Surf Forecasts:
Emerald Beach surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 25 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 6s period, NE swell with 269 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 7s period with ENE 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 Monday (Aug 24) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 7s period. 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 1.9m 6s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 4PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Tue 25th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Emerald Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, it's Rusty here, and let me tell you, the forecast for the next couple of weeks is pretty damn bleak. Don't get too excited. We’ve got some swell on the charts, but it’s mostly small, short-period junk. You're going to have to be on your game to find anything worth a paddle.
Right out of the gate, the Sunday afternoon is pretty ordinary. We’ve got a small 3ft ENE swell with an 8-second period, but the cross-offshore wind has things a bit jumbled. It’s surfable, but nothing special. The water’s sitting right at the seasonal average, around 67°, so it's normal for this time of year. The wave energy is weak too, only sitting at 75.
Monday morning might look good from the beach. The wind is glassy with a light NNE breeze, and the swell is down a touch to 2ft. But that’s all it is—good looking. There’s no power behind it, and the energy is almost nothing at 47. The onshore wind kicks in by the afternoon and ruins the whole thing.
The middle of the week is a total washout. Tuesday and Wednesday are all onshore and cross-onshore winds. The swell does get a little more push—the energy numbers climb into the 100s and even over 190 on Wednesday morning—but it's just not clean. The period stays short and the surf will be a choppy mess.
Thursday, the 27th, is the first day that has a bit of life in it. The wind swings offshore from the SSW in the morning and the water will be clean. The swell is 4ft, with an 8-second period, and the energy is moderate at 157. The afternoon looks even better with a cross-offshore breeze, the swell holding at 4ft and the energy jumping to 202. This is your window. It’s not huge, but it’ll be clean and fun on the point at Emerald Beach (Mid-North-Coast). This is the standout of the whole period.
After that, it’s back to the small stuff. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are all similar. There are some glassy mornings, but the swell is just under 3ft and the energy is weak to moderate. You might get some ankle-biters if you time it right.
Then, the bottom falls out. From the 31st of August all the way through to the 7th of September, there’s just nothing. The swell drops to under 2ft, and the energy numbers fall off a cliff into the 40s and 50s. There are glassy mornings, but there’s no wave to ride. It’s a long stretch of flatness.
The long-range for the 7th shows a tiny bump to 4ft from the NE, but the period is a shocking 4 seconds and the wind is all over it. Don't bother.
So, to sum it up: Thursday the 27th is your day. Get out there in the afternoon for the cleanest, most fun surf you'll find. For the rest of the fortnight, it's a grind. The forecast for the near term is solid, but this flat, bleak spell looks like it has some legs. Keep your board ready, but don't hold your breath.
Rusty, out.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 23°C on Wed morning, min 15°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun night, fresh winds from the NNE by Tue afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 15°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | ||||||||||||||
PM | 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 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 5 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
75 | 49 | 47 | 90 | 80 | 120 | 91 | 175 | 194 | 168 | 119 | 157 | 202 | 161 | 109 | 103 | 96 | 108 | 82 | 111 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | off | off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross | off |
High Tide | 5:04PM1.33m | 5:29AM0.88m | 5:51PM1.41m | 6:14AM0.95m | 6:31PM1.49m | 6:52AM1.03m | 7:06PM1.56m | 7:28AM1.11m | 7:40PM1.60m | 8:03AM1.20m | 8:13PM1.60m | 8:38AM1.27m | 8:46PM1.57m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:00AM0.39m | 11:03AM0.36m | 00:38AM0.31m | 11:51AM0.29m | 1:11AM0.22m | 12:33PM0.22m | 1:42AM0.15m | 1:12PM0.16m | 2:11AM0.09m | 1:51PM0.13m | 2:41AM0.05m | 2:30PM0.12m | 3:11AM0.03m | |||||||
— | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | |
5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 23 | 22 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 23 | 21 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | SSE 9 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | ENE 8 | S 10 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 |
75 | 220 | 160 | 174 | 100 | 120 | 52 | 175 | 194 | 168 | 119 | 157 | 202 | 161 | 109 | 192 | 350 | 210 | 198 | 163 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | NE 7 | NE 7 | SE 5 | ENE 8 | S 11 | S 16 | S 11 | S 16 | S 16 | S 13 | S 11 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | SSW 13 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 |
148 | 49 | 47 | 6 | 80 | 79 | 20 | 20 | 46 | 20 | 32 | 9 | 23 | 180 | 109 | 60 | 96 | 108 | 82 | 111 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 7 | S 14 | S 8 | S 17 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | — | S 16 | S 10 | S 9 | N 13 | S 15 | S 16 | S 15 | S 13 | SSE 14 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 9 | NNE 6 |
4 | 206 | 41 | 49 | 3 | 3 | — | 43 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 19 | 40 | 87 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 3 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 3 | — | — | ENE 8 | NE 4 | NW 3 | NE 5 | N 5 | — | — | SSW 4 | S 5 | S 6 | — | — | ENE 8 | — | — | NE 3 | — |
4 | — | — | 90 | 18 | 1 | 91 | 97 | — | — | 20 | 62 | 78 | — | — | 103 | — | — | 4 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 176 | 2 | 83 | 208 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 85 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Coast - New South Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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











