
Surf Forecasts:
Emerald Beach surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 10s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 10s period, E swell with 1,293 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 10s period with E 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 (Jul 20) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.3m and 10s 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 2.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 7s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Emerald Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's get into it.
We've got a bit of a slow burner on our hands. The week kicks off with a solid pulse of energy, but it's a tricky one to handle before it fades out into a long, flat spell. The real standout is right at the start, so you'll need to be on it.
The best of the lot is Emerald Beach on Monday, July 20th. We're looking at a chunky 10ft east swell, pumping a massive 1908 units of energy. That's a ton of power. The water is sitting at 68°, which is pretty much average for the time of year, nothing unusual there. The wind is a cross-off from the south, which will keep things clean, but honestly, this is a big, powerful wave. For a point break, that east direction is good, but 10ft is stacking up. It's a bit too big for beginners and is really only for the experienced crew. It's a fairly consistent spot, but it does get crowded often, so expect company.
The energy drops on Tuesday, July 21st, with a more manageable 6ft east swell. The morning has a sweet offshore breeze from the southwest, which will make for some clean, lined-up waves. The energy is down to 625 units, a lot more comfortable, but still plenty of fun. The afternoon gets a bit messier with a cross-off wind.
From Wednesday, July 22nd, things start to taper off fast. The swell drops below 5ft and the wind turns onshore or cross-onshore, leaving the waves choppy and poor. By Thursday, July 23rd, it's dropping further, and we're into small, weak surf.
Then we hit a long, dry spell. From Friday, July 24th, right through to the end of the forecast on August 4th, the surf is tiny. The wave heights are mostly below 2ft, the energy readings are in the double digits, and the conditions are ordinary to poor. There are a few glassy mornings here and there, but with no swell to work with, it's just a flat ocean. That's a solid 12-day stretch of nothing worth chasing.
So, to wrap it up: your only real window is the first two days. Monday for the big, powerful, expert-only sets, and Tuesday morning for the clean, mid-sized waves. After that, it's a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Wed morning, min 15°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu morning, min 10°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1908 | 1293 | 989 | 625 | 474 | 397 | 355 | 248 | 262 | 162 | 125 | 90 | 50 | 35 | 60 | 59 | 56 | 33 | 20 | 11 | 11 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross | off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 12:48PM1.22m | 00:39AM1.19m | 1:44PM1.22m | 1:29AM1.04m | 2:44PM1.24m | 2:30AM0.92m | 3:44PM1.27m | 3:40AM0.86m | 4:41PM1.31m | 4:50AM0.85m | 5:32PM1.37m | 5:47AM0.88m | 6:17PM1.44m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:40PM0.43m | 7:04AM0.22m | 7:50PM0.51m | 7:47AM0.28m | 9:09PM0.54m | 8:37AM0.34m | 10:29PM0.52m | 9:33AM0.36m | 11:34PM0.46m | 10:31AM0.36m | 00:24AM0.39m | 11:24AM0.32m | 1:05AM0.32m | ||||||||
6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | |
— | 5:06 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:08 | — | — | 5:08 | — | — | 5:09 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | S 10 | S 11 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 10 |
1908 | 1293 | 989 | 625 | 474 | 397 | 355 | 248 | 262 | 162 | 125 | 90 | 50 | 35 | 575 | 474 | 852 | 796 | 737 | 617 | 424 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | SSE 5 | S 15 | NE 8 | E 9 | S 16 | E 9 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
126 | 153 | 141 | 87 | 82 | 56 | 31 | 31 | 18 | 20 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 17 | 60 | 701 | 56 | 33 | 20 | 11 | 11 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 16 | S 15 | S 16 | S 15 | S 14 | E 12 | E 12 | SE 9 | SE 8 | S 10 | S 19 | S 17 | S 21 | E 9 | NE 9 | S 18 | NE 8 | — | — |
— | — | 5 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 23 | 79 | 59 | 3 | 106 | 3 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 3 | NNE 4 | SSW 3 | S 4 | — | S 7 | S 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 16 | 2 | 2 | — | 356 | 294 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 21 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 149 | 0 | 0 | 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 85 | 2 |
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










