
Surf Forecasts:
Wategos surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 21 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 10s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 10s period, SE swell with 3,970 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 10s 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 Tuesday (Jul 21) at 1PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 10s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Wategos in the next 16 days are 4.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) 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 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+) | 1PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 1PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 15ft (4.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Wategos over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’.
First up, Wategos is a point break that’s super consistent, so we’re not twiddling our thumbs. But the 16-day outlook has a real mixed bag, and it’s a slow start. The water temp is sitting around 69°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no nasty surprises there.
The first run of decent surf doesn’t kick in until Saturday the 18th of July. It’s a bit of a wait. We’re looking at a solid 6ft swell from the ESE, with a period of 9 seconds. The wind is offshore, but it’s a strong breeze at 25 mph. That’s going to rip the faces clean, but paddling out is going to be a proper battle. The combined energy is moderate at 539. The swell jumps up to 10ft by Saturday afternoon, with a 11-second period, which is a longer period groundswell, bringing more power. The energy is strong at 1714, but this size is expert territory only. The wind holds offshore, but still strong at 28 mph. The conditions are marginal, so it’s not a standout.
Sunday the 19th drops a 12ft swell from the SE, with a 9-second period and a cross-off breeze. The energy is very strong, hitting 2226 in the morning. This is big, raw, and messy. The wind isn’t perfect, and the period is short, so it’s a grinding, lumpy mess. This is more of a kite-surfing kind of day than a paddle-surfing one, to be honest.
The best of the whole run looks like Wednesday the 22nd of July. The swell drops to a much more manageable 5ft from the E, with a 9-second period. The wind is light, a cross-off breeze at just 6 mph. The energy is a moderate 381. Thursday the 23rd is also a good shout, with a 4ft swell from the E, and a 9-second period, with a light offshore wind. The energy is 233. These days offer clean, surfable waves without the howling wind or massive size. Not the biggest, but the quality is there.
After the 23rd, the swell fades out fast. From Friday the 24th onward, we’re looking at wave heights dropping from 3ft down to 0.7ft by the end of the month. The winds are light or glassy, but there’s just no energy in the water. The combined energy drops into the double digits, which is weak. It’s a dry spell that lasts for the rest of July and into the start of August. There’s nothing to chase.
So, the standout window is Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd of July. That’s your best bet for a clean, fun session without the drama.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 44mm), 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) | NE 8 | SE 18 | SE 16 | ESE 9 | ESE 11 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
13 | 13 | 9 | 539 | 1714 | 2893 | 2226 | 1946 | 1835 | 1722 | 1194 | 1375 | 1069 | 761 | 481 | 373 | 320 | 270 | 230 | 189 | 157 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | 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 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 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 | 17 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 13 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 8 | SE 18 | SE 16 | ESE 9 | ESE 11 | SSE 21 | SSE 19 | SSE 18 | SSE 17 | SSE 15 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
9 | 13 | 9 | 539 | 1714 | 43 | 37 | 32 | 28 | 42 | 1194 | 1375 | 1069 | 761 | 481 | 373 | 320 | 270 | 230 | 189 | 157 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 18 | SSE 18 | — | — | S 22 | E 18 | S 24 | S 24 | — | — | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 10 |
13 | 31 | — | — | 82 | 6 | 11 | 11 | — | — | 34 | 57 | 55 | 40 | 37 | 33 | 32 | 18 | 18 | 22 | 8 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 20 | S 15 | SE 16 | SE 15 | S 14 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 11 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 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 | SSE 7 | S 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 2 | — | S 4 |
765 | 1005 | 946 | 1072 | 1788 | 2893 | 2226 | 1946 | 1835 | 1722 | 132 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 12 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 550 | 552 | 13 | 229 | 687 | 604 | 604 | 508 | 92 | 198 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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 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.










