
Surf Forecasts:
Broken Head surf forecast from 12 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 13 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 9s period, SE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, SE swell with 1,478 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 13 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 9s period with SE 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 Monday (Jul 13) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Broken Head in the next 16 days are 3.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Mon 13th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Mon 13th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Sat 18th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Broken Head over the next 16 days.
G’day, this is Rusty. Let’s talk about the next couple of weeks. We’re starting slow, but there’s a payoff later, especially for the experienced crew.
The first few days are a bust. Monday morning the 13th has a clean 2ft swell from the SE with a 9-second period, combined energy is a weak 59 – not enough to do anything with. It’s flat and poor through Tuesday and Wednesday the 14th and 15th. A big gap of no worthwhile surf.
Then Thursday the 16th, the swell jumps to 10ft from the SSE, but the period is short at 8 seconds, and the wind is a fresh cross-offshore at 19 mph. The energy is 883 (moderate wave energy). This is a big, chunky, messy swell. At Broken Head, a point break that prefers an ENE swell, this direction is off, so it’s going to be lumpy and only for experts. The water temp is about average for the season.
The swell stays between 8ft and 12ft through the weekend, with energy climbing over 1000. By Sunday the 19th, the period ticks up to 10 seconds, and energy hits 1735 (strong wave energy). The wind is still a moderate cross-off, so it’s clean, but the direction is still wrong. This is big, powerful, and not the best shape.
The real standout is Tuesday the 21st. The swell drops to a more manageable 6ft from the E, with a 10-second period, and the wind swings to a light offshore from the SW at 9 mph. The energy is 612 (moderate wave energy). The forecast says “expect very good surf conditions.” This is the call. The swell direction is closer to the optimum ENE, and the offshore wind will make it glassy and clean. This is your best window – solid, surfable, and clean. Crowds are often here, so get in early.
The good conditions hold into Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd, with the swell easing to 4ft-4ft, still with a light offshore wind. Energy drops to around 250-300, but it’s clean and fun. After that, the wind gets messy, and the long period groundswell (11-12 seconds) that comes in around the 24th and 25th is better for the reefs. The 25th of July, Saturday afternoon, looks good again with a 5ft E swell (period 11 seconds) and a light cross-offshore wind from the WNW – that’s clean, with good energy (502). The E swell is right in the sweet spot.
The swell fades into the final days, with small, clean waves but not much punch.
So, bottom line: the first week is a write-off until Thursday the 16th, but that’s big and rough. The true standout is Tuesday the 21st at Broken Head – 6ft from the east, light offshore wind, clean, and great energy. The second call is Saturday the 25th afternoon, with a similar 5ft E swell and clean conditions. Get on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon morning, fresh winds from the S by Wed afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Thu morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 15°C on Thu morning). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | E 11 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
38 | 26 | 20 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 871 | 1173 | 950 | 876 | 865 | 794 | 1220 | 1478 | 1310 | 1411 | 1210 | 1276 | 1114 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | on | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:18PM1.89m | 7:38AM1.06m | 8:08PM1.96m | 8:28AM1.10m | 8:55PM1.96m | 9:16AM1.13m | 9:40PM1.89m | 10:03AM1.16m | 10:23PM1.77m | 10:51AM1.18m | 11:04PM1.60m | 11:42AM1.19m | 11:44PM1.42m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:28PM0.03m | 2:07AM0.05m | 1:20PM-0.03m | 2:54AM0.01m | 2:10PM-0.05m | 3:39AM-0.00m | 2:59PM-0.03m | 4:21AM0.02m | 3:46PM0.05m | 5:00AM0.06m | 4:35PM0.16m | 5:38AM0.11m | 5:26PM0.30m | ||||||||
6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
— | 5:04 | — | — | 5:05 | — | — | 5:05 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 17 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | S 8 | S 8 | SSW 8 | ESE 10 | S 5 | ESE 9 | N 10 | E 11 | NE 10 | NE 9 | NE 8 | NNE 8 | ESE 10 | — | S 20 | S 21 | S 20 | SSE 19 | SSE 18 | SSE 17 |
38 | 29 | 30 | 22 | 10 | 4 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 149 | — | 8 | 9 | 30 | 36 | 32 | 59 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | SE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 10 | S 8 | S 7 | S 12 | E 9 | — | — | S 16 | S 15 | S 17 | — | — | S 15 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 18 | S 17 |
32 | 26 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 2 | — | — | 5 | 4 | 6 | — | — | 4 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 8 | SE 7 | ESE 10 | N 10 | E 11 | — | — | — | S 19 | S 13 | — | — | — | — | E 18 | S 19 | — | — |
21 | 20 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 7 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | — | WNW 2 | SW 3 | S 4 | — | S 4 | S 6 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 |
33 | — | 1 | 5 | 4 | — | 17 | 251 | 871 | 1173 | 950 | 876 | 865 | 794 | 1220 | 1478 | 1310 | 1411 | 1210 | 1276 | 1114 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 208 | 15 | 247 | 334 | 334 | 208 | 266 | 7 | 60 | 266 | 60 | 542 | 544 | 84 | 266 | 500 | 208 | 65 | 266 | 8 |
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.










