
Surf Forecasts:
The Pass surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, ESE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, ESE swell with 1,618 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 10PM (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 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 10s period. 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 3.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Pass over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here again, giving you the lowdown in feet and miles per hour.
We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but the action really kicks off on Tuesday afternoon. The first few days have some surf, but the conditions are a bit messy. The week ahead is a bit of a mixed bag, with one clear standout and a couple of other windows that are worth paddling out for.
The big highlight is Tuesday, the 21st of July. The morning will be rideable, but the real magic happens in the afternoon. We’re looking at a solid 6ft swell from the East with a period of 9 seconds, and the wind is going offshore from the SE at a gentle 9 mph. That’s clean, clean surf with a moderate energy level (671). The Pass is a consistent point break, so it’ll be handling this swell well. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, but keep in mind the crowds are often there. Still, with that offshore wind, it’s the best on offer.
Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd see the swell drop off. Wednesday morning has a 5ft Easterly swell, but the wind is cross-shore, making it a bit bumpy. Thursday morning goes glassy with a 4ft East swell, but the energy is weak (213) and the waves are pretty ordinary. The Pass is fairly exposed to the swell, but the energy just isn't there for anything exciting.
We get a weird little spike on Saturday, the 25th of July. The morning is glassy with a tiny 3ft swell, but the period is a very long 17 seconds from the SSE. That’s a groundswell, and it’s carrying a surprising amount of energy (420) for its size. The glassy conditions are a major positive, making it a very clean session. The afternoon gets messy with a cross-onshore wind, so get it done early.
The following week is pretty quiet through the 27th, 28th, and 29th. The swell fades away to almost nothing. The water temperature is sitting at 69°F, which is basically average for the time of year, so no surprises there.
Then we get a promising look at the end of the month. Friday, the 31st of July is another standout morning. The wind is glassy from the NW, and we have a 4ft swell from the SSE with a solid 12-second period. The energy is strong (498), and the conditions should be clean. This is a very good option. The afternoon gets choppy again, so the morning window is the key.
Looking further out, the first few days of August look like a bust for quality surf. The swell is small and winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore. There’s a bit of a pulse around the 4th of August, with an 8ft to 10ft swell from the SSE, but the period is short (8-9 seconds) and the wind is cross-offshore. This is a lot of water moving around with a strong energy (1006 to 1682), but the short period means it’ll be a bit of a washing machine. This is big, technical surf, and at over 8ft, it’s for experts only. For a point break like The Pass, the long period would be better, but this is short and punchy.
So, for the best surf in this 16-day window, set your alarms for Tuesday afternoon, July 21st and Friday morning, July 31st. The rest of the time, you’re either fighting the wind or waiting for a pulse.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | ||||||||||||||
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 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 17 | SSE 14 | SSE 11 | SSE 15 | SSE 13 | E 9 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1924 | 1452 | 961 | 614 | 533 | 408 | 359 | 311 | 210 | 165 | 107 | 87 | 277 | 171 | 344 | 577 | 390 | 121 | 431 | 6 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross | cross | on | glassy | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | cross-on |
High Tide | 00:25AM1.23m | 1:35PM1.20m | 1:11AM1.07m | 2:40PM1.22m | 2:09AM0.94m | 3:45PM1.25m | 3:24AM0.86m | 4:46PM1.31m | 4:39AM0.85m | 5:37PM1.39m | 5:40AM0.88m | 6:21PM1.47m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 10:31AM0.33m | 00:26AM0.43m | 11:24AM0.29m | 1:06AM0.35m | |||||||
— | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:08 | — | — | 5:08 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:10 | — | |
mm | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
Feels °C | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 7 | S 12 | SSE 14 | SSE 11 | S 11 | SSE 13 | S 12 |
1924 | 1452 | 961 | 614 | 533 | 408 | 359 | 311 | 210 | 165 | 107 | 87 | 44 | 171 | 617 | 577 | 390 | 205 | 431 | 279 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 13 | S 12 | S 12 | ENE 10 | SSE 11 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 8 | S 19 | E 10 | E 10 | SSE 17 | S 10 | E 8 | SSE 15 | E 8 | E 9 |
57 | 75 | 70 | 57 | 38 | 35 | 31 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 6 | 7 | 31 | 69 | 344 | 239 | 48 | 121 | 12 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 20 | S 11 | E 9 | E 9 | S 14 | E 12 | E 12 | SE 9 | S 10 | S 19 | NNE 10 | NE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | NE 7 | E 8 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 |
— | — | 8 | 61 | 26 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 76 | 74 | 7 | 19 | 4 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ESE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 5 | SSE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 680 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 54 | 277 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 92 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 92 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
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.










