Broken Head surfForecast / NSW – North Coast / Australia

information circle16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 9 am Wednesday 20 May 2026 AEST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Broken Head surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Broken Head sea temperature is
23.9° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)

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 Thursday (May 21) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 10s period. 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 4.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Friday (May 22) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.5m 9s period and expected on Thursday (May 21) at 7AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Thu 21st May)4ft (1.2m) 10s
Best Surf10AM (Sun 24th May)10ft (3.0m) 12s
Most Powerful 7PM (Fri 22nd May)15ft (4.5m) 12s

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


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 20°C on Wed morning, min 14°C on Wed night). Mainly strong winds.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Sat afternoon. Warm (max 22°C on Mon morning, min 15°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Sat morning, calm by Mon afternoon).

Wednesday
20
Thursday
21
Friday
22
Saturday
23
Sunday
24
Monday
25
Tuesday
26
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
2
1
0
2
2
3
3
2
2
3
4
4
4
4
4
3
2
3
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
E
10
1.5
E
10
1.2
E
10
1.1
E
10
1.1
E
9
3.5
SSE
9
4.5
SSE
10
5
SSE
11
4
SSE
11
3.5
SE
11
3
SE
12
3
ESE
11
3
ESE
12
3
ESE
11
2.5
ESE
11
2.4
ESE
11
2.4
ESE
11
2.1
ESE
11
1.7
ESE
11
1.6
ESE
11
1.5
E
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
489
414
257
219
210
1791
3778
5471
4086
2758
2731
1967
2303
1960
1736
1485
1473
1034
737
681
639
Wind (km/h)
20
SW
25
S
25
SW
25
SSW
30
S
30
S
35
S
40
S
25
S
25
S
30
SSE
20
SSE
10
S
10
SSW
15
WSW
10
SW
5
ENE
20
WSW
20
WSW
15
S
30
SW
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
High Tide
10:40AM0.98m
11:09PM1.76m
11:42AM0.94m
00:08AM1.66m
12:49PM0.94m
1:07AM1.55m
1:59PM0.99m
2:06AM1.44m
3:06PM1.07m
3:02AM1.33m
4:05PM1.17m
3:54AM1.24m
4:56PM1.28m
Low Tide
4:15PM0.13m
6:07AM0.16m
5:12PM0.21m
7:08AM0.20m
6:17PM0.30m
8:06AM0.22m
7:29PM0.38m
8:59AM0.22m
8:45PM0.44m
9:45AM0.21m
9:57PM0.46m
10:26AM0.19m
11:01PM0.44m
clear
thunderstorm
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
light rain
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:22
6:22
6:24
6:24
6:24
6:26
6:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:00
4:59
4:59
4:59
4:58
4:58
4:58
3
7
1
2
3
1
1
2
1
3
2
2
2
1
1
2
Temp °C
20
20
17
19
20
18
19
19
20
21
21
20
19
19
19
22
21
20
20
19
17
16
16
12
13
14
13
12
12
15
17
17
17
20
19
19
22
21
18
15
15
11
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
E
10
1.5
E
10
1.2
E
10
1.1
E
10
1.1
E
9
1
E
10
0.6
E
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.3
S
12
3
ESE
11
3
ESE
12
3
ESE
11
2.5
ESE
11
2.4
ESE
11
2.4
ESE
11
2.1
ESE
11
1.7
ESE
11
1.6
ESE
11
1.5
E
12
Energy kJ
489
414
257
219
210
181
71
33
28
1967
2303
1960
1736
1485
1473
1034
737
681
639
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
N
11
0.1
S
22
0.2
S
19
0.2
S
17
0.1
S
15
0.1
S
13
0.1
S
12
0.1
S
16
0.3
SSE
15
0.3
SSE
14
Energy kJ
2
9
28
22
4
3
3
5
44
40
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
S
14
0.1
S
11
Energy kJ
4
2
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.2
S
7
2.1
S
8
3
S
8
3
S
9
3
S
8
3.5
SSE
9
4.5
SSE
10
5
SSE
11
4
SSE
11
3.5
SE
11
3
SE
12
1.2
S
9
1.4
SSE
6
1.7
S
7
2.4
S
8
Energy kJ
127
510
1214
1331
1234
1791
3778
5471
4086
2758
2731
210
140
303
753
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
2
2
4
2
3
3
4
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
4
Distance (km)
0
60
0
7
266
60
230
545
65
65
84
8
0
0
0
0
0
15
15
0
20
Best forecast wave conditions in North Coast - New South Wales
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
2
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
4
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia
Rating
(10 max)
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
5
4
4
4
5
4
5
7
7
5
6
9
6
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Broken Head:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Broken Head surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


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.

Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest