The Pass Surf Break

Lat Long: 28.64° S 153.63° E

The Pass Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 pm 15 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The Pass sea temperature is
20.6° C
0.3° 

The Pass surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


The Pass surf forecast from 15 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s period, ESE swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 10s period, SE swell with 3,838 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s 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 3.5m and 11s 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 Sunday (Jul 19) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 8s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 16) at 1AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7PM (Mon 20th Jul)11ft (3.5m) 11s
Best Surf 7PM (Mon 20th Jul)11ft (3.5m) 11s
Most Powerful 7AM (Sun 19th 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’ve been staring at the charts for our local stretch, The Pass. Let’s get into it.

The good news is we’ve got a solid run of surf coming, but you’ve gotta be patient. The first few days are a write-off, but from Thursday the 16th onwards, things start to get interesting. There’s a big pulse of energy forecast, but the wind is going to be a real issue for a lot of it. The standout window is the morning of Tuesday the 21st, and honestly, that’s the call for the whole period.

We start with nothing really on offer. Wednesday the 15th has tiny 0.7ft swell from the east with a short 9-second period, and a blustery south wind making it messy. The combined energy reading is only 11 (weak), so it’s a flat day. The water temperature is 69°, which is pretty much average for the time of year.

Then things ramp up fast. Thursday the 16th sees a massive jump in swell, with 12ft to 13ft from the SSE. This is powerful stuff – the energy numbers are huge (1751 and 2314), but the wind is a cross-off from the south and SSE at 19-22 mph. That’s a strong breeze, and combined with the size, it’s going to be wild and unpredictable. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it’s going to be a battle. The period is short at 9 seconds, so it’s a messy, wind-affected swell with a lot of closeouts.

Friday the 17th backs off a touch to 8ft-8ft from the SSE, but the wind remains a problem. The morning sees a brief offshore from the SSE, but it’s still 19 mph. That’s a strong offshore wind, which will clean the faces but make it incredibly hard to paddle into. The energy is still moderate (757-790). It’s a session for the fit and the brave.

The weekend is a washout. Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th see 13ft to 15ft swell from the SSE and SE, with energy readings through the roof (2748 to 3690). The wind is a strong breeze, 25-28 mph. Sunday morning has a strong offshore, but at 15ft with a 10-second period and that wind, you’re looking at a very dangerous, hard-to-paddle situation. Only for the absolute top-tier experts.

Now, here’s the turn. Monday the 20th drops to 12ft from the ESE, with a 10-11 second period. The energy is still high (2661-2827), but the wind is finally cooperating. We get a fresh offshore from the SSE in the morning, then a moderate offshore from the SE in the afternoon. This is clean, but still big.

The standout is Tuesday the 21st. The swell drops to 8ft from the east in the morning, with a 10-second period, and the energy is 1387. Wind is a moderate offshore from the SE at 12 mph. Clean, powerful, and a much more manageable size for experienced surfers. The afternoon is even better with 8ft from the east, 10-second period, energy 1037, and light offshore wind from the SSE at 6 mph. The conditions are described as “excellent” and “very good”. This is your window. It’s a point break, so it’s built for this kind of swell direction, and the offshore wind will groom it beautifully. The crowd factor is “often”, so expect company, but it’ll be worth it.

After that, the swell fades. Wednesday 22nd to Friday 24th has 4ft to 6ft from the east, with periods around 9-10 seconds. The wind is light and variable, sometimes glassy. It’s surfable, but nothing special. The energy is moderate (503-249). The best of this is Thursday afternoon the 23rd, with a gentle offshore from the SE and 5ft from the east. It’s clean, but small.

From Saturday 25th to Wednesday 29th, it gets really small. We’re talking 1ft to 3ft from the east and ENE, with short periods of 8-9 seconds and energy dropping to 29 (weak). The wind is a mix of cross and cross-off, but it’s mostly marginal. Not worth paddling out for.

Then there’s a late pulse. Wednesday 29th afternoon sees 6ft from the SSE, but it’s marginal. Thursday 30th looks better: 5ft to 6ft from the SSE, with a period jumping to 11 seconds on the afternoon. The energy is 898 (moderate), and the wind is light and cross-off. This is a promising, clean end to the run, but it’s more than a week away, so keep an eye on it.

The one true standout is Tuesday morning the 21st at The Pass. Clean, consistent, and solid. That’s the session to circle.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 56mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri morning, min 15°C on Wed night). Mainly strong winds.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 37mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun night, min 17°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSE on Sun morning, light winds from the SE by Tue morning).

Wed
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
2
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
3
4
4
3
3
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.2
E
9
0.1
E
11
3.5
SSE
9
4
SSE
9
3
SSE
8
2.4
SSE
8
2.5
SSE
8
3
SSE
8
4
SSE
9
4.5
SE
10
4.5
SE
10
4.5
SE
10
4
SE
10
4
ESE
10
3.5
ESE
10
3.5
ESE
11
3
E
11
2.5
E
10
2.3
E
10
2
E
10
1.7
E
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
7
2
1751
2314
1064
714
759
1008
2748
3564
3433
3653
3354
2902
2621
2770
2077
1387
1037
755
529
Wind (km/h)
30
S
30
S
35
S
35
SSE
30
SE
30
SSE
30
SSE
30
S
40
S
45
S
40
SSE
40
SSE
40
SSE
35
SE
30
SSE
25
SE
20
SE
20
SE
10
SSE
5
SSE
5
SW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
glassy
cross
High Tide
8:55PM1.96m
9:16AM1.13m
9:40PM1.89m
10:03AM1.16m
10:23PM1.77m
10:51AM1.18m
11:04PM1.60m
11:42AM1.19m
11:44PM1.42m
12:36PM1.20m
00:25AM1.23m
1:35PM1.20m
1:11AM1.07m
Low Tide
3:39AM-0.00m
2:59PM-0.03m
4:21AM0.02m
3:46PM0.05m
5:00AM0.06m
4:35PM0.16m
5:38AM0.11m
5:26PM0.30m
6:16AM0.16m
6:22PM0.44m
6:55AM0.22m
7:31PM0.56m
7:39AM0.28m
thunderstorm
light rain
mod rain
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
mod rain
light rain
cloud
rain showers
heavy rain
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
part cloud
cloud
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:35
6:35
6:35
6:35
6:35
6:35
6:33
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:05
5:06
5:06
5:07
5:07
5:07
5:07
5:08
 mm
3
4
8
14
12
5
6
4
3
13
6
5
7
3
1
Temp °C
16
16
16
17
17
18
17
17
18
18
18
18
18
19
18
18
18
19
19
18
18
Feels °C
10
9
10
11
11
13
12
11
10
11
11
12
12
14
13
13
15
16
18
18
18
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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