
Surf Forecasts:
Emerald Beach surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 6 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 6s period, NNE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 11 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 7s period, SE swell with 147 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 6 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 6s period with NNE 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 Sunday (Sep 06) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 3s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Emerald Beach in the next 16 days are 1.2m 7s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 11) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be 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 Thursday (Sep 10) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Fri 11th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Emerald Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, mate, I’ll level with you – it’s a pretty grim stretch for Emerald Beach. We’re lookin’ at a long, frustrating run of poor surf conditions with only a couple of brief windows that might get your heart beatin’ a little faster. The first real chance to get wet isn’t until Sunday the 6th of September, and even then, it’s nothing to write home about.
The Saturday the 5th kicks off with a tiny north-east swell of 1ft, but with a 6 mph onshore breeze and a period of just 6 seconds, it’s a total write-off. The combined energy is a measly 11 (weak energy). By the afternoon, the wind cranks up to 16 mph onshore, and the swell bumps to 4ft, but it’s a short-period mess – total energy is 101 (moderate wave energy). Forget it.
Sunday the 6th is the first day that’s actually surfable, but it’s still very ordinary. The morning brings a 3ft NNE swell with a 9 mph cross-offshore wind from the SE. The combined energy reads 78 (weak energy). The afternoon is a bit cleaner with a 3ft swell, but the wind gets stronger. It’s a one-star day at best. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
From Monday the 7th all the way through to Thursday the 10th, it’s flat and wind-ruined. Tiny swells under 2ft, mostly onshore or cross-shore winds, and energy levels barely cracking 20. It’s a dead zone.
Friday the 11th of September sees a bit of a pulse. The morning brings a 4ft SE swell, with a 12 mph offshore wind from the south. The combined energy climbs to 128 (moderate wave energy). The period is 7 seconds, so it’s still a bit short and lumpy, but it’s the most promising morning we’ve got. The break is a point break, which will handle this swell direction okay, but it’s a bit exposed to the swell. The optimum swell direction from the guidance is NE, and this is SE, so it’s not ideal. Still, with the offshore wind, it’ll be the cleanest option. Keep in mind the crowd factor – this spot can be busy, so you might have some company.
After that, we’re back into the doldrums. Saturday the 12th through to the end of the forecast window on the 20th is a consistent run of poor surf. Tiny waves, onshore winds, and energy levels that rarely break 100. The swell direction is mostly from the NE, which is the optimum direction for the break, but it’s just too small and the wind is always in the wrong spot. The mid-week of the second week (around the 16th and 17th) sees a few models with 3ft to 4ft NE swell, but the wind is consistently onshore from the north or north-east, so it’s blown out.
The absolute standout – and I use that term loosely – is the Friday morning, 11th of September. With a 4ft SE swell and a clean offshore wind, that’s your best bet. The beach setup is a point, so it’ll handle the direction better than a straight beachie. The combined energy of 128 (moderate wave energy) is the highest we see. It’s not a classic day, but it’s the only one that’s worth paddling out for.
Everything else is a waiting game, mate. The forecast can change, but right now, it’s a long, flat run.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sat morning, min 15°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Wed night. Warm (max 20°C on Wed morning, min 13°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Mon night, fresh winds from the S by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 9 | NE 6 | NNE 5 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | NE 4 | NNE 4 | ENE 8 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
28 | 11 | 85 | 60 | 60 | 57 | 26 | 13 | 15 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 16 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | on | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-on | off | off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 1:46AM0.90m | 2:42PM1.42m | 3:18AM0.88m | 3:58PM1.49m | 4:39AM0.93m | 5:03PM1.57m | 5:41AM1.03m | 5:58PM1.65m | 6:31AM1.15m | 6:45PM1.69m | 7:16AM1.26m | 7:28PM1.69m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:35AM0.32m | 9:47PM0.36m | 8:58AM0.33m | 11:01PM0.26m | 10:16AM0.28m | 11:57PM0.16m | 11:22AM0.20m | 00:42AM0.07m | 12:17PM0.12m | 1:21AM0.01m | 1:06PM0.07m | 1:57AM-0.02m | |||||||
— | 5:58 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Temp °C | 17 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 17 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 9 | S 11 | S 10 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | S 11 | S 10 | S 8 | NNE 9 | E 10 | SSE 12 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | S 23 |
326 | 74 | 63 | 65 | 60 | 57 | 26 | 1066 | 533 | 245 | 7 | 7 | 1725 | 951 | 533 | 321 | 66 | 55 | 270 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 6 | S 13 | S 8 | E 10 | S 10 | E 10 | E 10 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | SSE 11 | E 10 | NNE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | NNE 4 | ENE 8 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 |
14 | 89 | 33 | 18 | 45 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 8 | 40 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 16 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 9 | NE 6 | E 9 | N 9 | E 10 | S 19 | — | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | — | — | NE 8 | NE 6 | E 16 | ENE 8 | E 15 | S 23 | NE 15 |
28 | 11 | 16 | 2 | 18 | 27 | — | 7 | 15 | 7 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 41 | 9 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NNE 5 | NNE 6 | SSE 2 | S 6 | S 8 | — | — | — | S 8 | SSE 10 | — | — | NE 4 | — | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 |
— | — | 85 | 60 | 1 | 217 | 507 | — | — | — | 701 | 1396 | — | — | 10 | — | 1629 | 1403 | 904 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 2 | 268 | 2 | 0 | 176 | 2 | 8 | 226 | 5 | 13 | 85 | 2 | 2 | 394 | 158 | 53 | 342 | 13 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Coast - New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
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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










