Surf Forecasts:
The Pass surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 10s period, ESE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 10s period, SE swell with 4,084 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 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 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m 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 3.5m 9s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 18) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 4PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 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
Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for The Pass over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a slow start. The first few days are a real mixed bag, with some solid size but pretty ordinary conditions. The real standout doesn’t really show up until Monday afternoon, the 20th of July. That’s where it all comes together: a clean 8ft swell from the ESE, with a moderate offshore breeze. The wave energy is solid at 1422, and the water temp is sitting at 69°, which is pretty much average for this time of year – nothing wild there. The Pass is a consistent point break, so it handles that long-period groundswell well, but keep in mind this spot can get crowded.
Before that, Friday the 17th through Sunday the 19th is a bit of a write-off. We’ve got some solid 10ft to 12ft SSE swell, but the wind is a fresh offshore or cross-off, and the energy is high (874 to 2311), but the conditions are just marginal. That’s a lot of water moving around for a beginner spot, and the quality isn’t there for a good session.
Monday afternoon the 20th is the clear pick. Clean 8ft E swell, 10-second period, and a moderate offshore wind. It’s in the sweet spot for experienced surfers, not too big, not too small. The next few days, Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd, are still worth a paddle with dropping 7ft and 5ft E swell and gentle offshore winds, but the energy drops off (967 to 373). It’s cleaner, but the punch fades.
From Thursday the 23rd onward, we’re chasing scraps. The swell drops below 3ft by the 24th, and the energy flatlines (down to 48 by the 25th). There’s a long gap from the 23rd of July all the way to the 1st of August with no real recommendations. The end of the run sees a brief spike on the 30th of July with a 3ft SSE swell (188 energy), but it’s a short-lived, glassy morning that gets blown out by a strong cross-onshore in the afternoon. Then on the 1st of August, there’s a 6ft SSE swell, but the wind is onshore and the conditions are poor.
So, to sum it up: don’t hold your breath for the first few days. The only real standout is Monday afternoon the 20th of July. After that, it’s a waiting game for the next proper pulse.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 42mm), heaviest during Fri morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun night, min 16°C on Fri night). Mainly strong winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon morning, min 14°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SE on Mon morning, calm by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | ESE 11 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 832 | 1067 | 899 | 1091 | 1747 | 3060 | 2274 | 2082 | 1781 | 1635 | 1365 | 1275 | 967 | 682 | 434 | 373 | 320 | 275 | 199 | 189 | 162 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 2:40PM1.22m | 2:09AM0.94m | 3:45PM1.25m | 3:24AM0.86m | |||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 8:57PM0.61m | 8:30AM0.32m | 10:27PM0.59m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | | | | | | |  |  |  | |  | |  |  | | | | |
 | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — |
 | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:08 | — | — | 5:08 | — |
mm | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 13 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 8 | NE 8 | S 15 | ESE 9 | ESE 11 | SSE 21 | SSE 19 | SSE 18 | SSE 17 | SSE 14 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
| kJ | 9 | 9 | 5 | 533 | 1747 | 43 | 37 | 63 | 55 | 38 | 1365 | 1275 | 967 | 682 | 434 | 373 | 320 | 275 | 199 | 189 | 162 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 18 | SSE 18 | — | — | S 22 | E 18 | S 24 | S 23 | S 17 | — | SSE 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 |
| kJ | 33 | 31 | — | — | 82 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 6 | — | 57 | 75 | 70 | 62 | 58 | 35 | 31 | 32 | 17 | 20 | 8 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 20 | S 15 | S 16 | S 15 | S 14 | E 12 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 18 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 2 | — | SSE 5 |
| kJ | 832 | 1067 | 899 | 1091 | 1788 | 3060 | 2274 | 2082 | 1781 | 1635 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 29 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 550 | 551 | 13 | 229 | 687 | 604 | 604 | 507 | 92 | 197 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 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.
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