
Surf Forecasts:
The Pass surf forecast from 8 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 11s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 9 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 11s period, SE swell with 1,867 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 11s period with SE 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 Thursday (Jul 09) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 2.2m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Pass in the next 16 days are 3.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 09) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Thu 9th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Pass over the next 16 days.
Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on the table for The Pass, and I’ve gotta be straight with you – we’ve got a bit of a mixed bag coming our way.
The good stuff kicks off Wednesday afternoon, July 8th, with a solid 10ft swell out of the southeast. That’s a lot of ocean moving around, with some serious energy behind it – we’re looking at a combined energy reading of 2426, so it’s got some punch. The water temp is sitting at 70°, which is dead average for this time of year, nothing unusual there. The wind is a cross-offshore breeze from the SSE, which will keep things pretty clean. But this is a point break, and with a swell that size and a period of 11 seconds, it’s going to be a solid groundswell, meaning those waves will have some serious push and shape. That kind of size is really for the experienced crew; beginners are going to find it intimidating.
Thursday, July 9th, still has decent swell. The morning sees an 8ft swell from the SSE with that same 11-second period, and the wind stays manageable. The afternoon drops a little to 8ft, also from the SSE. The energy is still high, but it's dropping from 2351 down to 1060. It’s surfable, but the conditions are reported as "marginal," so don’t expect perfection.
Friday, July 10th, the swell is still hanging around in the 7ft to 7ft range, with the morning wind being a cross-shore from the SW which might make things a bit bumpy. The afternoon looks better with a 7ft swell from the SSE and a gentle cross-offshore breeze. The energy is still moderate, around the 1000 mark.
Then we hit a quiet spell. From Saturday, July 11th, through to Thursday, July 16th, the swell really drops off. We’re talking waves under 3ft for most of that stretch, and the energy falls way down into the double digits. The wind is variable, a bit messy in the middle there, and there’s a day on Monday, July 13th, where it goes glassy but with only 2ft on offer. That’s a flat spell, nearly a full week of poor conditions. If you’re itching for a paddle, Monday morning might give you a few slow, tiny waves, but you’ll be scratching for them.
Now, hold onto your boards, because Thursday afternoon, July 16th, the ocean wakes up again – and it wakes up with a roar. We’ve got a 13ft swell from the SSE hitting. That’s big. The combined energy is a massive 2316, but the period is only 9 seconds, so it’s a shorter-period wind swell. At that size, with that sort of period, it’s going to be powerful and a bit unruly. This is strictly for experts. The wind is a moderate cross-offshore breeze, so it won’t be too blown out, but 13ft at the Pass is serious business.
The swell stays pumping through Friday, July 17th, with 12ft from the SSE both morning and afternoon. The wind, however, picks up to a strong breeze, gusting 28 mph from the south. It’s clean in terms of being offshore, but that much wind and that much swell is a real challenge. The energy remains very high in the 2000s.
Saturday and Sunday, July 18th and 19th, the swell is still big – 10ft to 8ft – but the wind stays strong. It’s going to look more like a windsurfing or kitesurfing playground than a clean surf break for a few days there.
Things start to settle down by Monday, July 20th, with 7ft swell and the wind dropping to a fresh breeze. Into the following week, the size fades. The real standout in the long-range is that Thursday afternoon, July 16th, if you have the skill and nerve for it, but it’s a wild one.
The best all-around window, if you ask me, is probably going to be Wednesday, July 22nd, in the afternoon. The swell is down to a much more manageable 3ft, but it’s coming from the SE with a long 12-second period, and the wind goes glassy. The energy is a modest 288, but for a clean, long-period swell on a point break like The Pass, that can be a dream. It’s a late call, but that one has the potential to be the most fun for the average surfer.
So, for the near term, Thursday afternoon July 9th is your best bet for something clean and a bit tamer. For the big wave crew, Thursday July 16th is the date to circle. Keep your eyes on the long-range Wednesday, July 22nd.
Stay stoked,
Rusty
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sun morning, min 11°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wed 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 11 | SE 11 | SSE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 11 | SE 11 | SSE 10 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | SSE 6 | E 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2208 | 1867 | 1344 | 1060 | 899 | 955 | 1018 | 716 | 363 | 379 | 389 | 258 | 185 | 71 | 39 | 27 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 45 | 7 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 2:03AM1.18m | 3:21PM1.33m | 3:16AM1.08m | 4:26PM1.47m | 4:32AM1.02m | 5:27PM1.63m | 5:42AM1.01m | 6:24PM1.77m | 6:43AM1.03m | 7:18PM1.89m | 7:38AM1.06m | 8:08PM1.96m | 8:28AM1.10m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:12PM0.48m | 8:35AM0.18m | 9:41PM0.45m | 9:34AM0.18m | 11:05PM0.36m | 10:34AM0.15m | 00:15AM0.24m | 11:33AM0.09m | 1:15AM0.13m | 12:28PM0.03m | 2:07AM0.05m | 1:20PM-0.03m | 2:54AM0.01m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | |
5:01 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:02 | — | — | 5:02 | — | — | 5:04 | — | — | 5:04 | — | — | 5:05 | — | 5:05 | |
mm | — | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 |
Feels °C | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 14 | SE 11 | SSE 11 | S 23 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 11 | SE 11 | SSE 10 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 10 | SE 9 | S 7 | S 7 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 6 | S 8 |
218 | 1867 | 1344 | 11 | 899 | 955 | 1018 | 716 | 363 | 379 | 389 | 258 | 185 | 71 | 24 | 37 | 49 | 11 | 10 | 45 | 42 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 24 | — | SSE 15 | SE 15 | S 20 | ESE 15 | ESE 12 | SSE 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | SE 4 |
— | — | 11 | — | 142 | 79 | 7 | 21 | 178 | 214 | 60 | 39 | 35 | 22 | 39 | 27 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 9 | 5 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | S 21 | — | — | S 21 | S 19 | S 17 | N 3 | N 4 | E 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | S 11 | E 9 |
— | — | — | — | 9 | — | — | 8 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 17 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | WNW 2 | NW 4 | WSW 4 | — | — | — | SSW 3 | S 5 | — | SSW 8 |
2208 | 1474 | 1007 | 1060 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | — | — | — | 4 | 12 | — | 77 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 53 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 63 | 256 | 6 | 6 |
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.











