Woolgoolga Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, listen up, it’s Rusty. We’ve got one spot on the radar for this outlook: Woolgoolga. Now, let’s have a look and see what’s cookin’.

The week kicks off on Tuesday the 7th of July with a big, raw southerly swell. We’re talking 12 ft of SE swell with a period of 11 seconds. That’s a lot of water moving, with the combined energy hitting 2679. But here’s the thing – this is an advanced break for a reason. That size makes it a paddler’s game, strictly for the experienced. It’s also blowing 22 mph from the south, which puts us in cross-off territory. So the surf will be big and clean, but if you don’t have the skills, stay on the sand. The water temp is sitting at 68°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Into Wednesday the 8th, the swell eases back to 10 ft, still a solid SE swell. The wind eases up to 15 mph from the south in the morning, then drops further to 12 mph in the afternoon. The wave energy is actually pumping harder on Wednesday afternoon, with a reading of 3895. This is still only for the hardcore crew; anyone else is just looking at a washing machine.

Things start to settle down by Thursday the 9th. The swell drops below that 8 ft mark, sitting at 6 ft in the morning and 7 ft in the afternoon. The wind is still cross-off from the SSW and S, so it’ll be clean, but the energy drops back to 1004 and then 891. The forecasts are calling it marginal, so it’s a bit of a gamble. The real drop-off hits Friday the 10th. The swell is down to 6 ft with a 9 mph SSW breeze. The energy is weak at 567. It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about.

Saturday the 11th starts with a bit of hope. A 4 ft SE swell and a light offshore from the northwest. The wind is almost glassy, just a slight air at 3 mph. That’s clean, but the energy is only 471 and the period is a short 9 seconds. By Saturday afternoon, the wind swings onshore from the NNE, making a mess of the small 3 ft swell. We’re looking at poor conditions. Sunday the 12th has a short window of glory – a clean 3 ft swell with a light offshore from the WSW. But it’s fleeting, as the afternoon turns onshore and the swell drops again.

We hit a real lull from Sunday afternoon all the way through to Tuesday the 14th. The swell gets tiny, down to 1.0 ft. It’s glassy, but there’s nothing to ride. That’s a solid two and a half days of flatness.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. The best of the whole outlook comes on Wednesday the 15th of July. We get a glassy start, with a 3 ft swell, but look at the period – 16 seconds! That’s proper groundswell energy. The wind is a light SSW at 6 mph, making it cross-off and clean. The energy reads 367. It’s small but it’s gonna be beautifully shaped and have that long-period grunt. With a 16-second period, this will be peeling perfectly down the reef at Woolgoolga. The big caveat is the size; it’s pretty small, so it won’t be a big day, but for quality, this is the standout.

Thursday the 16th starts building again. The morning is a clean 4 ft, but the afternoon gets wild. 8 ft of S swell with a 16-second period. The combined energy jumps to 5486. That’s a heavy, powerful swell, and it’s cross-off. This is another day strictly for experts, and even then, that super long period can make beach breaks close out, but at Woolgoolga’s reef setup, it should hold some good lines. That carries into Friday the 17th, with a 8 ft S swell and a 9 mph SSW breeze, still clean and powerful.

The weekend of the 18th and 19th brings the size back to a more manageable 4 ft to 5 ft, with glassy conditions and light offshores. These are the days for the everyday surfer to have a crack, with clean, rideable waves. The energy is moderate, and the crowds are listed as “sometimes,” so you might have it to yourself.

Overall, if you’re an expert, that 12 ft surf on Tuesday the 7th is a goer. For the rest of us? Mark your calendar for Wednesday the 15th of July. That small, glassy, long-period groundswell is the real gem of the outlook. After that, the 18th and 19th look fun for a paddle.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty.

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