Broken Head Surf Break

Lat Long: 28.71° S 153.62° E

Broken Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 12 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Broken Head sea temperature is
20.7° C
0.3° 

Broken Head surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Broken Head surf forecast from 12 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 12 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 10s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 12s period, SE swell with 7,326 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 12 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 10s 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 Sunday (Jul 12) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 10s period. 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 5.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 4PM. 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 Thursday (Jul 16) at 10AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7PM (Sun 12th Jul)3ft (0.9m) 10s
Best Surf 7PM (Sun 12th Jul)3ft (0.9m) 10s
Most Powerful 4PM (Sat 18th Jul)18ft (5.5m) 12s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Broken Head over the next 16 days.


Alright, Rusty here, let's take a look at what's coming down the line in the next couple of weeks.

The surf's pretty quiet to start, but if you're patient, a big pulse of energy is heading our way. It's a story of two halves: a slow start with small clean waves, then a real surge of strong, but wind-affected, southeast swell that could be a handful.

The first window of proper surf kicks off on the morning of Sunday, July 12th. The morning session at Broken Head looks like the pick early on. It's a point break, exposed and picking up a clean 4 ft south-east swell. That swell is pushing moderate energy (251), and with a light WNW breeze, the wind is cross-offshore, keeping the surface glassy. The water temp is 69°, which is just about normal for this time of year. The crowds here can be *often*, but for a 4 ft, clean Sunday morning, it'll be worth sharing the takeoff zone. The swell direction is coming from the SE, not quite the ideal ENE, but the clean conditions will make up for it.

By the afternoon on Sunday, the swell backs off to 3 ft and the wind goes cross-shore, making it less appealing.

Monday the 13th offers more small stuff. Morning has a tiny 2 ft SE swell with a light offshore SW wind, making it glassy, but the energy is weak (59) and it's ankle to knee high. It's surfable if you're keen for a longboard, but nothing to write home about.

The middle of the week is flat or near-flat. Tuesday the 14th and Wednesday the 15th have swell heights below 1.0 ft and combined energy barely into double digits. It's a do-nothing period. That dry spell stretches for a few days.

Things start to ramp up seriously on Thursday, July 16th. The afternoon energy jumps to a massive 15 ft SSE swell, with combined energy at a whopping 3887 – that's very strong. But don't get too excited just yet. The wind is howling from the south at 28 mph, cross-offshore but strong enough to make it a battle. The score is cautious, and with that size and power, this is for experienced surfers only. A point break like Broken Head can handle a big swell, but that wind will be challenging. This setup might look more interesting for the kite crew than paddle surfers, to be honest.

Friday, July 17th sees the swell drop to 10 ft in the morning and 12 ft in the afternoon, still with strong SSE wind and rough conditions. The wave energy remains very high (1698 to 1667), so still big and raw.

Now, the standout window arrives on Saturday, July 18th. The morning is still big and windy with a 15 ft SE swell and moderate energy (3861), but by the afternoon, it all comes together. The swell holds at 18 ft from the SE, the period stretches to 12 seconds, and combined energy is 7326 – that's very strong, groundswell territory. The wind, while still cross-off from the SSE, drops to 19 mph. The conditions are marked as clean and the score is much more positive. This is a big, powerful swell at a point break. For experienced surfers who know the spot, this afternoon could be the best on offer in the whole run. The long period means the sets will be well-spaced and the waves will have real weight. This is a standout, but a serious one.

Sunday, July 19th stays solid, with 12 ft ESE swells, but the wind is still up and the energy is high. It's still big, just not as clean as Saturday afternoon.

The next highlight is Monday, July 20th. The swell drops to a more manageable 8 ft in the morning and 8 ft in the afternoon, from the ESE. The wind is lighter, and the descriptions say *excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers*. This is your call if the weekend was too heavy. The energy is still strong but not insane.

After that, the swell continues to fade through the second week, with a few mornings offering clean, surfable conditions. Tuesday, July 21st morning has a 6 ft ESE swell with a glassy offshore SW wind – that's a nice, clean, mid-range option. Wednesday, July 22nd and Thursday, July 23rd also have clean mornings with offshore wind and swell around 4 ft to 3 ft.

Through the final days, the swell drops off significantly, with a small bump of 6 ft from the SSE on Sunday, July 26th afternoon, but it comes with a 16 mph wind and a short 8-second period. The run ends with small, clean but weak surf into Monday, July 27th.

To sum it up, the best bet for clean, powerful surf is the afternoon of Saturday, July 18th at Broken Head, but only for the crew with plenty of experience in big waves. For a more user-friendly but still solid session, Monday, July 20th and Tuesday, July 21st mornings look excellent with cleaner conditions and manageable size.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 35mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri morning, min 13°C on Wed morning). Winds increasing (moderate winds from the SSW on Wed morning, strong winds from the S by Thu afternoon).

Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
1
1
1
1
3
6
4
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.1
SE
10
0.9
ESE
10
0.6
SE
9
0.5
SE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.3
ESE
10
0.2
ESE
10
0.2
ESE
10
0.2
ESE
10
0.2
ESE
9
0.1
N
10
3
S
8
4.5
S
10
4.5
SSE
10
3.5
SSE
10
3
SSE
9
3.5
SSE
9
4
SE
9
4.5
SE
10
5.5
SE
12
5
SE
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
248
175
70
38
27
20
10
10
9
9
2
0
0
3874
2119
1689
1667
2554
3861
7326
5848
Wind (km/h)
15
WNW
10
NW
15
W
10
SW
10
NE
15
W
10
SW
15
SSE
15
WSW
20
SSW
30
S
25
SSW
35
S
45
S
40
SSE
35
SSE
35
SSE
35
SSE
30
SSE
30
SSE
25
SSE
Wind State
cross-off
cross
cross-off
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
High Tide
6:24PM1.77m
6:43AM1.03m
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
Low Tide
11:33AM0.09m
1:15AM0.13m
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
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
thunderstorm
light rain
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:37
6:37
6:37
6:37
6:37
6:35
6:35
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:04
5:04
5:05
5:05
5:06
5:06
5:07
 mm
2
3
3
4
13
5
3
2
4
Temp °C
21
21
17
18
17
17
17
17
16
16
17
16
16
17
17
18
17
17
19
19
18
Feels °C
18
19
13
17
15
14
14
14
15
11
11
10
7
8
10
11
10
10
12
13
13
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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