Surf Forecasts:
North wall surf forecast from 31 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 6s period, NNE swell with 222 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s 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 Tuesday (Sep 01) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 15s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at North wall in the next 16 days are 1.8m 6s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for North wall over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Northwall over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we’re staring down the barrel of a pretty grim stretch. There’s no surf worth paddling out for from Monday, 31st of August, all the way through the first week of September. The waves that show are tiny, weak, and the wind is just messy – cross-shore, onshore, choppy, the whole lot. You’re looking at a solid 9-day gap of nothing to get excited about. The combined energy readings are all in the low 100s or below, which is just weak. It’s a real bummer, but once that big pulse of swell arrives, it’s a whole different story.
Now, let’s talk about the standout. The real action is on Wednesday, 9th September, through to Saturday, 12th September. This is a big, serious swell event. On Wednesday afternoon, we’ve got a 12 ft swell from the S with a 10-second period, and the combined energy blows up to a massive 2884. But here’s the deal – the wind is a cross-shore at 19 mph, and the wave comment flat out says it’s too big for this break. That’s a call for experts only. The same goes for the 13 ft to 15 ft swells on Thursday and Friday, with energy readings hitting 4286 and 4109. The wind is cross-off or cross, so it’ll be clean, but the size is the issue. Saturday morning, 12th September, the swell drops to 12 ft from the SE with a 9-second period, energy at 1829, and we get a light breeze with cross-off wind. That’s your best window – clean, powerful, but still very big.
Because of the sheer size, this is a serious situation. For the average punter, anything over 5 ft gets tricky, and over 8 ft is expert territory. This swell is way over that. The period is around 9–10 seconds, so it’s not a drawn-out groundswell, but it’s got a lot of punch. This setup is going to be a washing machine. Honestly, with that kind of wind and power, it might be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, especially at a beach/groyne setup like Northwall.
The water temperature is sitting at 69°F, which is about average for this time of year (anomaly of -0.4°F), so a wetsuit is still a good call.
So, to wrap it up: tough first week, then a massive, expert-only pulse from the 9th to the 12th. If you’re a seasoned charger, Saturday morning is your best bet. The rest of the time? Give it a miss.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sun afternoon. Warm (max 27°C on Sat morning, min 18°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 8 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | E 10 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 7 | S 10 | S 10 | NNE 5 | N 6 | S 9 | E 10 | SSE 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
134 | 167 | 117 | 68 | 116 | 83 | 58 | 57 | 58 | 53 | 35 | 61 | 98 | 102 | 62 | 95 | 27 | 17 | 59 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | off | cross | on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:12PM1.39m | 10:42AM1.42m | 10:52PM1.28m | 11:30AM1.43m | 11:38PM1.16m | 12:28PM1.43m | 00:36AM1.03m | 1:38PM1.44m | 1:55AM0.94m | 3:02PM1.46m | 3:36AM0.92m | 4:24PM1.53m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:27AM0.22m | 4:56PM0.33m | 5:04AM0.26m | 5:53PM0.41m | 5:47AM0.31m | 7:03PM0.49m | 6:41AM0.37m | 8:30PM0.52m | 7:49AM0.41m | 10:09PM0.49m | 9:10AM0.42m | 11:24PM0.39m | |||||||
— | 6:01 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 27 | 27 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 17 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 23 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | E 10 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | NNE 5 | S 10 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | S 7 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 5 |
134 | 167 | 117 | 68 | 116 | 83 | 58 | 28 | 53 | 57 | 46 | 61 | 98 | 102 | 41 | 59 | 45 | 36 | 40 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 15 | E 10 | ENE 10 | S 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | S 11 | ENE 9 | S 10 | SSE 10 | NNE 6 | NNE 5 | NNE 5 | E 10 | S 10 | S 9 | E 10 | SSE 13 |
91 | 73 | 102 | 65 | 70 | 48 | 45 | 57 | 29 | 53 | 35 | 18 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 52 | 27 | 17 | 59 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 11 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | NE 4 | NNE 4 | NE 11 | NE 11 | E 9 | NE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSE 13 | E 9 | SSE 12 | E 10 | E 10 | S 9 | E 10 |
36 | 82 | 84 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 45 | 4 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 62 | 27 | 31 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 16 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ENE 5 | NNW 3 | N 4 | NNE 4 | N 5 | N 5 | NNE 5 | — | S 3 | ENE 3 | NNE 5 | — | NNE 5 | N 6 | WSW 2 | — | — |
— | — | 9 | 4 | 11 | 33 | 34 | 53 | 58 | — | 2 | 3 | 20 | — | 62 | 95 | 1 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 27 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 166 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 19 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 135 | 0 | 19 | 63 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Coast - New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
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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.











