Broken Head Surf Break

Lat Long: 28.71° S 153.62° E

Broken Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 am 11 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Broken Head sea temperature is
20.5°C
0.6° 

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 11 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 11 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 9s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 16 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, SSE swell with 1,685 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 11 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 9s 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 Friday (Sep 11) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 15s 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 3.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) 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 1.9m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 10AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)10PM (Fri 11th Sep)6.5ft (2.0m) 9s
Best Surf10PM (Fri 11th Sep)6.5ft (2.0m) 9s
Most Powerful10PM (Wed 16th Sep)11ft (3.5m) 9s

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


The Lowdown

Right, grab a coffee and settle in. This is a proper look at the 16-day forecast for Broken Head, and I’ll be honest with you, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. There’s a real quiet patch on the cards for a stretch, but a serious pulse of energy shows up mid-period that could be the standout, as long as you’re comfortable with some size and wind.

We start off with a bit of a whimper, to be honest. The surf is there on Friday the 11th, but it’s messy. We’ve got a 7.9ft south-south-east swell at 8 seconds, but the wind is a cross-off from the south-south-east at 9 mph and there’s light rain in the air. The water’s sitting at 68.9°F, which is about average for this time of year, and the energy is solid at 822. It’s got some push, but the short period and the wind make it pretty lumpy. It’s not a day for the faint-hearted. That afternoon, the wind swings more to the south-east at 12 mph and the swell drops slightly to 6.9ft. It’s rated as being in the balance, but I’d be looking elsewhere if I was you.

The weekend stays pretty uninspiring. Saturday the 12th sees the swell back off to 5.2ft and the wind staying cross from the south-east at 6 mph, which leaves a bit of a chop on the face. The wave energy drops to 415, feeling weak. Sunday the 13th is smaller still, with a 3ft south-south-east swell but the period stretches out to 11 seconds. The wind is light cross from the south-east at 6 mph. It’s clean-ish but tiny. Not a whole lot of push behind it.

Monday the 14th is the definition of a flat spell. The morning has a tiny 3ft groundswell at 11 seconds, but the wind is glassy from the east at 3 mph. It’s clean, but there’s almost nothing to ride. The energy reads just 199. That afternoon the wind turns onshore from the north-east, and it’s game over. From Tuesday the 15th through to Wednesday the 23rd, the forecast is a real write-off. We’re looking at a stretch of about eight days here where it’s really going to be a mission to find anything rideable. Swells drop to under 3.3ft, periods get all over the shop, some genuinely long period energy at 18 seconds on the 19th but with no size and a howling onshore wind. It’s just a whole lot of nothing. For a spot like Broken Head, a blank run like this can happen, but it tends not to last forever.

Hold on, because Wednesday the 16th is where things get interesting. The morning is still junk, but that afternoon the whole game changes. A big south-south-east swell pushes in, reading 9.8ft at 8 seconds, and the energy cranks right up to a strong 1215. The wind also picks up to a fresh 22 mph but it’s from the south-south-east, which is a clean cross-off at this spot. It’s going to be wild, powerful and most likely lined up. Heads up though, with the swell over 8.2ft and that short period, this is a day for the experienced crew only. If you’re a beginner, give this one a wide berth. The conditions are raw, but there’s power there for those who can handle it.

That pulse hangs around for a few days. Thursday the 17th keeps the south-south-east swell going at 6.9ft, but the wind drops to a moderate 12 mph, still from the south-south-east, so it stays cross-off and clean. It’s still solid and powerful. Friday the 18th is another good shout. The morning has a clean 4.3ft south-south-east swell at 10 seconds, with a light south-south-east cross-off breeze at 6 mph. The energy is a moderate 345, but conditions look really good. This could be the pick of the bunch if you want decent waves without the absolute mayhem of the 16th. The afternoon is a bit of a let-down with the wind going cross-on from the east-north-east.

From Saturday the 19th, it’s back to the poorhouse. The swell drops out and the wind is on it from the north, making it choppy and messy. The energy levels just bleed away. We get a tiny 1.6ft bump on the 19th morning with a very long 18-second period, but there’s no size and a cross-on breeze, so it’s a non-starter. The rest of that week and into the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd is a story of tiny, weak, onshore slop. The energy numbers are in the double digits some days, which is as weak as it gets.

The very end of the window, around the 25th and 26th of September, shows a bit more swell, up to 5.9ft and 6.6ft, but it’s coming from the north-north-east with

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 20°C on Sun morning, min 14°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Warm (max 22°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon morning, fresh winds from the SSE by Wed morning).

Friday
11
Saturday
12
Sunday
13
Monday
14
Tuesday
15
Wednesday
16
Thursday
17
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
1
3
1
1
2
1
0
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
2
0
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.4
SSE
8
2.1
SSE
8
1.8
SSE
9
1.6
SE
8
1.5
SE
8
1.4
SE
8
0.9
SSE
11
1.2
SE
9
1.1
SE
9
0.9
SSE
11
0.9
SSE
10
0.6
SSE
11
0.6
SSE
11
0.5
SSE
10
0.4
SSE
10
0.4
ENE
6
3
SSE
8
3
SSE
9
2.1
SSE
8
1.3
ESE
7
1.6
SSE
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
808
653
489
346
304
210
187
241
183
180
149
97
88
56
31
12
1211
1435
638
151
540
Wind (km/h)
15
SSE
20
SE
15
SSE
10
SE
10
SE
5
SSE
10
SE
10
ESE
0
NNE
5
E
15
NE
10
NNW
15
N
20
NNE
15
NNW
35
SSE
35
SSE
30
S
20
SSE
20
SSE
10
SSE
Wind State
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
glassy
cross
cross-on
glassy
glassy
on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
8:02PM1.69m
8:25AM1.43m
8:38PM1.58m
9:03AM1.46m
9:12PM1.44m
9:41AM1.46m
9:46PM1.29m
10:20AM1.43m
10:20PM1.14m
11:03AM1.36m
10:58PM1.00m
11:54AM1.29m
11:46PM0.89m
Low Tide
1:42PM0.01m
2:24AM-0.00m
2:25PM0.04m
2:54AM0.02m
3:07PM0.12m
3:23AM0.07m
3:50PM0.21m
3:53AM0.13m
4:34PM0.32m
4:24AM0.21m
5:24PM0.43m
4:59AM0.30m
6:26PM0.52m
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
clear
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:48
5:48
5:47
5:45
5:43
5:43
5:41
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:35
5:36
5:36
5:37
5:37
5:37
5:37
 mm
1
1
2
5
1
3
Temp °C
19
18
18
19
19
17
20
19
17
19
19
17
22
20
18
18
17
16
17
18
17
Feels °C
15
15
15
16
17
17
17
17
16
17
17
15
20
17
15
12
10
9
13
13
13
  • 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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