Surf Forecasts:
North wall surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 11s period, SSE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 10s period, SSE swell with 778 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 28 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 7s period with SSE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for North wall this week:
The surf forecast for North wall over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at North wall in the next 16 days are 2.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) 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 1.6m 6s period and expected on Monday (Aug 31) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Fri 28th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for North wall over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, and I’ve got a look at the next 16 days for Northwall. Let’s get into it.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a slow start. The first couple of days are pretty ordinary, with messy wind and wonky wave directions. The real action starts to build from the 28th of August onward, with a few clear windows of decent surf. The standout period is definitely the weekend of the 30th of August into the 1st of September.
Wednesday 26th is a write-off. We’ve got light rain and a cross-off wind, and the swell is a weak 4ft from the NE with a short period of 7 seconds. The combined energy is only 177, so it’s weak. Not worth paddling out.
Thursday 27th is a bit bigger, 5ft from the S, but the period is still short at 7 seconds, and the wind is a moderate cross-off in the morning, turning cross-shore in the afternoon. The energy jumps to 348, but it’s still messy. Not a good call.
Friday 28th morning is where things start to look up. The swell drops slightly to 4ft, but it’s from the SSE with a longer period of 9 seconds. The wind is a light cross-off, and the energy is a solid 347. The report says “expect good surf conditions,” so this is a solid, clean session for intermediates. The afternoon gets a cross-on wind, so get in early.
Saturday 29th morning is another good one. The swell is 4ft from the SSE, period up to 10 seconds, with a light cross-off wind. Combined energy is 344, and it’s clean. Another solid morning for a surf. The afternoon gets a moderate cross-shore, so it’s a morning-only show.
Sunday 30th morning is the best of the first week. The swell jumps to 6ft from the SSE with a 10-second period, and the wind is a moderate cross-off. The combined energy is a strong 751, which is proper. It’s clean and has some push, but it’s getting solid for beginners. The afternoon is a bit messier with the cross-shore wind.
Monday 31st morning holds up nicely, with 5ft from the SSE at 8 seconds, light cross-off wind, and combined energy of 415. It’s clean and fun. Afternoon turns cross-shore again.
Now, the real gem of the forecast is Tuesday 1st September morning. The swell is only 3ft, but it’s from the SSE with a period of 11 seconds, and the wind is glassy – zero wind. The combined energy is 366. This is a clean, long-period groundswell, perfect for a longboard or a funboard. The water temp is a normal 69°F for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Wednesday 2nd September morning is also glassy, with 3ft from the SSE at 11 seconds. Light energy at 222, but it’s clean and glassy. Nice for a cruisy session.
After that, from the 3rd of September onward, the waves drop off a cliff. The swell gets tiny (2ft and below), the wind goes onshore or cross-shore, and the energy drops to below 150. The 5th of September morning has a clean offshore wind from the WSW, but the swell is only 2ft and from the east. It’s worth a look if you’re desperate, but it’s very ordinary.
The last week of the forecast, from the 6th to the 10th of September, is a total dud. Tiny, weak, dirty waves. The 9th of September has a 2ft swell from the south with an 11-second period, but the wind is cross-on. It’s not worth the drive.
The Bottom Line: The best on offer is the Sunday 30th August morning for a bit of size (6ft, SSE, 10 seconds, 751 energy, clean) and the Tuesday 1st September morning for the glassy, long-period perfection (3ft, SSE, 11 seconds, glassy). If you’re after a consistent, clean paddle, the Friday 28th, Saturday 29th, and Monday 31st mornings are also solid. The second week is a dead loss.
Keep it salty.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 16°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Sat morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | S 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 9 | S 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 11 | S 11 | SSE 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
143 | 169 | 108 | 247 | 181 | 199 | 238 | 207 | 494 | 265 | 345 | 187 | 692 | 502 | 336 | 313 | 298 | 227 | 194 | 143 | 183 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:19PM1.57m | 7:43AM1.14m | 7:53PM1.59m | 8:16AM1.21m | 8:27PM1.58m | 8:49AM1.28m | 9:01PM1.55m | 9:24AM1.34m | 9:35PM1.48m | 10:01AM1.38m | 10:12PM1.39m | 10:42AM1.42m | 10:52PM1.28m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:41PM0.38m | 1:58AM0.30m | 1:23PM0.32m | 2:26AM0.24m | 2:03PM0.27m | 2:54AM0.21m | 2:42PM0.24m | 3:23AM0.19m | 3:23PM0.24m | 3:54AM0.20m | 4:07PM0.27m | 4:27AM0.22m | 4:56PM0.33m | ||||||||
6:07 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | |
— | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 22 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 17 |
Feels °C | 20 | 21 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 9 | S 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | ENE 9 | SSE 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 11 | S 11 | SSE 12 |
143 | 169 | 108 | 96 | 116 | 199 | 238 | 207 | 494 | 265 | 58 | 187 | 47 | 43 | 41 | 39 | 37 | 223 | 194 | 143 | 183 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | S 16 | N 6 | S 15 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 13 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 10 | E 8 | NE 10 | NE 9 | S 18 | SSE 17 | SSE 17 | SSE 17 | E 10 | E 10 | ENE 10 |
8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 107 | 64 | 154 | 72 | 75 | 4 | 52 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 56 | 166 | 227 | 74 | 96 | 131 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | NE 13 | S 16 | S 15 | SSE 15 | SSE 15 | ENE 8 | NNE 7 | NE 10 | — | NE 6 | NE 15 | — | NE 13 | NE 13 | E 12 | E 11 | SSE 16 | SSE 14 | NE 12 |
26 | 25 | 7 | 5 | 18 | 23 | 45 | 45 | 5 | 4 | — | 2 | 8 | — | 7 | 7 | 3 | 86 | 98 | 81 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 5 | — | S 4 | S 7 | SSE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 10 | SSE 6 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | — | — | — | NE 3 |
27 | — | 27 | 247 | 181 | — | — | — | — | — | 345 | 155 | 692 | 502 | 336 | 313 | 298 | — | — | — | 2 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 65 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 248 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Coast - New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the North wall Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for North wall provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at North wall can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our North wall 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 (North wall) 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 North wall 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.
North wall is 3 km (2 miles) from Ballina. If you plan a holiday in North Coast - New South Wales, look for hotels and other accommodation in Ballina. Ballina has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











