Surf Forecasts:
Broken Head surf forecast from 31 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 16s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 6s period, N swell with 187 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 16s period with SSE 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 (Sep 01) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 10s is also forecast. 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 1.6m 6s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 11s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 05) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Broken Head over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Righto, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the local stretch. The forecast starts off with a bit of a letdown, I gotta be honest. For the first week and a half, there’s barely a whisper of decent surf. The windows are few and far between, and most of it is blown out or too small to get excited about. You’ll be staring at flat, choppy, or messy conditions for most of that run. But hang in there, because the second half of the period has a proper pulse of energy that’s worth waiting for.
The only real standout in this whole 16-day window is Broken Head (a point break) on the morning of Thursday the 10th of September. That morning, a solid 8ft SSE groundswell rolls in with a period of 11 seconds, and the combined swell energy is pumping at a strong 1,679. The wind is blowing clean and cross-off from the SSE at 16 mph, so the faces should be looking pretty tidy. That’s proper, powerful surf – not for the faint-hearted, mind you. Over 8ft, that’s expert territory, and with a long-period swell like that, it’ll work best peeling down the point rather than just closing out. The afternoon stays clean with a 6ft swell and even more energy (2,374), but the morning is the pick for the biggest, most powerful sets.
Before that, the first week is a write-off. Tuesday the 1st has a tiny 1ft SSE groundswell in the morning with glassy, clean conditions, but it’s barely enough to get excited about. The rest of that week and into the next is plagued by onshore winds, small lumpy junk, and hardly any energy. There’s a long gap from the 1st right through to the 9th where you’d be wasting your time.
After the 10th, the swell drops off quickly. Friday the 11th still has a solid 7ft SSE swell, but the wind is cross-shore, so it’ll be a bit crumbly. The energy is still moderate (886 in the morning), but it’s not as clean as the day before. By Saturday and Sunday, it’s back to smaller, onshore slop. The last day, Wednesday the 16th of September, has a tiny 2ft SSE swell in the morning with glassy, light wind – it’s surfable and clean, but really small. If you’re desperate for a paddle, it’s there, but it’s no highlight.
So, to sum it up: the first week and a half is a flat, windy mess. The one true standout is the morning of Thursday the 10th at Broken Head. That’s your window. Get on it if you’ve got the nerve for a big, clean groundswell.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Thu morning, min 16°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sun morning. Warm (max 27°C on Sat morning, min 17°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 8 | ENE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | N 5 | NNE 5 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | SSE 7 | SSE 12 | E 9 | NNE 5 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | E 10 | SSE 14 | ENE 9 | SSE 13 | NNE 5 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 82 | 131 | 68 | 70 | 48 | 45 | 53 | 58 | 55 | 35 | 89 | 145 | 27 | 59 | 54 | 34 | 31 | 147 | 29 | 70 | 109 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 10:23AM1.40m | 10:29PM1.32m | 11:12AM1.39m | 11:15PM1.16m | 12:11PM1.38m | 00:16AM1.01m | 1:25PM1.38m | 1:39AM0.89m | 2:48PM1.42m | 3:16AM0.87m | 4:05PM1.52m | 4:35AM0.93m | 5:07PM1.63m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:29PM0.24m | 4:45AM0.13m | 5:26PM0.34m | 5:27AM0.20m | 6:40PM0.42m | 6:22AM0.27m | 8:17PM0.45m | 7:35AM0.32m | 9:55PM0.40m | 9:00AM0.30m | 11:06PM0.29m | 10:17AM0.23m | 11:59PM0.18m | ||||||||
 | |  | |  | | | | | | | | | |  |  | | | | | | |
 | 6:01 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — |
 | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 17 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 27 | 27 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 27 | 27 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 19 |
Feels °C | 17 | 17 | 14 | 21 | 18 | 16 | 24 | 24 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 24 | 24 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 20 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | ENE 10 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | NNE 5 | S 10 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | SSE 7 | SSE 12 | S 10 | S 9 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 5 | SSE 14 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 |
| kJ | 78 | 131 | 125 | 116 | 85 | 58 | 27 | 53 | 55 | 35 | 89 | 145 | 92 | 38 | 54 | 34 | 26 | 147 | 130 | 65 | 89 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | S 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | S 11 | ENE 9 | S 10 | S 10 | NNE 6 | S 7 | E 9 | E 10 | S 10 | S 10 | E 10 | NNE 5 | NNE 5 | SSE 13 | E 9 |
| kJ | 73 | 110 | 68 | 70 | 48 | 45 | 57 | 29 | 54 | 52 | 25 | 39 | 27 | 28 | 53 | 31 | 31 | 18 | 10 | 70 | 15 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | NE 4 | NE 11 | NE 11 | NE 11 | E 9 | NE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | NE 5 | NE 5 | SSE 15 | E 10 | E 10 | S 9 | E 10 | ENE 9 | E 9 | SE 5 |
| kJ | 82 | 84 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 45 | 4 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 13 | 6 | 22 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 29 | 29 | 15 | 1 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | ENE 5 | NNW 3 | N 4 | NNE 4 | N 5 | N 5 | NNE 5 | — | SE 4 | — | — | — | NNE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 4 | NNE 5 |
| kJ | — | 9 | 4 | 8 | 31 | 27 | 53 | 58 | — | 7 | — | — | — | 59 | — | — | — | — | — | 34 | 109 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 56 | 7 | 2 | 20 | 7 | 2 | 82 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 166 | 2 | 20 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 208 | 20 |
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.
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