Surf Forecasts:
Woolgoolga Back Beach surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 26 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 8s period, ENE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 25 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 8s period, NE swell with 288 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 7s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Woolgoolga Back Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Woolgoolga Back Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Woolgoolga Back Beach in the next 16 days are 1.4m 8s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Wed 26th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Tue 25th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Woolgoolga Back Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next 16 days at Woolgoolga Back Beach are a real mixed bag, and honestly, there’s nothing in the first week that gets me excited. It’s going to be a waiting game, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel if you’re patient.
We’ve got a long dry spell kicking things off. From today, Friday the 21st of August, right through to the end of the month, the surf is small and poor. We’re looking at tiny waves, mostly around 2 ft to 3 ft, with short, weak swell periods around 6 to 8 seconds. The energy is low, with values down in the 40s and 50s for most of that time, barely a ripple. The wind is a mixed bag of cross-off and onshore, and while there’s a moment of glassy conditions on Saturday the 22nd afternoon, the swell is just too small at 2 ft to make anything of it. It’s a tough run, with no real standouts for over a week.
Now, we start to see a little pulse around Monday the 24th morning. There’s a glassy morning with a bit of a south swell – 2 ft at 11 seconds – and the combined energy jumps up to 133, which is moderate, but the conditions are described as ordinary, so don’t get your hopes up. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on Friday the 28th of August. The morning is looking promising, with a clean, cross-off wind from the NNW at 10 mph. The swell is a bit bigger at 3 ft, coming from the SSE with a 10-second period, and the energy is solid at 314. It’s still not huge, but it’s the cleanest, most lined-up the place will be all week. If you want a paddle, that’s your best bet in this first chunk, but be ready for a crowd – it’s a spot that does get busy sometimes.
Then we hit a real rough patch through the 29th and 30th with strong, onshore winds (22 mph) and lumpy, choppy conditions. The swell picks up a bit, hitting 6 ft on Sunday the 30th afternoon, but with a short 7-second period and an onshore wind, it’s messy. At that size and with that wind, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
Now, for the standout of the entire outlook. Mark your calendar for Tuesday the 1st of September. The morning is glassy – no wind, not a breath – and the swell is a consistent 4 ft from the east, with a 9-second period. The combined energy is 202, good moderate energy. This is the best on offer. The conditions are clean, glassy, and the wave state is perfect. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, so 4 ft is fine for learners, and with that quality, you won’t want to miss it. Bring a crowd, though – it happens.
After that, the surf holds at around 3 ft to 3 ft through the rest of the first week of September, but the winds turn more cross-onshore, and the quality drops back to ordinary. It’s not a total loss, but nothing compares to that Tuesday morning. That’s your moment. Until then, keep the board in the car and the coffee hot.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Warm (max 20°C on Fri morning, min 14°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 22°C on Wed morning, min 15°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon morning, fresh winds from the NNE by Tue afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 7 | ESE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 7 | E 8 | E 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 11 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | E 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
60 | 37 | 46 | 22 | 49 | 36 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 70 | 92 | 79 | 96 | 168 | 176 | 127 | 121 | 101 | 109 | 104 | 81 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 2:58PM1.23m | 3:12AM0.80m | 4:07PM1.26m | 4:31AM0.82m | 5:04PM1.33m | 5:29AM0.88m | 5:51PM1.41m | 6:14AM0.95m | 6:31PM1.49m | 6:52AM1.03m | 7:06PM1.56m | 7:28AM1.11m | 7:40PM1.60m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:01PM0.53m | 8:51AM0.44m | 11:11PM0.47m | 10:03AM0.42m | 00:00AM0.39m | 11:03AM0.36m | 00:38AM0.31m | 11:51AM0.29m | 1:11AM0.22m | 12:33PM0.22m | 1:42AM0.15m | 1:12PM0.16m | 2:11AM0.09m | ||||||||
6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | |
— | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 22 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 16 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 13 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | ESE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | ENE 7 | S 10 | ENE 9 | E 9 | SSE 10 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
60 | 37 | 46 | 22 | 33 | 36 | 29 | 30 | 26 | 52 | 53 | 79 | 96 | 31 | 176 | 127 | 121 | 101 | 109 | 104 | 81 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 7 | E 9 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | S 8 | SSE 12 | SSE 9 | SSE 6 | SE 5 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 16 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 5 | S 11 | SSE 6 |
26 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 29 | 29 | 22 | 10 | 53 | 33 | 5 | 17 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 22 | 2 | 27 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 6 | S 6 | SE 5 | SSE 11 | SSE 17 | SE 5 | S 18 | — | S 16 | S 17 | S 16 | S 15 | — | S 15 | S 9 |
9 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 70 | 27 | 4 | 6 | — | 20 | 23 | 21 | 4 | — | 4 | 6 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NE 4 | NE 6 | — | NE 6 | — | SSW 3 | S 3 | — | — | ENE 8 | NE 4 | N 2 | ENE 9 | NNW 4 | — | — | S 4 | S 5 | SSE 5 | — |
— | 26 | 80 | — | 49 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 92 | 7 | 1 | 168 | 12 | — | — | 4 | 37 | 23 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 5 | 121 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 169 | 0 | 0 | 352 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 7 | 7 | 78 | 7 |
Best forecast wave conditions in North Coast - New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Woolgoolga Back Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Woolgoolga Back Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Woolgoolga Back Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Woolgoolga Back Beach 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 (Woolgoolga Back Beach) 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 Woolgoolga Back Beach 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.











