Emerald Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 30.18° S 153.19° E

Emerald Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 21 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Emerald Beach sea temperature is
19.8° C
0.2° 

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 21 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 26 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 25 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 8s period, NE swell with 416 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 22 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 6s period with NE 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 (Aug 22) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 5s. 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 1.8m 8s 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 1.5m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 10PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7AM (Sat 22nd Aug)3.5ft (1.0m) 6s
Best Surf 7PM (Wed 26th Aug)4.5ft (1.3m) 8s
Most Powerful10PM (Tue 25th Aug)6ft (1.8m) 8s

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


The Lowdown

Alright mates, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s going on at Emerald Beach over the next couple of weeks. It’s mostly a tale of small surf and tricky winds, but there are a couple of clean windows if you time it right.

The overall vibe is quiet. There’s some small swell, but the wind is the main character here, and it’s not always friendly. The real golden moment is a tiny, glassy morning window.

The Standout: Saturday Morning, August 22nd

On Saturday the 22nd, early doors, we’ve got a dead calm with zero wind from the ESE. It’s as glassy as it gets. The swell is tiny at only 3 ft from the NE, with weak combined energy (76). The water temp is 68°F, right where it should be for the time of year, so no cold water shock. It’ll be small and slow, but it’ll be clean as a button. Get out there at dawn before the day wakes up and the breeze picks up.

Saturday Afternoon (22nd) through to Wednesday Morning (27th)

Saturday afternoon is a bit messy with a light cross-on breeze. Then Sunday the 23rd brings a change. Sunday morning has a moderate offshore wind from the SSW at 12 mph. Swell is a slight 2 ft from the ENE (period 8 seconds), but with that offshore wind it cleans right up. Sunday afternoon stays clean with a S wind at 9 mph. Monday the 24th starts with another beautiful, glassy flat calm (3 ft, 97 energy). Perfect for a cruiser, but still small.

Tuesday the 25th sees the swell start to push up – Tuesday afternoon hits 5 ft from the NE, with a moderate combined energy (338). But the wind is a fresh onshore breeze from the NNE at 19 mph, making it choppy and tough. Wednesday the 26th has a light cross-shore in the morning, which is ridable but nothing to write home about.

The Real Green Flag: Thursday Morning, August 27th

This is your second real highlight. On Thursday morning the 27th, we’ve got a gentle offshore from the south at 9 mph, with a solid 4 ft swell from the ENE (period 8 seconds). The combined energy is a moderate 207, and the report is stoked: “expect good surf conditions.” This will mean clean, lined-up, head-high-ish waves at Emerald. A top-tier morning. The afternoon goes onshore again, so it’s a dawn patrol special.

The Back Half (late August to early September)

After Thursday the 27th, the quality goes downhill fast. From Friday the 28th through the end of the month and into September, the winds are mostly onshore or cross-on, and the swell stays small, barely hitting 3 ft. There are brief offshore windows around the 30th and 31st of August and the 1st of September, but the wind is a strong 22-25 mph from the SSW. That’s too strong to comfortably paddle into, even if the water is clean. A definite pass for a paddle surfer.

Heading into the first week of September, it’s the same story: small, weak swell with poor wind. The 2nd of September has a morning with a period of 11 seconds from the E – a bit of groundswell energy – but the swell is only 3 ft and the wind is a light cross-off. It’s clean but tiny. After that, it’s back to onshore slop.

To put it simply: you’ve got two clean windows – the glassy dawn on Saturday the 22nd, and the offshore morning on Thursday the 27th. The rest is mostly a game of waiting out the wind for tiny scraps. Pick your moment, and don’t miss that Thursday morning.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 20°C on Fri morning, min 14°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 23°C on Wed morning, min 14°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon morning, fresh winds from the NNE by Tue afternoon).

Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
2
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)
0.9
NE
6
1.2
NE
5
1.2
NE
6
0.8
NE
6
0.7
NE
6
0.7
NE
7
0.7
ENE
8
0.7
ENE
8
0.7
ENE
7
0.7
ENE
7
0.7
ENE
8
0.8
ENE
9
0.9
ENE
9
1.6
NE
8
1.8
NE
8
1.4
NE
8
1.3
ENE
8
1.3
ENE
8
1.3
ENE
8
1.2
ENE
8
1.2
ENE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
64
60
95
47
39
45
59
51
42
53
61
86
129
338
416
255
197
237
207
183
183
Wind (km/h)
15
N
25
NNE
10
NNW
5
WSW
10
NNW
10
SSW
20
SSW
15
S
5
NNE
0
ESE
20
NE
10
NW
15
N
30
NNE
15
N
10
WNW
15
ESE
15
SSW
15
S
15
E
10
NW
Wind State
cross-on
on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
off
off
off
glassy
glassy
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross
cross
off
off
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
2:58PM1.23m
3:12AM0.80m
4:07PM1.26m
4:31AM0.82m
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
Low Tide
10:01PM0.53m
8:51AM0.44m
11:11PM0.47m
10:03AM0.42m
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
clear
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:15
6:13
6:13
6:11
6:11
6:09
6:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:24
5:25
5:25
5:27
5:27
5:28
5:28
 mm
2
4
4
Temp °C
20
19
16
18
18
17
17
19
17
18
19
16
21
20
18
23
20
18
17
18
17
Feels °C
16
15
14
17
16
16
14
16
17
16
17
15
17
16
17
22
18
17
16
16
17
  • 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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