
Surf Forecasts:
Forster Beach (Nambucca) surf forecast from 15 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 16 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s period, S swell with 2,701 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 16 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Forster Beach (Nambucca) this week:
The surf forecast for Forster Beach (Nambucca) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Forster Beach (Nambucca) in the next 16 days are 3.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) 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 1.7m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4PM (Wed 16th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 4PM (Wed 16th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Forster Beach (Nambucca) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cookin’ on the New South Wales Mid North Coast, specifically for Forster Beach (Nambucca). I’m just gonna take this one spot as it comes.
We’ve got a bit of a wait on our hands for any decent surf. The first week is pretty much a write-off, with a long gap of poor conditions until we finally see something worth paddling out for.
Wednesday 16th September kicks things off, but it’s a messy one. There’s a solid 8 ft south swell running with a short 8-second period. The wind is a cross-off, which keeps it clean, but the wave energy is moderate at best (764). Honestly, the tide and conditions are just marginal, and that swell is too big for the break to handle properly for a beginner spot. It’s a hard pass for me.
Wednesday afternoon gets worse. The swell jumps to 10 ft from the south with a 10-second period, and the energy is ramping up hard (1910). The wind is a strong 25 mph cross-off. It’s clean, but this is now well over 8 ft – expert-only territory, and even then, it’s a washing machine for a beach break.
Thursday 17th September sees the biggest pulse of the period. Morning has a 12 ft south swell, 11-second period, and the energy is massive (4185). The wind is a moderate cross-off so it’s clean, but that’s huge, unruly power. Again, only for the brave and the experienced. The afternoon drops to 8 ft but the wind swings cross-shore, making it choppy and messy (1334 energy). Not worth it.
From Friday 18th through to Tuesday 22nd September, we hit a dead zone. The swell drops to knee-to-waist high, and the wind is onshore or cross-onshore almost constantly. There’s a brief glimmer on Saturday 19th morning – a clean 3 ft south swell with glassy conditions (336 energy) – but it’s weak and inconsistent. Not enough to get excited about. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.
The outlook finally turns the corner on Tuesday 22nd September. Morning brings a clean, 3 ft SSE swell with a 11-second period and light cross-off wind (165 energy). It’s small and clean, surfable but ordinary. A slight improvement.
Then from Wednesday 23rd through to Monday 28th September, it’s another long stretch of junk. Onshore winds, tiny wind swell, and rainfall. The swell direction shifts to ENE with short periods, and the energy stays weak. A kite surfer might have fun in that messy cross-onshore chop, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a no-go.
Now, hold onto your board, because we’ve got a standout at the very end. Tuesday 29th September morning offers a clean 5 ft ENE swell with a cross-off wind (422 energy). It’s clean, but the conditions are still just “poor”. Not our winner.
The real gem is Wednesday 30th September morning. This is the one. A 5 ft NE groundswell with a 9-second period, but the kicker is the glassy conditions and light offshore wind. The energy is moderate (715), but the wind and tide are aligning for “very good surf conditions”. The swell direction (NE) is a bit off from the optimum SE, but for a beach break with this clean setup, it’s the best we’re gonna get. Crowds are possible here sometimes, so get in early.
After that, Thursday 1st October fades back into small, onshore mush.
So, if you’re patient, the standout is Wednesday 30th September morning at Forster Beach (Nambucca). It’s a clean, fun-size NE swell with glassy conditions. Don’t bother with the first week and a half – it’s a bust. Get that date in your calendar.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Tue night, min 13°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Wed afternoon, light winds from the WSW by Thu night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Mon morning, min 16°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | ||||||||||||||
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) | NE 6 | S 8 | S 10 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 11 | S 19 | S 16 | S 10 | S 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
49 | 734 | 1896 | 2582 | 2556 | 1300 | 717 | 276 | 220 | 257 | 181 | 111 | 128 | 78 | 127 | 182 | 139 | 74 | 134 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | off | on | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:37PM1.11m | 11:11AM1.38m | 11:17PM0.99m | 11:58AM1.31m | 00:06AM0.88m | 12:57PM1.24m | 1:15AM0.80m | 2:09PM1.21m | 2:48AM0.79m | 3:23PM1.23m | 4:08AM0.83m | 4:24PM1.28m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:34AM0.22m | 5:37PM0.38m | 5:08AM0.31m | 6:36PM0.46m | 5:51AM0.40m | 7:53PM0.51m | 6:50AM0.47m | 9:21PM0.51m | 8:11AM0.50m | 10:31PM0.45m | 9:32AM0.47m | 11:19PM0.36m | |||||||
— | 5:46 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 22 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 26 | 23 | 20 |
Feels °C | 21 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 24 | 22 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | SSE 10 | S 19 | SSE 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 11 | S 10 | S 16 | S 10 | S 12 |
49 | 4 | 14 | 3 | 1622 | 27 | 717 | 276 | 220 | 257 | 181 | 111 | 128 | 78 | 127 | 87 | 139 | 74 | 134 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 12 | ENE 14 | — | — | NE 13 | NE 13 | E 13 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | S 17 | S 18 | NNE 5 | NE 5 | S 16 | NE 4 |
3 | 20 | — | — | 7 | 7 | 3 | 104 | 135 | 114 | 64 | 38 | 17 | 23 | 24 | 14 | 8 | 45 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | S 17 | — | — | — | — | S 19 | E 12 | SSE 19 | SSE 17 | SSE 16 | SSE 17 | S 15 | S 14 | E 11 | S 19 | S 8 | NE 11 | E 8 |
4 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 3 | 71 | 101 | 91 | 99 | 40 | 4 | 3 | 182 | 20 | 4 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 3 | S 8 | S 10 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 10 | — | — | — | NNW 2 | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | NNE 5 | — | NE 4 | — |
8 | 734 | 1896 | 2582 | 2556 | 1300 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 33 | 37 | — | 7 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 125 | 466 | 1115 | 7 | 54 | 54 | 0 | 23 | 223 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 214 | 0 | 54 | 8 | 7 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Port Macquarie | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Forster Beach (Nambucca) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Forster Beach (Nambucca) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Forster Beach (Nambucca) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Forster Beach (Nambucca) 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 (Forster Beach (Nambucca)) 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 Forster Beach (Nambucca) 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.
Forster Beach (Nambucca) is 31 km (19 miles) from the city of Coffs Harbour. If you plan a holiday in Port Macquarie, look for hotels and other accommodation in Coffs Harbour. Coffs Harbour has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










