Surf Forecasts:
Wategos surf forecast from 12 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 8s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 17 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 8s period, SE swell with 582 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 14 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 9s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Wategos this week:
The surf forecast for Wategos over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 14) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 19s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Wategos in the next 16 days are 2.3m 8s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 17) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.9m 9s period and expected on Friday (Aug 14) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Fri 14th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Wategos over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here again. Let's talk feet, not meters.
Honestly, it’s a pretty flat spell for Wategos for the first week or so. A whole lot of nothing until things finally get a bit of life in ‘em.
From Thursday 14th August through the rest of that first week, we’re looking at tiny, weak waves. Nothing over knee-to-waist high, with combined energy barely showing up on the charts. The wind is often clean or offshore, but it’s blowing over empty ocean. Clean as a whistle, but no punch.
Things finally wake up on Monday 17th August when a SE swell pushes in around 7ft to 7ft. The energy hits a moderate 552 to 617, but the period is short at 7 to 8 seconds, and the wind is a stiff cross-off at 25 km/h. That size is solid, but it's messy. Over 8ft is expert territory anyway, so beginners are out. Not really a classic day for a paddle.
Tuesday 18th August holds similar energy with an ESE swell still around 6ft to 7ft and the same short period. Still a bit of a chop fest.
From Wednesday 19th, we drop back to weak 3ft waves with low energy. It gets clean again, but small.
Your best window for a proper surf is Saturday 22nd August morning. Yes, the swell is only around 3ft, but the wind is dead calm. Glassy as a lake. Combined energy is low at 97, but it’s about the quality, not the power. That’s a dreamy longboard morning.
Monday 25th August morning is another good shout, with glassy conditions again and a slightly bigger swell at 4ft from the E (energy at 264). That’ll have a bit more push while staying clean.
So bottom line: the first week is a total bust. Your best chance for a clean, happy session is that Saturday 22nd morning glass-off. The Monday after is also solid. Anything bigger earlier in the week is just messy and blown out.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 29mm), heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun morning, min 14°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | E 10 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 85 | 61 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 17 | 472 | 549 | 490 | 441 | 519 | 215 |
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 | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:08AM1.21m | 8:32PM1.88m | 8:51AM1.27m | 9:11PM1.78m | 9:34AM1.31m | 9:48PM1.64m | 10:16AM1.33m | 10:23PM1.46m | 11:00AM1.32m | 10:58PM1.28m | 11:48AM1.28m | 11:35PM1.11m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:28AM-0.00m | 1:57PM-0.05m | 3:05AM-0.01m | 2:42PM-0.02m | 3:40AM0.01m | 3:26PM0.07m | 4:12AM0.05m | 4:11PM0.18m | 4:44AM0.11m | 4:57PM0.32m | 5:17AM0.18m | 5:49PM0.45m | |||||||
 |  | | |  | | |  | |  | | |  | | | | | | | |
 | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — |
 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 2 | — | 4 |
Temp °C | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Feels °C | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 9 | S 8 | E 9 | S 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | S 6 | E 8 | SE 16 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | S 12 | E 7 |
| kJ | 94 | 111 | 157 | 43 | 363 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 67 | 64 | 11 | 490 | 441 | 12 | 215 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | NE 10 | E 9 | NE 9 | SE 19 | SSE 16 | S 15 | SSE 19 | SSE 17 | SSE 17 | E 10 | SE 17 | E 9 | E 9 | SSE 12 | E 14 | SSE 8 |
| kJ | 85 | 61 | 43 | 4 | 43 | 3 | 14 | 24 | 4 | 36 | 29 | 27 | 17 | 12 | 57 | 56 | 13 | 4 | 213 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | S 20 | NE 9 | S 20 | S 16 | S 20 | S 16 | — | E 15 | SE 9 | SSE 15 | E 13 | S 16 | S 15 | — | — | ESE 12 |
| kJ | 9 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 8 | 20 | 8 | 5 | — | 4 | 3 | 23 | 4 | 21 | 5 | — | — | 29 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 3 | — | SE 3 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 8 | S 7 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | ESE 6 | SE 7 | SE 8 | — | — | ESE 8 | — |
| kJ | 7 | — | 2 | 309 | 573 | 363 | 196 | 127 | 97 | 172 | 293 | 200 | 115 | 472 | 549 | — | — | 519 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 13 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 163 | 13 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Coast - New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Wategos Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Wategos provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Wategos can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Wategos 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 (Wategos) 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 Wategos 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.
Wategos is 27 km (17 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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