
Surf Forecasts:
North wall surf forecast from 15 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 16 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, SSE swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 10s period, SE swell with 4,226 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 16 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s 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 Thursday (Jul 16) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 19s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at North wall in the next 16 days are 4.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 2s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Thu 16th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Thu 16th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 15ft (4.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for North wall over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, listen up.
Look, I’ll be straight with you. We’ve got a rough start ahead. The first few days are a write-off – strong SSE winds, lumpy, cross-shore chop, and the swell is just too big and messy for Northwall (the only break on the cards here). It’s a real shame, because the wave energy is massive (over 2200), but it’s just not surfable. We’re looking at a gap of about four days before things even start to look remotely interesting.
Alright, let’s get into it chronologically.
The first real chance of something decent doesn’t show up until Saturday the 18th, but it’s a bit of a trick. The wind is a cleaner cross-off from the S at 25 mph, and the swell is pumping at 13 ft to 15 ft from the SSE/SE, with a moderate period of 9-10 seconds. The combined energy is huge (around 3000-3800). The models say it’s clean, but honestly, at that size, Northwall is going to be a monster. That’s expert-only territory, and even then, it’s a beast. For the average punter, you’d want to be a gun. The water temp is about 69°, which is pretty normal for this time of year.
Monday the 20th is still a bit heavy. We’ve got a 10 ft swell from the ESE in the morning, but it’s cross-shore and lumpy. The afternoon drops to 8 ft, but still not great. The wave energy is still strong (over 1400), so there’s push, but the conditions are just marginal.
The best stuff on offer actually comes later in the week. Wednesday the 22nd is where it starts to get interesting. It’s a smaller day, with 4 ft from the E, but the wind is light and cross-off, and the energy is a much more manageable 471. The models say “clean,” and for a beach/groyne spot like this, that’s gold. It’s not a standout for size, but for quality.
Then, Thursday the 23rd is a genuine standout. The morning is a cracker. We’ve got a clean 4 ft swell from the east, light offshore wind from the WSW at just 3 mph, and the water is almost glassy. The energy is low (247), but who cares when it’s that clean? It’s a classic small-wave morning where you’ll get a few fun ones. The crowd factor is “sometimes” at Northwall, so you might have a few others out, but it’s worth it.
After that, it’s pretty average again. The rest of the second week, from the 24th to the 29th, is a mix of small, weak, and onshore slop. The wave energy dips to the 100-200 range, which is weak. There’s a bit of a kick on the 30th with a 6 ft SSW swell and clean cross-off wind, but that’s a week and a half away, so take it with a grain of salt.
So, the real standout: That Thursday 23rd July morning at Northwall. It’s not big, but it’s clean, glassy, and the conditions are perfect for a fun session. The size is small (4 ft), but the east swell direction is exactly what the break likes, and the offshore wind will make it peel nicely.
Also, keep an eye on Wednesday 30th July. It’s a long way out, but a 6 ft S swell with clean cross-off wind and moderate energy (596) could be a ripper, if the forecast holds.
No other breaks to look at, so that’s the story. It’s a bit of a wait for the good stuff, but it’s there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 65mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu night, min 15°C on Thu afternoon). Mainly strong winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun night, min 17°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSE on Sun morning, light winds from the S by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2217 | 2237 | 1169 | 683 | 685 | 1136 | 2911 | 3815 | 3576 | 2837 | 2723 | 2317 | 1662 | 1348 | 1088 | 865 | 539 | 431 | 319 | 369 | 266 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | glassy |
High Tide | 10:01PM1.75m | 10:26AM1.14m | 10:43PM1.62m | 11:13AM1.13m | 11:24PM1.47m | 12:00PM1.12m | 00:04AM1.31m | 12:52PM1.12m | 00:43AM1.16m | 1:49PM1.13m | 1:25AM1.03m | 2:55PM1.17m | 2:15AM0.93m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:25PM0.12m | 4:42AM0.12m | 4:14PM0.16m | 5:21AM0.14m | 5:02PM0.24m | 6:00AM0.17m | 5:52PM0.34m | 6:37AM0.22m | 6:45PM0.45m | 7:15AM0.28m | 7:47PM0.56m | 7:55AM0.33m | 9:04PM0.63m | ||||||||
6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
— | 5:05 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | |
mm | 6 | 9 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Feels °C | 9 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 7 | S 15 | S 21 | S 22 | SSE 21 | SSE 19 | SSE 18 | SSE 17 | SSE 14 | SSE 13 | S 12 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 |
— | — | 11 | 9 | 8 | 18 | 36 | 37 | 42 | 36 | 31 | 57 | 36 | 57 | 75 | 865 | 539 | 431 | 319 | 369 | 266 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 19 | SSE 18 | SSE 18 | — | — | — | — | S 24 | — | S 18 | — | — | S 12 | S 12 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | S 10 | ENE 9 |
— | — | 7 | 33 | 31 | — | — | — | — | 11 | — | 6 | — | — | 72 | 71 | 191 | 187 | 120 | 31 | 64 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | E 9 | S 10 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 100 | 63 | 59 | 32 | 15 | 17 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | — | — | — | — | SSW 3 | — |
2217 | 2237 | 1169 | 683 | 685 | 1136 | 2911 | 3815 | 3576 | 2837 | 2723 | 2317 | 1662 | 1348 | 1088 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 203 | 381 | 362 | 79 | 547 | 83 | 571 | 694 | 203 | 525 | 362 | 247 | 65 | 65 | 27 | 27 | 8 | 26 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
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.










