
Surf Forecasts:
Broken Head surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 11s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, SSE swell with 1,286 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 4 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 6s period with NNE 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 04) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 6s 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 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) 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 1.2m 12s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Fri 4th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Thu 10th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Broken Head over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Righto, Rusty here. Let's have a look at Broken Head for the next couple of weeks.
First off, the wait is going to be a bit of a grind. We’ve got a whole lot of nothing happening for the first five days. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday are all pretty much a write-off. The swell is tiny, the wind is all over the shop, and the water is just ordinary. It’s a slow start, no doubt about it.
Then, we finally get a bit of a pulse on Wednesday morning, the 9th of September. It’s not huge, but 5ft of SSE swell with a 8-second period is enough to get the board out. The real kicker is the wind: glassy, dead calm. That’s a major positive. The combined energy is moderate at 276, and it’s looking like a clean, fun session for the early crew. This is the standout of the first week. It’s not a big swell, but good conditions make it the best on offer.
Thursday the 10th gets a bit more size, but it’s a tricky one. We’re looking at 10ft of SSE swell, but the period is short at 8 seconds. The wind is cross-off and fresh, which keeps it clean, but the energy is strong (923-1155). That’s a lot of power for a short-period swell, so it’s going to be a meaty, lumpy ocean. This one is for the experienced crew only; beginners should stay well clear. It’s marginal, but there’s a wave there if you’re keen and know what you’re doing.
Moving into the second week, Friday the 11th sees a big, long-period groundswell rolling in from the SSE. The morning is 5ft at 14 seconds, and the afternoon bumps up to 8ft at 13 seconds. The energy is very strong (1518-1666), and the wind is a clean cross-off. This is a proper swell, but that long period at a point break like Broken Head can make it a bit straight and tricky. It’s still promising for a solid session, but it won’t be a classic.
Saturday the 12th is the real gem of the window. The morning has 5ft of SSE swell at 11 seconds, with a light cross-off breeze. The energy is moderate at 641, and the forecast is for very good surf conditions. This is the one to circle on the calendar. The swell is a good size, the period is solid, and the wind is light and clean. It’s the best combination of size and quality we’ve seen.
After that, the swell fades through Sunday and Monday, and by Tuesday the 15th we’re back to choppy, onshore slop. The last few days of the forecast are a mixed bag with some glassy moments but no real swell to work with.
Water temperature? It’s pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year, so no dramas there.
So, to sum it up: the first five days are a bust. Wednesday the 9th is a nice little glassy session for the patient. The big stuff on the 10th and 11th is for the bold. But the real standout, the one you want to be there for, is Saturday morning, the 12th of September. That’s the pick.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Sun morning, min 17°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Mon morning, min 15°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 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) | N 6 | NNE 6 | SSE 10 | SSE 13 | E 9 | E 10 | SSE 10 | NNE 6 | N 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
116 | 48 | 34 | 127 | 27 | 30 | 35 | 62 | 112 | 50 | 20 | 21 | 34 | 59 | 141 | 243 | 256 | 118 | 118 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | on | cross |
High Tide | 00:16AM1.01m | 1:25PM1.38m | 1:39AM0.89m | 2:48PM1.42m | 3:16AM0.87m | 4:05PM1.52m | 4:35AM0.93m | 5:07PM1.63m | 5:34AM1.03m | 5:59PM1.72m | 6:22AM1.15m | 6:44PM1.77m | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:22AM0.27m | 8:17PM0.45m | 7:35AM0.32m | 9:55PM0.40m | 9:00AM0.30m | 11:06PM0.29m | 10:17AM0.23m | 11:59PM0.18m | 11:18AM0.14m | 00:41AM0.09m | 12:11PM0.06m | 1:19AM0.03m | |||||||
— | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:34 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 |
Temp °C | 23 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 28 | 22 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 |
Feels °C | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 26 | 21 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | S 5 | SSE 13 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 10 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | S 8 | S 11 | S 9 | S 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | S 8 |
74 | 48 | 27 | 127 | 94 | 39 | 35 | 62 | 74 | 50 | 149 | 345 | 101 | 63 | 141 | 243 | 256 | 118 | 57 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | NNE 6 | S 5 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | S 9 | S 10 | S 6 | NNE 6 | E 9 | NE 8 | SSE 10 | NE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | S 8 | ENE 8 |
54 | 53 | 25 | 15 | 27 | 28 | 18 | 28 | 16 | 21 | 20 | 15 | 34 | 59 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 86 | 14 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | SSE 10 | NNE 5 | NE 5 | SSE 12 | S 8 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 4 | NE 9 | E 9 | NE 9 | E 10 | NE 7 | NNE 6 | ENE 9 | NE 6 |
28 | 29 | 34 | 11 | 6 | 30 | 11 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 26 | 16 | 7 | 4 | 15 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 6 | S 4 | — | — | — | NNE 5 | NNE 5 | WNW 2 | N 6 | SE 5 | — | ENE 6 | — | SSW 2 | S 5 | — | — | NNE 6 | SE 8 |
116 | 12 | — | — | — | 22 | 31 | 1 | 112 | 55 | — | 21 | — | 1 | 54 | — | — | 4 | 118 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 45 | 15 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 11 | 60 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 236 | 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.










