
Surf Forecasts:
The Pass surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, ESE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 10s period, SE swell with 4,862 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Pass this week:
The surf forecast for The Pass over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Pass in the next 16 days are 4.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 7s period and expected on Monday (Jul 20) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 15ft (4.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Pass over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, I'm Rusty, and I'm looking at the forecast for The Pass over the next couple of weeks. It's a bit of a mixed bag, so let's get into it.
We're starting off on Saturday the 18th with a bit of a messy scene. The wind is howling from the south at 22 mph, blowing cross-offshore, and while there's a solid 6ft ESE swell pushing through, the conditions are just poor. The energy is moderate (660), but the wind is ripping, making it a tough day out. That afternoon, it gets even bigger – 15ft from the SE with a strong breeze (3630) – but it's a real battle, and the forecast says the surf is marginal. Not one for the biscuit tin.
The next few days see a big shift. Sunday the 19th brings a persistent 15ft SE swell, but the wind swings offshore from the SSE at 22 mph. The energy is very strong (over 4500), and it's clean, but the size is massive. That's strictly for the experienced crew. It stays big and clean through Monday the 20th, with a 10ft ESE swell Monday morning and offshore winds, dropping to 8ft in the afternoon. The energy is still strong (1961 and 1422). This is a heavy, powerful ocean, and it's going to be a handful.
Now, Tuesday the 21st is where it gets interesting. The swell drops to a more manageable 7ft from the E, with a gentle offshore breeze from the SSE at 9 mph. The water temp is about 69°F, which is average for the time of year. The energy is still moderate (761), but the conditions are clean. This is your best window for a proper paddle. The 10-second period gives the waves some shape. It's still a good size, so it's not for the groms, but for the average surfer, this is the standout.
The swell fades after that. Wednesday the 22nd drops to 5ft, and the wind goes light and variable, but it's cross-shore, making it weak and messy. The energy is low (306). Thursday the 23rd is tiny, with 3ft and light winds, but it's a bit ordinary. The energy is only 132. We've got a bit of a lull here.
We get a little spike on Friday the 24th with a 10ft SSE swell, but the wind is cross-offshore from the S at 16 mph, and the energy is strong (1333). It's clean, but it's a big, windy mess again. That drops off over the weekend, with 5-6ft SSE swell and cross-off winds, but the energy is low (around 370). The surf is marginal.
Then we hit a major gap. From Sunday the 26th all the way through Thursday the 30th, the swell is pathetic. We're talking 1.0ft to 1ft, with energy in the tens. It's flat. There's a tiny bump on the 27th with a 3ft SSE swell and a 16-second period, but the energy is only 84. That long period will make it break straight at the beach, so it's not much use here.
Finally, the end of the window looks promising. On Saturday the 1st of August, we get a nice 8ft to 8ft NNE swell rolling in with a gentle offshore breeze from the SE at 9 mph. The energy is strong (681 and 1574), and the conditions are forecast to be excellent for experienced surfers. This is a real standout for the second week. It's a bit of a hike away, but it's worth keeping an eye on.
Crowds at The Pass are often an issue, so with any decent swell, expect a packed lineup. But for the cleanest, most manageable size, Tuesday the 21st is your best bet. For the big stuff, the 1st of August is the one to circle.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun night, min 17°C on Sat afternoon). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Sat morning, light winds from the SSE by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, fresh winds from the SSE by Thu night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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 8 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1612 | 3174 | 4335 | 4392 | 2273 | 2990 | 2290 | 1418 | 1004 | 830 | 627 | 459 | 252 | 245 | 200 | 137 | 140 | 675 | 1252 | 1294 | 1026 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 10:51AM1.18m | 11:04PM1.60m | 11:42AM1.19m | 11:44PM1.42m | 12:36PM1.20m | 00:25AM1.23m | 1:35PM1.20m | 1:11AM1.07m | 2:40PM1.22m | 2:09AM0.94m | 3:45PM1.25m | 3:24AM0.86m | 4:46PM1.31m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:35PM0.16m | 5:38AM0.11m | 5:26PM0.30m | 6:16AM0.16m | 6:22PM0.44m | 6:55AM0.22m | 7:31PM0.56m | 7:39AM0.28m | 8:57PM0.61m | 8:30AM0.32m | 10:27PM0.59m | 9:30AM0.34m | 11:37PM0.52m | ||||||||
6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | |
— | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:08 | — | — | 5:08 | — | — | 5:09 | — | |
mm | 2 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | 3 |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 |
Feels °C | 11 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 21 | S 22 | SSE 21 | SSE 19 | E 11 | SSE 17 | SSE 14 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | ENE 9 | S 18 |
9 | 82 | 43 | 37 | 1255 | 56 | 37 | 1418 | 1004 | 830 | 627 | 459 | 252 | 245 | 200 | 137 | 140 | 84 | 39 | 26 | 25 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SE 24 | SSE 18 | S 21 | — | SSE 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | SSE 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | NE 9 | NE 9 | SSE 17 | — |
— | — | — | 22 | 63 | 9 | — | 57 | 75 | 70 | 61 | 38 | 35 | 31 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 3 | 3 | 30 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 21 | SE 15 | SE 16 | S 15 | S 14 | E 12 | E 12 | — | — | S 18 | NE 9 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 6 | 3 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | S 7 | SSE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 3 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 |
1612 | 3174 | 4335 | 4392 | 2273 | 2990 | 2290 | 110 | 98 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 675 | 1252 | 1294 | 1026 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 216 | 604 | 604 | 604 | 507 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 274 | 92 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Coast - New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the The Pass Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Pass provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Pass can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Pass 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 (The Pass) 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 The Pass 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.
The Pass is 26 km (16 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.










