
Surf Forecasts:
Broken Head surf forecast from 3 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 9s period, E swell with 287 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s 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 Tuesday (Aug 04) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 12s. 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 1.3m 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 10s period and expected on Friday (Aug 07) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Sun 9th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Broken Head over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next couple of weeks at Broken Head, a point break that’s beginner-friendly.
First up, the water temp is about what you’d expect for this time of year, so no need to dig out the extra rubber.
Right now, there’s not much happening. The first few days are pretty flat and ordinary. Tuesday morning, August 4th, has a tiny 3ft swell from the SE with a short 8-second period, but the winds are glassy – dead calm. That’s a silver lining, making it clean, but the wave energy is weak (177). It’s surfable, but only just. The rest of the week and into the next one is a real struggle. We’re looking at a long run of small, weak swell, mostly under 3ft, with onshore or cross-shore winds messing it up. The combined energy mostly sits in the double digits or low hundreds, which is just weak. There are a few mornings with offshore winds, like Wednesday the 5th, Thursday the 6th, and Saturday the 8th, but the swell is tiny – 2ft to 3ft. It’s clean, but you’re hunting for ankle-biters. This is a dry spell that runs from the start right through to the middle of the second week.
Now, hold on. The real story this period is the second half of the second week. Keep your eyes on Saturday, August 15th. The afternoon brings a sudden jump: a 8ft swell from the SSE with a 10-second period. The combined energy rockets to 1189 (moderate-to-strong). The wind is cross-off, so the face should be clean. That’s a big step up, but it’s big enough to be for more experienced surfers only.
Then Sunday morning, August 16th, it’s even bigger at 8ft, same direction, but the period stretches to 11 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, with energy at 1605. The wind stays cross-off and clean. This is very solid, but again, it’s expert territory. An 8ft wave at a point break with that long period will have plenty of power.
The standout is Monday, August 17th. The swell hits 10ft from the SSE with a 10-second period. The combined energy is massive – over 2000. That’s a very strong pulse. The wind is light cross-shore, so it won’t be perfect, but it’s manageable. This is for experts only.
But the absolute best window is Tuesday, August 18th. The morning is glassy – dead calm – with an 8ft SSE swell and a 10-second period. The energy is strong at 1386. The conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. That’s the one. The afternoon stays clean with a cross-off breeze. The following Wednesday morning, the 19th, has dropped to 6ft, still from the SE, but the wind is stronger and the energy is down to 673. It’s still good, but Tuesday is the clear winner.
So, to wrap it up: the first week and a half is a write-off with tiny, weak surf. The real action kicks off on the afternoon of the 15th and peaks on the 18th and 19th. The best on offer is the morning of Tuesday, August 18th, with glassy conditions and a solid 8ft Southern Ocean groundswell pouring into the point. It’s a standout for the confident crew.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 13°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SE 9 | SE 8 | SSE 9 | ESE 11 | E 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | SSE 11 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SSE 10 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
225 | 139 | 59 | 117 | 151 | 88 | 54 | 30 | 28 | 38 | 32 | 59 | 77 | 37 | 55 | 181 | 230 | 287 | 203 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 10:54PM1.46m | 11:40AM1.24m | 11:37PM1.32m | 12:36PM1.26m | 00:30AM1.17m | 1:43PM1.30m | 1:40AM1.03m | 2:59PM1.38m | 3:07AM0.94m | 4:14PM1.50m | 4:31AM0.93m | 5:19PM1.64m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:26AM0.12m | 5:31PM0.36m | 6:07AM0.16m | 6:38PM0.44m | 6:56AM0.21m | 8:05PM0.49m | 7:57AM0.25m | 9:46PM0.45m | 9:09AM0.25m | 11:11PM0.34m | 10:21AM0.20m | 00:14AM0.22m | |||||||
— | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 |
Feels °C | 14 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SE 8 | SSE 9 | ESE 11 | E 10 | ESE 9 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
225 | 139 | 59 | 117 | 151 | 88 | 37 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 30 | 59 | 69 | 37 | 55 | 181 | 230 | 287 | 203 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 7 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSW 6 | ESE 8 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 |
29 | 24 | 21 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 54 | 21 | 12 | 19 | 51 | 71 | 77 | 67 | 46 | 31 | 21 | 35 | 51 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | E 13 | NE 7 | NE 6 | NE 9 | S 8 | S 6 | E 10 | ESE 8 | SSE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | SSW 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | S 9 | NE 9 | S 8 | S 7 |
14 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 17 | 20 | 38 | 32 | 32 | 16 | 16 | 24 | 25 | 28 | 19 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | N 3 | — | ENE 8 | WNW 2 | S 6 | — | — | — | — | — | SW 3 | S 4 | — | — | — | NNW 3 |
— | — | — | 3 | — | 49 | 1 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 13 | — | — | — | 4 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 208 | 2 |
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.











