Surf Forecasts:
North wall surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 7s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, ESE swell with 273 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 7s period with ENE 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 21) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 7s. 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 1.6m 8s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for North wall over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let's talk about what's on the table for the coming weeks.
First up, the water temp at Northwall is sitting at a pretty normal 68°, nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year.
Right now, we've got a bit of a slow start. The first real window of opportunity comes in on Thursday morning, August 20th. It's not huge, but it's clean. We've got a 5ft ESE groundswell pulsing in with an 8-second period, and the wind is light offshore from the WSW. The combined energy is sitting at a moderate 310, and the conditions are clean. It's a solid little session for beginners, especially since the consistency is very consistent. Crowds are possible here, but it's worth it for the setup.
After that, things go quiet for a good stretch. From Friday the 21st through to the end of August, the surf is pretty ordinary. The winds are mostly onshore or cross-shore, and the swell is small and weak. There's nothing really worth paddling out for until the very end of the month.
Then, on Monday, August 31st, we see a real pulse of energy. The swell builds to 8ft from the ENE, but it's a messy, short-period 7-second swell. The wind is cross-shore from the N at 16 mph, so it's going to be choppy and lumpy. The combined energy jumps to a strong 489, but the conditions are poor. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it's not going to be pretty. The next day, Tuesday, September 1st, is more of the same, with bigger numbers but still poor conditions.
The good news comes in on Wednesday, September 2nd. The morning looks promising with a clean 5ft E swell, a 9-second period, and a light offshore wind from the SW. The combined energy is a moderate 297, and the conditions are clean. This is a standout session for the more experienced surfers, as the swell is a bit too big for beginners. The wind is offshore, so the waves will be well-shaped. It's a great option for a mid-week session.
After that, the swell drops off again, but there's a small, clean window on Thursday, September 3rd, with a 3ft E swell and glassy conditions in the morning. It's ordinary, but it's surfable.
Overall, the best bet is the morning of Thursday, August 20th for a clean, small session, and then the morning of Wednesday, September 2nd for a bigger, more powerful, and clean session. The long-range stuff is promising but less certain, so keep an eye on the forecast.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri morning, min 15°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 21°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun night, fresh winds from the N by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 300 | 232 | 55 | 59 | 55 | 47 | 75 | 74 | 84 | 92 | 81 | 62 | 67 | 73 | 101 | 106 | 73 | 87 | 88 | 90 | 81 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:57PM1.23m | 1:23AM0.89m | 3:12PM1.25m | 2:44AM0.83m | 4:26PM1.30m | 4:35AM0.84m | 5:22PM1.38m | 5:44AM0.90m | 6:06PM1.45m | 6:31AM0.98m | 6:44PM1.52m | 7:09AM1.06m | 7:19PM1.57m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:32PM0.69m | 7:40AM0.48m | 10:22PM0.69m | 8:40AM0.52m | 11:39PM0.63m | 9:52AM0.53m | 00:24AM0.55m | 10:59AM0.50m | 00:58AM0.46m | 11:55AM0.45m | 1:29AM0.37m | 12:41PM0.38m | 1:58AM0.30m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | |  |  |  | | |  | | | | | | |  | | | |
 | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — |
 | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 2 | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 23 | 24 | 17 |
Feels °C | 17 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 21 | 22 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | SE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 |
| kJ | 300 | 232 | 52 | 59 | 28 | 47 | 75 | 74 | 84 | 92 | 81 | 62 | 67 | 73 | 101 | 106 | 73 | 87 | 88 | 90 | 81 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 11 | ESE 10 | SE 8 | SSE 8 | E 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | S 3 | S 10 | S 10 | S 6 | SE 6 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | N 5 | S 9 | S 16 |
| kJ | 10 | 21 | 55 | 39 | 24 | 27 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 17 | 22 | 9 | 35 | 35 | 18 | 12 | 14 | 5 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSE 10 | E 7 | ESE 7 | S 12 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | E 8 | S 9 | S 4 | S 6 | SSE 11 | S 10 | SE 5 | S 16 | S 16 | S 10 | S 16 | NE 13 |
| kJ | — | 10 | 40 | 28 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 25 | 18 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 5 | 7 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | NE 7 | NNE 4 | N 4 | — | — | SSW 2 | — | — | — | NE 7 | NNE 4 | N 3 | NNE 4 | N 5 | — | SSE 4 | S 6 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 55 | 12 | 9 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 24 | 8 | 6 | 38 | 48 | — | 7 | 69 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 281 | 21 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 254 | 38 | 1 | 398 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 38 |
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.
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