
Surf Forecasts:
Saltwater surf forecast from 13 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s period, S swell with 3,109 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 15 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 6s period with NNE 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 (Sep 15) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 10s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Saltwater in the next 16 days are 3.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 11s |
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 the ocean's got cookin' for us at Saltwater over the next couple of weeks. It's a bit of a slow start, but hang tight, because there's some real power on the horizon.
Right off the bat, we've got a quiet spell. From Sunday the 13th through Monday the 14th, it's pretty much a write-off. The swell's tiny and that wind is blowing straight onshore, making a mess of things. You're better off saving your energy. Tuesday the 15th shows a little pulse of life with a glassy 4ft NNE windswell in the morning, but the period is a short 6 seconds, so it'll be pretty weak and crumbly. Not worth getting too excited about.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. A proper southerly groundswell is lined up to hit us Wednesday the 16th. We're looking at a solid 10ft building to 12ft from the South with a 10-second period. The combined energy is strong to very strong. That's a lot of water moving around. The wind is forecast to be offshore from the SW, which will keep the face clean. This is big, powerful surf – definitely not one for beginners. It’s expert territory at that size.
Thursday the 17th keeps the party going with more 10ft S swell, and the wind stays offshore from the WSW. The energy is massive, and conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. This stretch from Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon is the clear standout of this outlook. If you've got the skills, this is your window.
By Friday the 18th, the swell starts to back off to a more manageable 5ft in the morning with light offshore winds, so it cleans up nicely. The energy is moderate. The afternoon gets a bit messy with a cross-onshore breeze though.
Saturday the 19th offers another good window. The morning brings a glassy 4ft SE groundswell with a nice long 11-second period and moderate energy. That's going to be some clean, fun-sized surf. The afternoon wind shifts onshore again, so make the most of the early session.
After that, the surf drops right off. Sunday the 20th and Monday the 21st are small and average, with the wind not playing ball. We get a bit of a bump on Monday the 21st with a 7ft SSE swell, but the wind is a bit messy, and the quality is marginal.
The second week is a mixed bag of smaller pulses. Tuesday the 22nd has a clean 4ft S groundswell in the morning, and Wednesday the 23rd offers a tiny but clean 2ft SSE groundswell with a very long 18-second period, though that long period might make it a bit straight at a beach break. Thursday the 24th looks clean with a waist-high S swell. Then Friday the 25th has a bit more size again, with a 7ft NE windswell in the afternoon, but the period is short.
All in all, your best bet is locked in for Wednesday the 16th and Thursday the 17th. That's the big, clean, powerful south swell. Get on it if you can handle it. For the rest, pick your windows for the clean, smaller days.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Tue morning, min 13°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue morning, fresh winds from the SSW by Wed morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 23°C on Sat morning, min 11°C on Thu morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Wed afternoon, calm by Fri morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | ||||||||||||||
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 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 12 | S 11 | NE 6 | NNE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | S 9 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SE 12 | SSE 17 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
153 | 147 | 145 | 93 | 71 | 107 | 80 | 27 | 1526 | 2100 | 3109 | 2310 | 1432 | 825 | 367 | 282 | 241 | 155 | 190 | 109 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | glassy | on | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 9:28PM1.40m | 9:54AM1.50m | 10:06PM1.27m | 10:30AM1.47m | 10:44PM1.14m | 11:10AM1.42m | 11:25PM1.03m | 11:54AM1.34m | 00:15AM0.93m | 12:49PM1.27m | 1:23AM0.87m | 1:58PM1.23m | 2:54AM0.85m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:35AM0.13m | 4:09PM0.22m | 4:05AM0.21m | 4:54PM0.30m | 4:37AM0.30m | 5:42PM0.38m | 5:12AM0.39m | 6:38PM0.46m | 5:55AM0.48m | 7:48PM0.52m | 6:54AM0.54m | 9:11PM0.52m | ||||||||
— | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | |
5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 16 | 23 | 21 | 17 | 24 | 22 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 23 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 14 | 13 | 20 | 17 | 15 | 22 | 21 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 17 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 12 | S 11 | S 11 | NE 6 | S 10 | NE 6 | NNE 7 | NE 13 | ENE 13 | S 10 | SSE 19 | SSE 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SE 12 | S 10 |
153 | 147 | 145 | 93 | 57 | 35 | 17 | 27 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 1716 | 35 | 825 | 367 | 282 | 241 | 155 | 190 | 65 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 16 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | SSE 10 | E 14 | E 14 | E 12 | — | — | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 9 | SE 9 |
52 | 13 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 32 | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 3 | 159 | 160 | 141 | 97 | 76 | 65 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | S 18 | E 9 | E 10 | — | E 13 | — | — | E 15 | — | — | — | — | — | E 12 | SSE 18 | SSE 18 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 17 |
13 | 6 | 2 | 2 | — | 3 | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 31 | 102 | 153 | 151 | 109 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 5 | NE 6 | NNE 6 | NE 6 | SSW 5 | S 9 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | — | — | — | N 3 | — | ENE 3 | — |
49 | 42 | 24 | 87 | 71 | 107 | 80 | 77 | 1526 | 2100 | 3109 | 2310 | 1432 | — | — | — | 3 | — | 7 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 68 | 388 | 39 | 56 | 206 | 39 | 0 | 195 | 291 | 628 | 957 | 116 | 116 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 206 | 22 | 0 | 56 |
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.










