Broken Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s on offer around Broken Head over the next couple of weeks.

The outlook is a bit of a slow burn, to be honest. There’s a bit of small, workable swell on the cards, but the real standout windows are tucked away in the mornings, especially when that offshore or glassy wind kicks in. Overall, the combined energy stays moderate, with readings often in the 100s and 200s (moderate energy), and a few pulses pushing into the 300s, which is a sign of more push.

The water temperature is sitting at about 68°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so not much to report there.

Let’s start with the first real chance. Friday the 21st is a write-off – cloudy, onshore wind at 12 mph, and only 3 ft of weak, short-period NE windswell. Not worth paddling out.

Saturday the 22nd looks better. Early morning, the wind swings to a light W at 3 mph, going glassy, with 3 ft of ENE swell. It’s still short period at 7 seconds, so it’ll be a bit soft and walled off, but the clean conditions make it a pleasant session for a beginner or mellow surfer. The combined energy is 109 (moderate). Afternoon gets cross-on, so skip it.

Sunday the 23rd: morning is the pick, with a clear sky and a light offshore SW wind at 6 mph, cleaning up the same 3 ft of ENE swell. Combined energy is 79 (weak), so it’s not punchy, but it’ll be fun for a longboard.

Monday the 24th morning: the swell drops to 2 ft, but the period jumps to 12 seconds – a proper groundswell. Combined energy is 192 (moderate). That long period will make for better shaped waves at the point, but the size is tiny. Offshore SW wind at 6 mph keeps it clean. Worth a look if you’re a log specialist.

Tuesday the 25th morning: back to 3 ft of ENE swell, but with a glassy NNE wind at 3 mph. The energy is 108 (moderate). It’s not exciting, but it’s clean.

Now, the first real standout: Wednesday the 26th morning. The swell picks up to 4 ft from the ENE, with a light offshore WSW wind at 3 mph. Combined energy jumps to 219 (moderate). The period is still 8 seconds, so it’s windswell, but the size and clean conditions make it the best of the first week. Expect good surf conditions.

Thursday the 27th morning is another good one. Swell is 5 ft from the ENE, with a solid offshore SSW wind at 9 mph for clean, lined-up waves. Combined energy is 306 (moderate). This is getting into the fun zone, with a bit of push. The 8-second period means it’ll be a bit sectiony, but the offshore wind will help hold the faces up. This is the top pick for the first week.

Friday the 28th morning: glassy, calm wind, with 4 ft of ENE swell. Combined energy is 188 (moderate). A clean, if not powerful, session.

Saturday the 29th morning: again glassy, with 3 ft of E swell, 8 seconds. Combined energy 197 (moderate). Clean but small.

Sunday the 30th morning: 3 ft, cross-off SSE wind, clean. Energy 127 (moderate). Not a standout.

Monday the 31st: a bit of a weird one. The swell is only 1 ft, but the period is a massive 19 seconds – very long. Combined energy is 229 (moderate). That long period means the waves will be super straight at a beach break, but at a point like Broken Head, it could wrap in nicely, though it’ll be very small and fat. The morning has a light cross-off SSE wind, so it’s clean. This is more of a novelty for a longboard.

Looking into the second week, the forecast is less certain, but there’s a promising window. Wednesday the 2nd of September morning: 3 ft of E swell with a 10-second period, glassy SSE wind. Combined energy is 368 (moderate). That’s a good pulse of energy and clean conditions. This is a solid option, but it’s a week and a half away, so keep an eye on it.

Friday the 4th of September morning: another glassy morning, 3 ft of ENE swell at 10 seconds. Combined energy is 323 (moderate). Another clean, moderate-sized morning.

The best of the whole outlook is Thursday the 27th of August morning, with 5 ft of ENE swell and a solid offshore wind. After that, Wednesday the 26th morning and Wednesday the 2nd of September morning are also worth marking on the calendar. Most of the afternoons are blown out or onshore, so plan for dawn patrols.

Crowds at Broken Head can be often, so expect company, especially on those clean, glassy mornings. The spot is fairly consistent, so there’s nearly always something to ride, even if it’s small.

Rusty.

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