Forster
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Hourly Forecast
Timezone: Australia/Sydney
⏱️s.
⚡️kJ
Thursday 18
Friday 19
Saturday 20
Sunday 21
Monday 22
Tuesday 23
Tap a forecast cell to explore conditions on the map.
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Forster surf guide

Forster is a well-known surf spot located on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It offers a variety of waves and can cater to different surfing styles, though it tends to be a bit inconsistent. The area is popular among local surfers and, at times, can get crowded, especially on good days. The surroundings are quite pleasant, making it a nice place to hang out even if the surf isn't firing.

The main surf options at Forster are two right-handers: Hayden Reef and Pebbly Beach. Hayden Reef needs solid Northeast swell to get going, and when it does, it breaks over an uneven reef. It’s best suited for expert surfers due to the heavy suck-out at the take-off. The waves here are decent when conditions align, but the spot can get a bit crowded with surfers looking to catch those rare good days. Pebbly Beach, which is just around the corner, also works well with a similar swell direction and provides another right that runs along the rocks. Both spots can handle swell sizes starting from around 1 ft (0.3 m) and are best enjoyed with winds coming from the south. The waves can be fun at low, mid, and high tide, but you might need to time your sessions right to maximize your chances.

While Hayden Reef is known for its more challenging conditions, both spots can offer a good surf experience if you know when to go. Keep in mind that the swell direction should ideally be from the Northeast for the best results, with the occasional sessions also working when the swell comes from the south. Make sure you’re comfortable with expert-level surfing, as these breaks require solid skills to handle the heavier conditions. Overall, Forster provides a good range of surfing options for those who are up for the challenge.

Surf reports and surf forecasts nearby Forster

Old Bar
New South Wales, Australia
Beach break
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26
Sat 27
Sun 28
Mon 29
Saltwater Point
New South Wales, Australia
Point break
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26
Sat 27
Sun 28
Mon 29
One Mile Beach
New South Wales, Australia
Beach break
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26
Sat 27
Sun 28
Mon 29
Forster
New South Wales, Australia
Reef break
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26
Sat 27
Sun 28
Mon 29
Tuncurry
New South Wales, Australia
Unknown break
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26
Sat 27
Sun 28
Mon 29
Boomerang Beach
New South Wales, Australia
Beach break
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26
Sat 27
Sun 28
Mon 29
Booti Booti
New South Wales, Australia
Beach break
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26
Sat 27
Sun 28
Mon 29
Blueys Beach
New South Wales, Australia
Beach break
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26
Sat 27
Sun 28
Mon 29
Sandbar NSW
New South Wales, Australia
Beach break
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26
Sat 27
Sun 28
Mon 29
Seal Rocks
New South Wales, Australia
Point break
Thu 18
Fri 19
Sat 20
Sun 21
Mon 22
Tue 23
Wed 24
Thu 25
Fri 26
Sat 27
Sun 28
Mon 29

Readme

Welcome! If you’re new to surf forecasting, check out this quick guide.

Forecast Table

The forecast table (the section on the page with all the numbers) is designed to pack as much information in the screen as possible. Although intimidating at first, it will help you make informed decisions about the waves faster, trust me :D. The table consists of roughly four sections, time and predictions, wind, waves, and tides:

🔮 Time and predictions section

Here we show the forecast thour and the overall surf quality prediction. This is determined based on the wave, wind and tide quality prediction. These individual predictions can be found on the forecast map.

💨 Wind section

The first row on the table (with the 💨 icon) shows wind speed, direction and gust. The more the wind speed the more aggressive the color (from blue, green, orange to red).

🌊 Wave section

The waves section consists of three rows, one for wave height and direction, one for period and one for wave energy. Our algorithm choices the "dominant wave". This is normally the first swell partition, but with heavy local storms it displays the wind waves. If that's the case, we display the numbers in italic and in gray.

🌒 Tide section

The tide section consists of a row with the actual heights per hour (measured at the half hour) and a table that displays the flow of the tide and the extremes (lows and highs).

Forecast map

The forecast map consists of arrows. These arrows represent all wave partitions (swell partitions and wind wave partition) and the wind. This allows you to see things like: a secondary swell or wind waves messes up the surf, or the wind is just a tick offshore so very surfable. Click a metric label in the bottom left to bring that arrow to the front — handy when arrows overlap.

Forecast Cheat Sheet

Short on time? Focus on wave energy. It’s the best single metric to gauge how big and powerful the waves will be.

Click any table cell to jump to that forecast hour. The map will update with forecast arrows, so you can see if wind and swell direction are lining up.

Use the table sidebar to switch units for height and speed.

Log your surf sessions to compare forecasts with real sessions and sharpen future predictions.

Models and Updates

Surfnerd blends multiple global and local wind and swell models using advanced interpolation and spatial techniques to create an "ensemble" forecast. Forecasts are refreshed hourly.

Surf Predictions

Our AI-driven algorithm scores surf quality, shown by green, orange, and gray dots. Each forecast hour is rated for wind, swell, and tide quality, then combined into an overall score. Here’s the scale:

Perfect
Good
Average
Bad or No Data

Session logs also feed the algorithm — the more you log, the smarter your forecasts get.

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Wind certainty

Wind certainty tells you how much the weather models agree on the forecast.

  • High certainty: Models agree closely; forecast is reliable.
  • Medium certainty: Some disagreement; conditions may shift slightly.
  • Low certainty: Models diverge; treat forecast with caution.

We calculate this by comparing wind speed, gust and direction from multiple models (like GFS, ECMWF, Arome, and Harmonie) and seeing how closely they match. They are weighted, meaning that some models count more than others, depending on how good they are for a certain spot.

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