Woolgoolga Back Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, looking at the charts for our stretch, particularly Woolgoolga Back Beach. I’ll be upfront: the next fortnight is a real mixed bag, so you’ve got to pick your spots. The water temp is about 67°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so nothing crazy there.

This first week is mostly a whole lot of nothing. Tuesday the 11th is a write-off. The swell’s tiny, with a combined energy of only (65), and a hopeless cross-onshore breeze. Not worth wetting the wetsuit for that dribble.

The first real chance at a clean wave comes Wednesday the 12th, early. We’ll see a modest SSE swell at about 3ft with an 11-second period, and a light NNW cross-offshore breeze that should have it looking glassy. The combined swell energy bumps to (233), which is a decent pulse. It’s not big, but it’ll be your best bet for a clean, uncrowded session on a longboard if you can get out there early. That’s your pick for the first week, without a doubt.

From there, things get rough. Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th see the wind turn onshore and the surf turning messy and choppy. By Saturday the 15th, we’re dealing with a fresh S wind at 30 km/h and lumpy, poor surf. Not worth the fight. The whole weekend and into the start of next week looks pretty bleak for paddling.

We’ll have a gap of about four days where I wouldn’t bother. The swell does build, but the wind and rain wreck it. By Monday the 17th we’ll see some size, up to 7ft, but it’s onshore, messy, and raining. With this beach break setup, that kind of wind and size is going to be a total mess. For a few days there, the setup honestly looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The next real glimmer is Thursday the 20th. There’s a proper push of groundswell on the way, with the combined energy jumping up to (1777) – that’s some serious power. The swell will be around 8ft, but the wind is still cross-onshore. It’s on the bigger side, so definitely too much for beginners, and with that wind, it’ll be shifty and raw. More of a spectator day.

The real standout, the one you’ve been holding out for, is Monday the 24th of August, first thing. We get a clean 5ft easterly swell with a 10-second period, and the wind swings to the north, giving us a light cross-offshore breeze. The combined swell energy sits at a healthy (413). The conditions look clean, and a beach break like Woopi with that wind and light swell will hold some nice, rippable lines. That’s the morning to clear your schedule. The afternoon gets a bit windier, but the early session should be a gem.

After that, it fades out again. The swell drops back under 4ft and the breezes pick up, but we’ll stay in that cross-offshore range. It won’t be firing, but there could be a few fun ones for the longboard between the showers. Don’t go booking time off for the second week, but that Monday the 24th morning is definitely the one to circle.

Signing off, Rusty.

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