases and the waves get a little more shape, but it’s still pretty ordinary. Friday morning is similar, with a clean SSW wind and a tiny 3ft swell. The energy is dropping (93).

Things start to look more interesting heading into the weekend. Saturday morning picks up with a new SSE swell coming in at 3ft, but with a much better 10-second period from a groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 251 (moderate). The wind is a clean cross-off from the SSE, which is a solid combo. The water temp is about 68°, which is pretty normal for this time of year. However, the swell direction is coming from the SSE, which is not the optimum ENE direction this point likes, so it won’t be perfect. It’s the best we’ll see for a while.

Sunday morning (30th August) is the real standout. A 5ft SE swell with a super short period of 6 seconds, but the combined energy is a whopping 353 (strong). The wind is a gentle cross-off from the SSE, keeping the waves clean. The quality is good, and with this much energy and clean conditions, it’s the best looking session on the cards. The swell is a bit much for beginners though. After that, the energy is still there Sunday afternoon, but the wind swings cross-shore, making it a bit messier.

The following week looks quieter. Monday morning (31st August) has a clean 3ft SSE groundswell with a 9-second period and light SSW cross-off wind. The combined energy is 284 (moderate). Good, clean lines. Tuesday morning (1st September) is tiny with a glassy 2ft E swell, but the energy is still moderate (151). That’s a true dawny session. The weird one is Tuesday afternoon – a 1ft SSE swell with a very long 16-second period, but the wind is onshore and it’s a poor forecast. That long period groundswell would be better suited to a point or reef, but the wind kills it.

The rest of the second week is pretty grim. From Wednesday (2nd September) through to the end of the run, it’s mostly small, short-period wind swells with onshore or cross-onshore winds. The combined energy is weak to moderate. There are a couple of clean moments, like Friday morning (4th September) with a 1ft E swell and a gentle offshore SW wind, but it’s just too small to get excited about. The best of the second week is probably Sunday morning (6th September) – a clean 3ft SSE groundswell with a 10-second period and light SSE cross-off wind, giving a moderate 276 energy. That’s the one to pencil in for a long-range hope.

So, the best bet is Sunday morning (30th August). The 5ft swell with clean cross-off wind and strong energy is the clear winner. The Saturday morning (29th) before it is a solid runner-up for a cleaner, smaller wave. The long-range Sunday (6th September) is worth watching, but the forecast is less certain.

Keep your eyes on the wind, and your board waxed. This is Rusty, signing off.

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