
Surf Forecasts:
Saltwater surf forecast from 3 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 8s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 3 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 10s period, SE swell with 260 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 8s period with SE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Saltwater this week:
The surf forecast for Saltwater over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 5s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Saltwater in the next 16 days are 1.1m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 6s period and expected on Monday (Aug 10) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Saltwater over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for the next couple of weeks at Saltwater. We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but the back half of the forecast is looking well worth the wait.
The first few days are very quiet. Monday and Tuesday the 3rd and 4th of August are a write-off – tiny, messy, and not worth paddling out for. The swell is weak and the wind is just not cooperating. Wednesday the 5th is still pretty ordinary, with a small bump of 3 ft from the SSW in the afternoon, but it’s not gonna get the heart racing. The combined swell energy is only 130 (low), so it’s a day to tinker with the quiver on the sand.
We’ve got a gap of poor conditions right through until the 5th, with nothing worth a mention. Thursday the 6th has a glimmer of hope with a clean 2 ft swell from the S and glassy conditions in the morning, but it’s still a very small wave. Energy is a weak 80. Good for a longboard or a foamie, but not much else.
Now, the real story starts to build from Tuesday the 11th. The morning is still small and clean, but the afternoon brings a proper groundswell from the S at 2 ft, with a long period of 13 seconds and a combined energy of 256 (moderate). The wind is cross-off, and the water is a comfortable 66° – about normal for the time of year. This is the first time it feels like the ocean has some life in it.
Wednesday the 12th is a solid day. Clean offshore winds in the morning with a 3 ft S swell at 11 seconds, and the energy jumps to 229 (moderate). The afternoon is even better, with the same size and a little more push. Thursday the 13th sees the swell start to ramp up. The morning brings 5 ft from the SW with a moderate 15 mph offshore wind, making for clean, lined-up waves. The energy is 328 (moderate). But the afternoon is the real deal – 7 ft from the SSW, with a period of 9 seconds and a huge combined energy of 1172 (strong). This is too big for beginners. It’s a powerful, punchy swell that’s going to be a handful, but for the experienced crew, it’s game on.
The standout window is Friday the 14th through to Monday the 17th. Friday morning is pumping with 5 ft from the S and a gentle offshore breeze, with energy at 602 (strong). But the afternoon of the 14th is the absolute peak – 8 ft from the S with a 12-second period, and the combined energy goes through the roof at 2733 (very strong). This is a big, powerful groundswell that will be breaking straight at beach breaks, but at a point break like Saltwater, it’s going to produce some long, clean, reeling lines. The wind is light and cross-off, so the face will be clean. This is the best on offer.
Saturday the 15th holds strong with 7 ft from the S in the morning and 6 ft in the afternoon, both with clean winds and plenty of energy. Sunday the 16th is still solid at 5 ft, but the conditions start to ease off. The 17th has a nice 5 ft SSE swell with good energy, and the wind is offshore, so it’s still a quality day.
The pick of the entire period is the afternoon of Friday the 14th of August. That 8 ft S groundswell with a long 12-second period, light cross-off wind, and a massive energy reading of 2733 is going to produce some of the best waves of the month. Just be aware that at this size, it’s for experienced surfers only. The 13th and 15th are also excellent, but the 14th is the one to circle.
This is Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Mon morning, min 9°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | E 7 | E 11 | E 9 | SSW 6 | S 7 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | E 8 | NE 6 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
341 | 251 | 122 | 38 | 24 | 35 | 42 | 53 | 22 | 64 | 95 | 137 | 170 | 104 | 76 | 71 | 69 | 73 | 64 | 133 | 184 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | on | cross | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross |
High Tide | 11:12AM1.27m | 11:03PM1.40m | 11:57AM1.30m | 11:48PM1.28m | 12:48PM1.33m | 00:44AM1.16m | 1:48PM1.36m | 1:55AM1.05m | 2:57PM1.41m | 3:21AM0.98m | 4:07PM1.50m | 4:45AM0.99m | 5:13PM1.60m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:59PM0.37m | 5:33AM0.14m | 5:52PM0.42m | 6:14AM0.19m | 6:57PM0.46m | 7:02AM0.25m | 8:16PM0.46m | 8:02AM0.31m | 9:43PM0.42m | 9:11AM0.34m | 11:02PM0.32m | 10:23AM0.32m | 00:07AM0.20m | ||||||||
6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
— | 5:14 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 21 | 20 | 17 |
Feels °C | 18 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 16 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | E 11 | S 6 | S 6 | S 7 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | E 8 | S 8 | ENE 8 |
341 | 251 | 122 | 38 | 9 | 35 | 26 | 28 | 22 | 64 | 95 | 137 | 170 | 104 | 76 | 71 | 69 | 73 | 64 | 19 | 184 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 21 | S 20 | NE 4 | ESE 7 | SSW 4 | E 7 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | SE 10 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | E 8 | S 8 | E 14 | S 7 |
35 | 32 | 5 | 18 | 2 | 8 | 42 | 40 | 22 | 11 | 5 | 15 | 14 | 25 | 17 | 17 | 34 | 58 | 32 | 4 | 4 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 16 | NE 8 | E 15 | NNE 4 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | S 11 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | E 11 | E 15 | E 10 | SE 10 | ESE 9 | NE 7 | E 14 | ENE 10 | SE 11 | E 14 |
5 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 4 | 18 | 24 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 11 | 5 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 4 | NE 3 | — | WSW 2 | E 7 | SSW 4 | — | SSW 6 | W 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 4 | NE 5 | NE 6 | NW 4 |
4 | 6 | — | 1 | 24 | 16 | — | 53 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | 24 | 133 | 14 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 22 | 56 | 22 | 48 | 173 | 48 | 39 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 260 | 0 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 22 | 39 | 98 | 22 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Port Macquarie | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Saltwater Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Saltwater provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Saltwater can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Saltwater 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 (Saltwater) 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 Saltwater 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.
Saltwater is 15 km (9 miles) from Taree. If you plan a holiday in Port Macquarie, look for hotels and other accommodation in Taree. Taree has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











