
Surf Forecasts:
Broken Head surf forecast from 11 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 18 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 9s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 16 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 10s period, SSE swell with 4,098 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 11 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 9s period with SSE 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 Friday (Sep 11) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 15s is also forecast. 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 4.5m 10s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Fri 11th Sep) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 9s |
| 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, this is Rusty. Let's chew the fat about Broken Head for the next couple weeks.
It's a bit of a waiting game, to be honest. The early part of the forecast is pretty average – small, short-period swell and a lot of wonky cross-shore wind. There's a monster spike mid-week, but that's for the chargers only. Let's get into it.
The weekend of the 13th is a write-off. Sunday morning, the 13th, you get a 4ft swell from the SE at a long 10 seconds, but the wind is light and cross-shore. The wave energy is moderate at 533, but the onshore breeze in the afternoon kills any chance of a clean wave.
Monday the 14th morning is the first glimpse of something okay. The swell drops to 3ft from the SSE with an 11-second pulse, and the wind goes dead flat – glassy. The energy is weak at just 195, so it's small and clean, but not a standout at all. That glassy window is gone quick.
Then we hit a bad stretch from Tuesday the 15th through Wednesday the 16th. The wind is howling, and the swell is tiny and choppy. Wednesday the 16th afternoon, we’ve got a 25 mph southerly wind with a 0.3ft swell. Totally useless.
Now, hold onto your board for Thursday the 17th. A big SSE swell hits, reaching 12ft in the morning with a 10-second period. The combined energy reading is a huge 2033, which is very strong. The wind is a strong, clean cross-offshore, so it'll look the part. But that 10ft to 12ft range is expert territory, no doubt about it.
Friday the 18th morning is a bit more doable. The swell drops to 5ft from the SE at 8 seconds, and we get a gentle offshore wind from the SSW. The energy is moderate at 298. It's clean, punchy, and much more inviting for the average surfer.
The real standout, the one to save the date for, is Saturday the 19th of September. The morning is looking fantastic. A 4ft swell from the ESE with a solid 11-second period (proper groundswell), giving us a moderate 552 reading. And the wind? Totally glassy. It will be wall-to-wall, super clean, and lined up. This is your morning session.
After Saturday the 19th, it all fades into small, weak, and choppy slop for the rest of the run. There are a few clean moments from a southerly breeze, like Monday the 21st morning and Tuesday the 22nd morning, but the swell sizes are tiny – around 3ft and 4ft, with energy readings in the basement. Really just survival waves.
Water temp is sitting at 21°C, dead average for this time of year, so no drama there.
For Broken Head, the ideal direction is from the ENE, but most of what we see is from the SSE or SE. Mix that with the cross-shore winds, and you see why it's been hard to crack a good one.
So, final call. Experts, get ready for Thursday the 17th when the big, clean swell hits. For everyone else, circle Saturday the 19th of September. That glassy morning with the solid, long-period groundswell is the best on offer. Patience, my friends.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 14°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Warm (max 22°C on Tue morning, min 14°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNW on Mon night, strong winds from the S by Wed afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SSE 11 | SE 10 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | NE 5 | N 5 | ENE 6 | NE 13 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
669 | 477 | 374 | 268 | 150 | 391 | 262 | 188 | 176 | 170 | 97 | 64 | 62 | 51 | 13 | 7 | 3212 | 2026 | 1316 | 1044 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:02PM1.69m | 8:25AM1.43m | 8:38PM1.58m | 9:03AM1.46m | 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 | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:24AM-0.00m | 2:25PM0.04m | 2:54AM0.02m | 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 | ||||||||
— | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | |
5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 |
Feels °C | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 14 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SSE 11 | SE 10 | ENE 5 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | E 6 | ENE 6 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | E 13 | S 19 |
5 | 16 | 374 | 268 | 150 | 391 | 262 | 188 | 176 | 170 | 28 | 64 | 33 | 18 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | NE 15 | SSE 19 | SSE 19 | SSE 18 | SSE 20 | SSE 18 | SSE 16 | ENE 5 | E 10 | SSE 11 | E 5 | NE 12 | SSE 10 | NNE 5 | — | — | — | S 19 | E 12 |
4 | 9 | 37 | 73 | 110 | 129 | 65 | 25 | 11 | 8 | 97 | 15 | 5 | 18 | 10 | — | — | — | 7 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 22 | — | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 8 | E 10 | E 10 | E 12 | E 10 | E 11 | E 15 | E 12 | E 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
9 | — | 16 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | — | — | ESE 7 | — | — | — | — | E 5 | — | N 3 | NE 5 | N 5 | S 8 | S 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 |
669 | 477 | — | — | 116 | — | — | — | — | 14 | — | 5 | 62 | 51 | 869 | 2478 | 3212 | 2026 | 1316 | 1044 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 8 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 264 | 2 | 86 | 1720 | 15 | 20 | 1324 | 266 | 60 | 60 | 7 |
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.










