Woolgoolga Back Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Grab the board but don’t get too excited just yet. The next 16 days are a proper mixed bag. We’ve got a long flat spell to start, then a pulse of energy that’s more about size than quality, and a couple of windows where the stars might just align. Let’s break it down.

The first week is a write-off, plain and simple. From Thursday the 6th through to Wednesday the 12th, it’s all small, weak, and messy. The swell is hovering around 1ft to 2ft, mostly from the east with short, gutless 8-second periods. The energy readings are weak, in the 33 to 175 range, and the wind is all over the shop, mostly cross-onshore or cross-off. There’s a clean window on Friday the 7th with a glassy morning, but there’s nothing underneath it. It’s a total flat spell. You’d be better off checking the tide pools.

Then things start to stir on Sunday the 9th. The swell bumps up to 3ft from the east with a 9-second period, and the energy climbs to 175, which is still weak. The wind is cross-off and clean, but the waves are just too small and ordinary to bother with. Monday the 10th is a bit bigger at 4ft, but the energy is still below 300, and the conditions are marginal. Tuesday the 11th morning is the first real tease. The swell is 3ft from the SSE with an 11-second period, and the energy jumps to 320. The wind is light cross-off, so it’s clean, but it’s still only a 2/5 call. The afternoon gets blown out by a 25 km/h cross-shore.

The real change comes on Thursday the 14th. Overnight, the swell jumps to 6ft from the SSE with a 13-second period, and the energy absolutely explodes to 1140. That’s strong to very strong wave energy. The problem is the wind. It’s a light cross-onshore in the morning, which is not ideal but not terrible. The size is there, but it’s a big step up from the flatness we’ve had. At 6ft, it’s getting too big for the beginners, but it’s a proper push for the rest of us. This is the standout of the window, but it’s not a slam dunk. The afternoon sees the swell drop to 5ft and the wind goes onshore, so the morning is your window. The period is 13 seconds, which is a nice groundswell, and it’ll have some punch. It’s a point break setup at Woolgoolga Back Beach, so that long period should wrap in nicely, but the cross-onshore might make it a bit lumpy.

The next day, Friday the 15th, is still have some size, 4ft to 4ft from the SSE, but the energy drops back to the 270-290 range, and the wind is onshore or cross-onshore. It’s a step down in quality. The weekend after that, the 16th and 17th, gets messy. The swell drops to under 3ft, but the wind swings to a fresh to strong SSW and SSE, 30 to 35 km/h, and it’s lumpy cross-onshore. That’s not surfable, that’s just chop. The energy is still moderate, but it’s all wind and no wave.

The final week, from the 18th to the 21st, is pretty dirge. The swell stays small, around 2ft to 3ft, with periods that are all over the place, from 6 seconds to 12 seconds. The energy is mostly weak to moderate, never getting above 287. The wind is consistently cross-onshore or onshore, and it’s choppy. There’s a brief window on Friday the 21st with a 12-second period SSE swell, but the cross-onshore wind ruins it. It’s a classic blank run for the area, and it’s all about waiting for the next proper front.

So, what’s the call? The only real standout is the morning of Thursday the 14th. That’s your best bet. 6ft of SSE groundswell at 13 seconds, with strong energy. It’s not perfect, but it’s the only day with real size and a chance of a clean wave. The water temp is 68°F, which is about average for this time of year, so a good wetsuit is still needed. Everything else is either too small, too windy, or both. Keep your eye on that Thursday, and don’t bother with the rest.

Rusty

Read more