
Surf Forecasts:
Emerald Beach surf forecast from 15 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 18 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, ESE swell with 3,250 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period with SE 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 (Jul 18) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 9s. 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 4.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.5m 8s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 16) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Sat 18th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Sat 18th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Emerald Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.
Right now, we're in a bit of a waiting game. The swell is tiny for the first few days, and honestly, there's nothing worth paddling out for until Friday afternoon. From there, we get a big pulse of energy, but it comes with a huge caveat.
For Friday the 17th, we start to see some size on the charts at Emerald Beach, with a 8ft SE swell rolling in. But that period is a short 7 seconds, and cross-off winds won't help. The combined energy is moderate at 623, and overall, it's going to be a messy one.
That swell builds fast into the weekend. Saturday the 18th sees an 12ft SE swell with a period of 8 seconds. The energy is strong at 1545, but this is where it gets tricky. That's just too much juice for this exposed point break. The west-facing points will be a washing machine. This setup actually looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
Sunday the 19th, the swell pumps to 13ft from the ESE with a 10-second period, giving us a massive energy reading of 3098. Again, it's a massive cleanup set for experts only, if anyone's game. The same goes for Monday the 20th, with 10ft of E swell hanging around.
Finally, we get a window for the rest of us. Tuesday the 21st is the standout. The swell drops to a more manageable 7ft from the east with a solid 10-second period (1006 energy), but the game-changer is the light offshore SSW wind at just 6 mph. That will produce excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers at Emerald Beach. The water temp is a comfortable 68°F, which is about average for this time of year.
Wednesday the 22nd is looking like a gem too. The swell is down to 5ft with a 10-second period from the east (432 energy), and the morning is forecast to be glassy with a light S wind. That is a recipe for some clean, fun waves for the intermediate crew. Just be aware that crowds are often an issue at this spot, so get in early.
After that, the swell fades out. Thursday the 23rd brings clean 5ft waves with a moderate offshore wind, still fun. But from Friday the 24th onward, it's a slow slide into tiny, poor-quality surf that stretches all the way to the end of the month. The energy drops right off, and while there are a few cleaner mornings, the size just isn't there.
So to sum it up, the first half of the week is a write-off from the swell being too big, but Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd are your best bet for some quality waves. Get out there while the conditions line up.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 28mm), heaviest during Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat afternoon, min 16°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Sun morning, light winds from the S by Mon night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wed 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | NE 8 | NNE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | ENE 10 | E 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 623 | 623 | 1545 | 1245 | 2759 | 3098 | 2708 | 1962 | 1767 | 1736 | 1379 | 1006 | 802 | 653 | 432 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | glassy | glassy |
High Tide | 8:55PM1.89m | 9:26AM1.15m | 9:42PM1.82m | 10:15AM1.17m | 10:27PM1.71m | 11:04AM1.19m | 11:10PM1.55m | 11:55AM1.21m | 11:54PM1.37m | 12:48PM1.22m | 00:39AM1.19m | 1:44PM1.22m | 1:29AM1.04m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:40AM-0.04m | 3:06PM0.04m | 4:23AM-0.02m | 3:56PM0.11m | 5:05AM0.02m | 4:47PM0.20m | 5:45AM0.08m | 5:41PM0.32m | 6:24AM0.15m | 6:40PM0.43m | 7:04AM0.22m | 7:50PM0.51m | 7:47AM0.28m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | |
5:04 | — | — | 5:04 | — | — | 5:05 | — | — | 5:05 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:07 | — | 5:07 | |
mm | 2 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 |
Feels °C | 10 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | — | S 16 | S 19 | S 18 | S 18 | S 18 | S 14 | S 21 | ESE 10 | S 20 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | S 16 | S 13 | E 11 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | ENE 10 | E 10 |
2 | — | 5 | 7 | 26 | 59 | 54 | 16 | 36 | 1245 | 69 | 115 | 103 | 131 | 126 | 1736 | 1379 | 1006 | 802 | 653 | 432 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | NE 8 | NNE 8 | SSW 12 | S 20 | — | S 21 | — | S 24 | S 23 | S 17 | S 16 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 |
— | — | — | — | 3 | 6 | 26 | 7 | — | 79 | — | 11 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 115 | 141 | 90 | 84 | 56 | 31 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 17 | S 17 | S 16 | — | S 16 | S 15 | S 15 | S 15 | S 14 |
— | — | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 6 | 5 | — | 5 | 18 | 17 | 4 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 7 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 8 | S 7 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
671 | 1112 | 1319 | 1181 | 979 | 730 | 623 | 623 | 1545 | 800 | 2759 | 3098 | 2708 | 1962 | 1767 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 186 | 40 | 53 | 212 | 166 | 166 | 423 | 53 | 429 | 518 | 423 | 445 | 445 | 98 | 85 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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











