Emerald Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 30.18° S 153.19° E

Emerald Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 am 17 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Emerald Beach sea temperature is
19.7° C
0.5° 

Emerald Beach surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Emerald Beach surf forecast from 16 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 18 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 11s period, SE swell with 4,655 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 7s period with SE swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Emerald Beach this week:

The surf forecast for Emerald Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.3m and 7s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Emerald Beach in the next 16 days are 4.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.5m 9s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 18) at 4PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Sat 18th Jul)7.5ft (2.3m) 7s
Best Surf10AM (Sat 18th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 8s
Most Powerful 7PM (Sat 18th Jul)15ft (4.5m) 11s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Emerald Beach over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s coming up for Emerald Beach. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with a couple of massive swells early on that might be too much of a good thing, then a long, slow fade into flatness.

First up, we’ve got a solid pulse of energy building into the weekend. The water temp is sitting around 68°F, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year.

The first real action kicks off on Friday, July 17th. Look, the morning is a bit of a write-off with rain showers and a fresh cross-off SSE breeze at 19 mph. The swell is a messy 8ft from the SE with a short 7-second period, and the combined energy is moderate at 711. It’s just not coming together. The afternoon is similar, with a 8ft SE swell, still not great.

Saturday, July 18th is where things get interesting, but only for the right crew. The morning brings a solid 10ft swell from the SE, but the wind is howling from the S at 22 mph. The energy is strong (1070). Honestly, this is going to be a beast. The swell is too big for most, and the wind is nasty. The afternoon, however, is a different story. The wind swings to the south at 25 mph, turning offshore. Swell drops to a cleaner 6ft from the E with a much better 11-second period. The energy is moderate (658). This is the standout for the period. That offshore wind is going to groom it, but it’s going to be a battle to get out. That long-period E swell will be looking for a point break setup, and Emerald Beach is a point, so it could be really good if you’re a strong paddler.

Sunday, July 19th is another day for experts only. The swell pumps up to 13ft from the ESE with a 10-second period. The energy is very strong (2930). The wind is a cross-off SSE breeze at 22 mph, so it’s clean, but that’s a massive wave. It stays big all day, with 12ft in the afternoon.

By Monday, July 20th, the swell starts to ease back to a more manageable 8ft from the E, but the wind is still cross-off. The energy is still strong (1316). It’s surfable, but not the peak.

Now, here’s the real gem. Tuesday, July 21st morning. Glassy. The wind goes dead calm, ESE at 3 mph. The swell is a clean 6ft from the E with a 10-second period. The energy is moderate (711). This is the window for the intermediate surfer. Glassy conditions on a point break with a decent E swell? That’s as good as it gets. The crowds are marked as "often", so expect some company.

After Tuesday, the swell drops off fast. The rest of the week and into the next sees a long, slow decline. Wednesday and Thursday the 22nd and 23rd of July see the swell drop below 4ft, and the wind turns onshore, making for poor conditions.

From Friday, July 24th through to the end of the forecast on August 1st, we’re looking at a solid run of tiny surf. Most days are under 3ft, with the odd morning offering a clean but small wave. The energy drops to weak (under 100). There’s a real gap in quality surf from July 22nd right through to the end. For a spot that’s fairly consistent, this is a quiet spell, but it’s what happens.

The best bet is Tuesday morning, July 21st, hands down. That glassy 6ft E swell on a point break is a proper session. The afternoon offshore on Saturday, 18th July, is the one for the experts.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 32mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri morning, min 15°C on Fri night). Mainly strong winds.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon morning, min 14°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
3
!
1
!
!
!
!
3
3
4
3
2
1
1
0
1
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.5
SE
7
2.3
SE
7
2.3
SE
7
3
SE
8
1.7
E
11
4
SE
10
4
ESE
10
3.5
ESE
10
3
ESE
10
2.5
E
10
2.4
E
10
2.3
E
10
1.9
E
10
1.7
E
10
1.4
ENE
9
1.3
ENE
9
1.3
ENE
9
1.2
ENE
9
1.1
ENE
9
1
ENE
9
0.9
ENE
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
704
537
558
1070
658
3095
2930
2481
1824
1316
1129
1087
711
561
340
289
254
232
184
169
134
Wind (km/h)
30
SSE
25
SSE
25
S
35
S
40
S
35
SSE
35
SSE
30
SE
25
SE
20
SE
15
SE
10
SE
5
ESE
10
E
10
WNW
10
NW
15
NE
10
NW
5
NW
5
E
5
W
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross
cross-on
on
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
10:15AM1.17m
10:27PM1.71m
11:04AM1.19m
11:10PM1.55m
11:55AM1.21m
11:54PM1.37m
12:48PM1.22m
00:39AM1.19m
1:44PM1.22m
1:29AM1.04m
2:44PM1.24m
2:30AM0.92m
3:44PM1.27m
3:40AM0.86m
Low Tide
3:56PM0.11m
5:05AM0.02m
4:47PM0.20m
5:45AM0.08m
5:41PM0.32m
6:24AM0.15m
6:40PM0.43m
7:04AM0.22m
7:50PM0.51m
7:47AM0.28m
9:09PM0.54m
8:37AM0.34m
10:29PM0.52m
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:41
6:41
6:39
6:39
6:39
6:39
6:37
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:05
5:05
5:06
5:06
5:07
5:07
5:07
 mm
2
1
1
1
12
4
6
5
Temp °C
18
18
17
18
18
18
18
18
18
19
18
18
18
17
16
19
18
15
19
19
17
Feels °C
13
12
12
11
11
12
12
14
15
16
15
16
17
15
15
17
15
13
17
18
15
  • 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 Emerald Beach Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Emerald Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Emerald Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Emerald Beach 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 (Emerald Beach) 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 Emerald Beach 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.

Are you planning a holiday in North Coast - New South Wales? If you are looking for accommodation near Emerald Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in North Coast - New South Wales, consider staying in Coffs Harbour which is 21 km (13 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in South Grafton which is 53 km (33 miles) away

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