Surf Forecasts:
Wategos surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 7s period, ESE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 7s period, ESE swell with 337 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 7s period with ESE 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 Thursday (Aug 20) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Wategos in the next 16 days are 1.8m 7s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 8s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Wategos over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you—this 16-day window is a tough one for our waters. We've only got one spot in the game, and it's a classic: Wategos. Water temp is sitting at 68°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The pattern starts on Wednesday, 19th August with a bit of a pulse. We're looking at a 5-foot swell from the southeast, with a moderate energy level (534). The wind is a cross-off from the southeast at 9 mph, which should keep the faces relatively clean. It's a consistent break, but the swell direction isn't ideal for the optimum NE direction, so it's just okay. Thursday morning, 20th August, is where it gets interesting. The swell drops a touch to 5 feet from the ESE, but the wind goes glassy—dead calm from the south at 3 mph. That's a major positive for clean, silky waves. The energy is moderate (332). This is probably the best you'll see, but it's still not a standout by any means.
After that, it's a long, drawn-out dry spell. From Friday, 21st August, all the way through to Tuesday morning, 1st September, the surf is either poor or just ordinary. The swell drops to under 3 feet, winds turn onshore or cross-onshore, and the energy is weak (mostly under 200). There are a few moments like Sunday, 23rd August morning with a light offshore wind, but the waves are tiny at 3 feet. It's a frustrating stretch.
The next real event is on Tuesday afternoon, 1st September. A new swell arrives from the southeast at 6 feet, but the period is a long 14 seconds—that's a proper groundswell. The energy jumps dramatically to 1178, which is strong. However, the wind is a cross-onshore from the ENE at 9 mph, making it choppy. That's a real shame, because the swell has some punch. For a point break like Wategos, that longer period should offer some shape, but the wind will mess it up. Wednesday morning, 2nd September, is a bit better with a 5-foot SE swell and lighter cross-on winds, but it's still marginal. The energy is still high at 719.
After that, it fades back into the ordinary zone. The last few days of the forecast show tiny, poor waves again. Honestly, there's no true standout session here. The Thursday morning glass-off is the best bet, but it's a very short window of mediocrity. If you're a beginner, the 5-foot stuff is fine, but it's not worth the drive for most. With the cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions on the bigger swell, it might actually be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Look, sometimes it's a blank run, and this is one of those times. Forecasts can change, but as it stands, don't expect much.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 20°C on Sat morning, min 15°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Mon morning, min 16°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | ||||||||||||||
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 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | SE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
250 | 300 | 265 | 75 | 59 | 41 | 73 | 70 | 101 | 99 | 87 | 88 | 81 | 85 | 101 | 134 | 119 | 119 | 175 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-off | on | on | on | on | on | on | on |
High Tide | 00:20AM0.96m | 1:49PM1.21m | 1:26AM0.85m | 3:05PM1.21m | 3:01AM0.80m | 4:16PM1.27m | 4:25AM0.83m | 5:11PM1.35m | 5:23AM0.89m | 5:54PM1.45m | 6:06AM0.97m | 6:31PM1.55m | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:36AM0.34m | 8:25PM0.62m | 7:36AM0.40m | 10:07PM0.59m | 8:54AM0.42m | 11:16PM0.51m | 10:07AM0.38m | 00:01AM0.41m | 11:04AM0.31m | 00:36AM0.32m | 11:49AM0.23m | 1:08AM0.23m | |||||||
— | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | |
mm | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 17 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | NE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
250 | 300 | 265 | 47 | 59 | 41 | 73 | 70 | 101 | 99 | 87 | 88 | 81 | 85 | 101 | 134 | 119 | 119 | 175 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | ESE 11 | E 10 | E 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SSE 7 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 9 | SE 7 | S 11 | S 10 | SSE 7 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 |
15 | 24 | 8 | 51 | 40 | 26 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 17 | 9 | 20 | 37 | 37 | 20 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 12 | — | — | SE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | E 13 | SE 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | E 8 | S 9 | NE 9 | SSE 15 | SSE 11 | SSE 6 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 16 |
27 | — | — | 75 | 39 | 23 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 23 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 3 | N 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 4 | — | NNE 3 | N 3 |
— | — | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | 4 | 8 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 256 | 13 | 1 | 94 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 257 | 13 | 34 | 444 | 13 |
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.











