Emerald Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 30.18° S 153.19° E

Emerald Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 am 24 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Emerald Beach sea temperature is
19.5°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 23 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 31 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s period, SE swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 25 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 6s period, NE swell with 311 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 10AM (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 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 7s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Emerald Beach in the next 16 days are 2.0m 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 1.4m 7s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 4PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)10AM (Mon 24th Aug)2.5ft (0.8m) 7s
Best Surf 4AM (Mon 31st Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 9s
Most Powerful10PM (Tue 25th Aug)6.5ft (2.0m) 6s

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


The Lowdown

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's have a look at what's on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Well, I gotta be straight with you – we're looking at a pretty quiet run for a while. The swell is small and inconsistent, and most of the time the wind is just not playing the game. It's not that there's no surf, but it's mostly "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions" – the kind of stuff that makes you wonder if you should have just stayed in bed. There's a real gap here from now until the end of the month where there's nothing that really gets the heart pumping. The forecast is mostly weak, short-period windswell, and the wind is often onshore or cross-onshore, which just ruins the shape.

The one spot we've got is Emerald Beach, a point break that's fairly consistent and exposed to the swell. The water temp is sitting at 67°, which is about average for this time of year. The swell direction is mostly from the ENE, which is okay, but the optimum is from the NE, so it's not a perfect match.

The best chance of something decent looks like Thursday morning, August 27th. We've got a small 3ft swell from the ENE with an 8-second period, and the wind is blowing from the SSW at 12 mph – that's offshore, so it'll be clean. The combined wave energy is moderate at 105, and it's described as "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions". It's not going to be epic, but it'll be the most user-friendly session of the week. The wind will be moderate, so it won't be glassy, but it'll be clean enough for a few fun ones.

The other session that's worth a mention is Sunday morning, August 30th. The swell drops to 2ft from the ENE with a 10-second period, which is a bit longer period, giving it a touch more push. The wind is SSW again at 9 mph, which is offshore, and the energy is weak at 76. It's going to be very small, but clean and rideable for a log or a mini-mal. The same for Sunday afternoon – 2ft with a 10-second period, but the wind is a cross-offshore from the SE, so it'll be clean.

Now, if you're looking for something a bit bigger, keep an eye on Tuesday morning, September 8th. The swell picks up to 4ft from the NNE with a 6-second period, which is a short, choppy windswell. The wind is from the SSE at 6 mph, so it's a cross-offshore, and the energy is moderate at 110. It's described as "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions", so don't expect magic. Then Tuesday afternoon the swell jumps to 6ft from the NE with a 6-second period, which is a lot of energy at 237, but the wind is onshore from the east at 9 mph, making it a choppy mess. That's an expert-only session if you're keen, but it's not going to be pretty.

So, the standout is Thursday morning, August 27th for the cleanest conditions, and Sunday, August 30th for a small, clean longboard session. The rest is a write-off. The long-range stuff on September 8th is promising for a bigger swell, but the wind is a worry and the period is short, so it's not a sure thing. Crowds are often a problem at Emerald Beach, so be prepared for company on those clean days.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 21°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon morning, fresh winds from the NNE by Tue afternoon).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
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
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
ENE
7
1
ENE
8
0.7
ENE
8
1.1
NE
8
1.6
NE
5
1.8
NE
6
1.3
NE
7
1.2
NE
7
1
ENE
7
0.9
ENE
8
0.9
ENE
8
0.9
ENE
8
0.8
ENE
8
0.8
ENE
8
0.6
ENE
8
0.6
ENE
8
0.6
ENE
8
0.6
ENE
9
0.6
ENE
10
0.6
ENE
10
0.7
ENE
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
59
134
64
149
128
261
158
160
114
105
96
112
78
76
51
55
55
58
72
72
84
Wind (km/h)
5
ESE
25
NE
10
NW
15
N
30
NNE
15
WNW
5
W
15
ENE
25
SSW
20
SSW
15
SSE
5
SSW
5
SE
15
E
5
SW
15
SSE
15
SSE
15
S
15
SSW
10
SE
5
E
Wind State
glassy
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross
glassy
cross-on
off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
glassy
High Tide
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
9:14AM1.34m
9:20PM1.51m
Low Tide
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
3:10PM0.14m
3:41AM0.03m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
part cloud
thunderstorm
rain showers
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
rain showers
light rain
clear
part cloud
cloud
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:11
6:11
6:09
6:09
6:07
6:07
6:05
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:27
5:27
5:28
5:28
5:29
5:29
5:30
 mm
5
3
2
1
2
Temp °C
19
19
17
21
21
18
21
20
16
18
18
17
18
18
17
18
18
17
17
18
17
Feels °C
17
16
16
18
17
16
20
18
14
15
15
16
16
16
17
16
15
15
16
16
15
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • 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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