Woolgoolga Back Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what Woolgoolga Back Beach has cookin’ over the next couple of weeks.

Right now, it’s a pretty quiet start. The first week is mostly small, messy, and nothing to get excited about. The swell’s tiny, the wind’s often onshore or cross-shore, and the wave energy is weak to moderate – a lot of those readings are well under 200 (combined swell energy). It’s not until Wednesday the 16th that things start to kick off, but when they do, it’s a raw, powerful swell.

Wednesday the 16th brings a solid spike in energy, with the combined swell energy hitting 526 on the morning and then absolutely ramping up to 1883 in the afternoon. We’re talking 8ft to 12ft of SSE swell, but the wind is a strong cross-onshore from the SSW and S at 25 to 28 mph. It’s messy, lumpy, and honestly, looks more like a kite-surfing day than a clean paddle session. Thursday the 17th stays big, with 12ft SSE swell and energy over 2000, but again, strong cross-onshore winds – it’s gonna be a washing machine out there.

Friday the 18th is the first real glimmer of hope. The swell is still solid at 10ft to 8ft from the SE, and the wind eases to a moderate cross-onshore. The wave energy is still high (2401 on the morning, 1530 in the afternoon), but the cleaner conditions and a period of 11 seconds in the arvo mean there’s some shape in the water. It’s still big, so this is strictly for experienced surfers only. Beginners, stay on the sand.

Saturday the 19th is the standout of the whole run. The morning sees a nice 7ft ESE groundswell with a 11-second period, and the wind goes light and glassy – a light cross-shore from the NE at just 3 mph. The combined swell energy is 1038, which is solid but not overwhelming, and the water’s about 68°F, which is bang on average for this time of year. The break is fairly consistent, but keep in mind crowds can pop up here sometimes. For a point break or reef setup, that long-period swell would be best, but this is a beach break, so the long period might make it a bit straight. Still, clean 7ft waves with light wind is hard to beat.

Sunday the 20th drops back to 4ft ESE swell, with cross-shore winds and moderate energy (235). It’s marginal, but if you’re desperate for a paddle, it’s doable. After that, the surf fades fast. The second week (from Monday the 21st onward) is small, weak, and mostly poor. There’s a couple of days with glassy conditions on Friday the 25th morning, but the swell is only 3ft and the energy is barely 97 – not really enough to get excited about.

Overall, if you’ve got one day to chase, make it Saturday the 19th. That’s the cleanest, most promising window with decent size. The big stuff mid-week is for the brave or the kites. For the rest, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

Read more