Broken Head Surf Break

Lat Long: 28.71° S 153.62° E

Broken Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 pm 24 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Broken Head sea temperature is
20.2°C
0.5° 

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 24 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 8s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 10s period, SSE swell with 522 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 25 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s period with ENE 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 Tuesday (Aug 25) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 8s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Broken Head in the next 16 days are 1.6m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) 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 1.5m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 30) at 7AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7AM (Tue 25th Aug)3.5ft (1.0m) 8s
Best Surf10PM (Thu 27th Aug)4ft (1.2m) 8s
Most Powerful10PM (Sat 29th Aug)5ft (1.6m) 10s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, this is Rusty.

Let’s look at what we’ve got for Broken Head. The first half of this run is a bit of a struggle, but there’s a decent window of cleaner surf to look forward to later on.

The week starts off rough. Monday afternoon is a no-go with light cross-onshore ENE wind and a weak, short-period 3ft ENE swell. The combined energy is weak (99). Tuesday and Wednesday are pretty much the same story – poor conditions with onshore winds and small, messy waves. The wind turns favourable on Wednesday morning, with a light W cross-offshore, cleaning up that 3ft ENE swell, but the period is a short 7 seconds, so it’s not going to have much push. It’s a slight improvement, but not a standout.

Thursday morning brings a bit of a shift. A light rain band with a moderate S cross-offshore wind, and a 3ft E swell. The period is still short, but the wind is clean, making it surfable. That afternoon, the wind eases and the waves get a little more shape, but it’s still pretty ordinary. Friday morning is similar, with a clean SSW wind and a tiny 3ft swell. The energy is dropping (93).

Things start to look more interesting heading into the weekend. Saturday morning picks up with a new SSE swell coming in at 3ft, but with a much better 10-second period from a groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 251 (moderate). The wind is a clean cross-off from the SSE, which is a solid combo. The water temp is about 68°, which is pretty normal for this time of year. However, the swell direction is coming from the SSE, which is not the optimum ENE direction this point likes, so it won’t be perfect. It’s the best we’ll see for a while.

Sunday morning (30th August) is the real standout. A 5ft SE swell with a super short period of 6 seconds, but the combined energy is a whopping 353 (strong). The wind is a gentle cross-off from the SSE, keeping the waves clean. The quality is good, and with this much energy and clean conditions, it’s the best looking session on the cards. The swell is a bit much for beginners though. After that, the energy is still there Sunday afternoon, but the wind swings cross-shore, making it a bit messier.

The following week looks quieter. Monday morning (31st August) has a clean 3ft SSE groundswell with a 9-second period and light SSW cross-off wind. The combined energy is 284 (moderate). Good, clean lines. Tuesday morning (1st September) is tiny with a glassy 2ft E swell, but the energy is still moderate (151). That’s a true dawny session. The weird one is Tuesday afternoon – a 1ft SSE swell with a very long 16-second period, but the wind is onshore and it’s a poor forecast. That long period groundswell would be better suited to a point or reef, but the wind kills it.

The rest of the second week is pretty grim. From Wednesday (2nd September) through to the end of the run, it’s mostly small, short-period wind swells with onshore or cross-onshore winds. The combined energy is weak to moderate. There are a couple of clean moments, like Friday morning (4th September) with a 1ft E swell and a gentle offshore SW wind, but it’s just too small to get excited about. The best of the second week is probably Sunday morning (6th September) – a clean 3ft SSE groundswell with a 10-second period and light SSE cross-off wind, giving a moderate 276 energy. That’s the one to pencil in for a long-range hope.

So, the best bet is Sunday morning (30th August). The 5ft swell with clean cross-off wind and strong energy is the clear winner. The Saturday morning (29th) before it is a solid runner-up for a cleaner, smaller wave. The long-range Sunday (6th September) is worth watching, but the forecast is less certain.

Keep your eyes on the wind, and your board waxed. This is Rusty, signing off.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 23°C on Wed morning, min 16°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 16°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Mon
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
1
2
1
0
2
1
0
1
2
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
ENE
8
1
ENE
8
1
ENE
8
1.2
ENE
8
1.1
ENE
8
1
ENE
7
1
ENE
8
0.9
ENE
8
0.8
E
8
0.9
ENE
8
1
ENE
8
0.8
ENE
8
0.7
ENE
8
1
SSE
10
0.9
SSE
10
0.8
SSE
10
0.8
SSE
10
1.5
SE
6
1.4
SSE
9
1.1
SSE
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
99
131
125
175
153
99
117
83
90
116
130
79
67
214
173
133
133
164
315
188
Wind (km/h)
10
ENE
10
N
10
NNE
20
NNE
20
N
10
W
15
NNE
15
S
20
S
15
SSE
10
S
10
SSW
15
E
10
SSE
20
SSE
20
S
20
SSE
15
SSE
15
SE
5
SSE
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-off
on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
High Tide
5:54PM1.45m
6:06AM0.97m
6:31PM1.55m
6:44AM1.05m
7:04PM1.62m
7:18AM1.13m
7:36PM1.67m
7:52AM1.21m
8:08PM1.69m
8:27AM1.28m
8:40PM1.65m
9:03AM1.34m
9:13PM1.58m
Low Tide
00:36AM0.32m
11:49AM0.23m
1:08AM0.23m
12:29PM0.16m
1:38AM0.16m
1:06PM0.10m
2:07AM0.10m
1:42PM0.07m
2:36AM0.05m
2:20PM0.07m
3:06AM0.03m
2:59PM0.10m
3:36AM0.04m
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
part cloud
thunderstorm
clear
light rain
rain showers
part cloud
clear
clear
rain showers
rain showers
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:07
6:07
6:05
6:05
6:03
6:03
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:25
5:27
5:27
5:28
5:28
5:29
5:29
 mm
1
1
2
1
1
1
Temp °C
18
18
21
21
18
23
22
19
18
18
18
19
18
18
19
18
18
19
18
17
Feels °C
18
17
18
19
16
23
20
18
15
16
17
17
16
18
15
14
15
16
16
16
  • Map Icons:
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  • 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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