
Surf Forecasts:
The Pass surf forecast from 13 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, ESE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 11s period, ESE swell with 4,732 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 7AM (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 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 16s. 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 11s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.5m 9s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 16) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 15ft (4.5m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Pass over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, listen up. Rusty here. Let’s get into it.
The Pass is the only game in town for this whole 16-day stretch, and it’s a mixed bag. We’ve got a long wait with nothing worthwhile for the first few days, but then a proper pulse of energy rolls in and hangs around for a while. The first real action doesn’t kick off until Thursday the 16th. Before that, Tuesday and Wednesday are a total write-off—tiny, weak, and not worth a paddle.
Thursday the 16th is the first time we see some size, but it comes with a side of fresh breeze and a bit of rain. The swell jumps to 12ft from the SSE, with a short period of 9 seconds, so it’s going to be a bit of a messy, powerful beast. The combined energy is strong (1879), but this is expert territory only. Don’t even think about it if you’re not solid.
Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th settle a little, with 8ft to 10ft swells from the SE, still short period. The wind is offshore or cross-offshore, which keeps it clean, but the short period means the waves won’t be the most refined. This is still solid, punchy surf for the experienced crew.
Now, the standout. Sunday the 19th. This is the best on offer. We’ve got a 15ft swell from the ESE, with a period stretching to 11 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, and the combined energy is massive (4645). The wind is offshore and fresh, keeping the face of the wave clean. This is a big, powerful, and well-shaped swell for The Pass, but seriously, only for experts. The water temp is about 69°F, which is pretty normal for the time of year.
The following week, from Monday the 22nd to Wednesday the 23rd, we hold onto some nice 7ft to 8ft swells from the E, with the period getting long (12 to 13 seconds). That’s the kind of energy that makes The Pass reel off nicely. The wind is moderate and cross-offshore, so it’s still clean. The combined energy sits around 1000 to 1900, so plenty of juice.
Looking further out, Saturday the 25th has a real treat. We get a 8ft swell from the ESE with a 12-second period, and the wind is glassy—dead calm. That’s about as clean as it gets. The energy is solid (1569). This is a fantastic window for experienced surfers. The following Monday morning, the 27th, also looks glassy with a 6ft ESE swell. It’s a bit smaller but still worth a session.
The last few days of the forecast, from the 28th onward, the swell drops off and the wind turns onshore and cross-shore, bringing chop and poor conditions. The magic fades out.
So, the highlight is definitely Sunday the 19th for the biggest, most powerful swell, but if you want cleaner, more manageable size with glassy conditions, circle Saturday the 25th. The Pass is a consistent point, so expect crowds to be likely, especially on those better days.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Wed night. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue afternoon, fresh winds from the S by Wed afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Fri night. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 17°C on Fri night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | NE 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | ESE 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 1879 | 1051 | 871 | 676 | 617 | 734 | 939 | 1497 | 4396 | 4645 | 3466 | 2386 | 1845 | 1243 | 1348 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 8:08PM1.96m | 8:28AM1.10m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:20PM-0.03m | 2:54AM0.01m | 2:10PM-0.05m | 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 | ||||||||
6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
— | 5:05 | — | — | 5:05 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 1 | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 |
Feels °C | 15 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 8 | S 4 | ESE 9 | NE 10 | — | — | NE 9 | NNE 9 | NE 8 | NNE 8 | S 17 | NE 9 | S 22 | S 20 | S 19 | SSE 19 | SSE 17 | SSE 16 | E 10 | ESE 10 |
22 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 4 | — | — | 3 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 31 | 7 | 35 | 30 | 24 | 1243 | 1348 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | S 8 | S 12 | — | — | — | — | S 18 | S 17 | S 17 | S 17 | S 23 | — | — | — | — | S 17 | S 16 | SSE 14 | SSE 13 |
10 | 10 | 10 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 5 | 23 | 22 | 11 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 5 | 36 | 32 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 10 | SE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | S 13 | NE 9 | — | NE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 15 |
6 | 5 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | 3 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 4 | S 5 | — | SSW 4 | S 7 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | SSE 7 | — |
1 | 4 | — | 29 | 517 | 1653 | 1879 | 1051 | 871 | 676 | 617 | 734 | 939 | 1497 | 4396 | 4645 | 3466 | 2386 | 1845 | 136 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 240 | 342 | 321 | 216 | 13 | 56 | 229 | 274 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 53 | 580 | 692 | 274 | 620 | 604 | 53 | 92 | 1 | 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.










