
Surf Forecasts:
Saltwater surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 10s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 11s period, E swell with 1,386 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 10s period with E 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 Monday (Jul 20) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.4m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 13s. 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 2.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 8ft (2.4m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 8ft (2.4m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Saltwater over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab your board. We've got a mixed bag coming up for Saltwater. Gotta be patient early on and watch the windows of opportunity.
Alright, look, Saltwater is a classic point break, and it's our only game in town this forecast. It's a beginner-friendly spot, and it's exposed, so it catches just about anything that rolls in. The water temp is sitting right at 67°, which is bang on the average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
We are starting off with a bit of a soaker. Sunday the 19th and into the start of the week, the wave energy is all over the place with a big combined energy (over 1300) but the wind is all wrong. That early swell is an 8-foot easterly bump on a 10-second period, but that SSE wind is going to trash the surface. Monday morning the 20th looks a little cleaner with a cross breeze, but the swell is dropping from 7 feet. Honestly, it's not worth rushing in for.
We hit a real gap in the action mid-week. Tuesday the 21st through Thursday the 23rd is small, with heights barely pushing 4 feet on Wednesday and fading to 3 feet on Thursday. The combined energy drops way down to around 100 or so. It's a few days of small, messy, or just plain weak surf. The wind is there, but the swell just isn't.
Now, the first real window where things look interesting kicks off on Friday the 24th. A new southerly swell pushes in, hitting 6 feet in the morning with a solid 10-second period. The combined energy jumps to 603, and the WNW wind is clean. Saturday the 25th keeps that going with a 5-foot groundswell from the south, that period stretches to 12 seconds, the energy is still up at 616, and the wind stays clean through the morning. It's good, consistent, and the point will be peeling nicely.
The standout session in the first week? That has to be Sunday the 26th. By the afternoon, we’ve got a 7-foot southerly swell with a respectable 11-second period, and the combined energy absolutely crushes it at 1512. But the real star is the wind: a light 6 mph southwesterly offshore. This is your pick. The point will be clean, lined up, and a hell of a lot of fun for anyone who can handle a bigger, stronger wave. It’s marked for experienced surfers for a reason. Expect a crowd, as this spot is often popular.
After that, the swell backs off a bit into the last days of July. Monday the 27th through the 30th is a slow fade, with heights dropping from 4 feet down to a tiny 1 foot. There are some glassy mornings in there for a log or a paddle, but the energy is gone. Thursday the 30th is a complete write-off.
Looking further out, and this is the spicy one that has me stoked: Saturday, August 1st. We’re looking at a sudden jump to a massive 12-foot south-southwest swell! The combined energy hits a ridiculous 4121. This is a very long period groundswell (10 sec), so it'll have some serious grunt. The morning has clean wind, and this is for experts only. Anything over 8 feet is no joke. It might be a bit too much for Saltwater's point setup, but if you have the skills and the right board, it could be a session of the year. Sunday the 2nd looks big and messy with onshore wind. Monday the 3rd has that clean offshore wind again with a 6-foot swell, so the cleanup session is there for the taking.
So, call your bets: the clean, powerful session on Sunday the 26th of July is the sure thing. The potential bomb on August 1st is the lottery ticket. Keep an eye on the wind.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed morning, min 13°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu morning, min 7°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | S 6 | S 10 | S 9 | S 11 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1268 | 1247 | 1089 | 789 | 586 | 450 | 335 | 283 | 230 | 216 | 149 | 92 | 90 | 137 | 575 | 450 | 543 | 603 | 416 | 575 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off |
High Tide | 11:53PM1.37m | 12:52PM1.27m | 00:38AM1.20m | 1:45PM1.27m | 1:30AM1.05m | 2:43PM1.29m | 2:32AM0.94m | 3:42PM1.31m | 3:46AM0.88m | 4:39PM1.34m | 4:57AM0.88m | 5:30PM1.39m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:47PM0.39m | 6:25AM0.18m | 6:48PM0.48m | 7:04AM0.26m | 7:57PM0.55m | 7:47AM0.34m | 9:14PM0.57m | 8:36AM0.39m | 10:31PM0.54m | 9:33AM0.43m | 11:35PM0.49m | 10:31AM0.43m | 00:25AM0.42m | |||||||
— | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | |
5:05 | — | — | 5:05 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 17 | 18 | 14 |
Feels °C | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 12 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 11 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 |
1268 | 1247 | 1089 | 789 | 586 | 450 | 335 | 283 | 230 | 216 | 149 | 92 | 90 | 96 | 575 | 450 | 543 | 603 | 416 | 575 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 16 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 18 | ENE 8 | SSE 17 | ENE 8 |
107 | 128 | 148 | 141 | 125 | 82 | 56 | 31 | 31 | 17 | 20 | 8 | 2 | 42 | 28 | 26 | 112 | 13 | 108 | 12 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | — | — | S 16 | S 20 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | SE 13 | S 13 | — | E 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | — | — | ENE 8 | N 10 | ENE 8 | — |
13 | — | — | 21 | 8 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 7 | 3 | — | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 22 | 2 | 12 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 4 | — | — | WSW 4 | SW 5 | S 6 | S 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | 1 | 6 | 74 | 137 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 125 | 0 | 48 | 86 | 22 | 22 | 225 | 22 | 0 | 56 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Port Macquarie | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.










