Surf Forecasts:
Bar Beach surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 12s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 9s period, SSE swell with 826 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 25 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 6s period with NE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Bar Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Bar Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 10s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Bar Beach in the next 16 days are 2.2m 9s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bar Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Alright, let’s get into it in feet and all that. The forecast starts slow, but there’s some real gems hiding further out.
Tuesday the 25th of August, Bar Beach has small 0.7m to 0.8m ENE swell (that’s about 2ft to 3ft), period 7-8 seconds. Clean with light offshore wind, but weak energy (97 to 113). Water temp is 18°, about 0.7° cooler than usual—nothing crazy. Surfable but very ordinary. Wednesday morning stays small and clean, but by afternoon a 30 km/h southerly wind messes it up. Thursday the 27th sees 1.6m (5ft) south swell, but cross-onshore winds make it a no-go.
Friday the 28th of August is your first standout. Early morning, Bar Beach gets 1.3m (4ft) SSE groundswell with a 12-second period, light offshore breeze. Combined energy 556—moderate. Clean, fun. The water’s still a touch cool, but the wind is perfect. Get out early; the afternoon gets choppy.
The weekend is a bust. Saturday the 29th hits 2.2m (7ft) SSE, but 25 km/h cross-onshore winds ruin it. Sunday is smaller but still junk.
Monday the 31st of August delivers again. Morning glass-off conditions with a NNE breeze, 0.9m (3ft) SSE swell—but the period is 18 seconds. That’s very long period groundswell. Combined energy 576. For a beach break, that long period can make waves a bit straight, but with glassy wind, it’ll still be fun. Another standout.
Tuesday the 1st and Wednesday the 2nd of September offer 0.8m to 1.1m (3ft to 4ft) south swells with offshore winds—clean, but not big.
Now, Thursday the 3rd of September is the big one. Bar Beach gets 1.1m to 1.6m (4ft to 5ft) SSE groundswell with a period of 20-21 seconds. Combined energy 1257 to 2296—strong stuff. Offshore wind, gentle breeze, clean. This is for experienced surfers only—over 1.5m (5ft) and that power is no joke. Could be the session of the month. Friday the 4th is still solid with 1.5m to 1.6m (5ft to 5ft) SSE swell, period 15-16 seconds, but a cross-onshore wind brings some chop.
Saturday the 5th of September morning gives you 2.0m (7ft) S swell, 12-second period, light offshore breeze. Energy 1144. Strong and clean—expert territory again.
After that, the second week fades. Monday the 7th has glassy 0.9m (3ft) SSE swell—small, ordinary. Tuesday the 8th is tiny at 0.4m (1ft). Wednesday the 9th brings 1.0m (3ft) S swell but onshore wind, lumpy.
Standout windows: Friday the 28th of August morning, Monday the 31st of August morning, and the big run from Thursday the 3rd to Saturday the 5th of September. Crowds can show up at Bar Beach sometimes, so expect company on the good days.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Tue morning, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 5 | S 7 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 9 | SSE 18 | SSE 18 | SSE 17 | S 15 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 49 | 66 | 67 | 49 | 57 | 231 | 384 | 356 | 220 | 470 | 467 | 462 | 826 | 592 | 512 | 151 | 162 | 193 | 464 | 293 | 279 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off |
High Tide | 6:23PM1.57m | 7:12AM1.20m | 7:02PM1.62m | 7:46AM1.28m | 7:40PM1.65m | 8:19AM1.35m | 8:17PM1.66m | 8:52AM1.41m | 8:54PM1.63m | 9:27AM1.45m | 9:33PM1.57m | 10:03AM1.49m | 10:13PM1.48m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:53AM0.55m | 1:10AM0.29m | 12:39PM0.48m | 1:42AM0.22m | 1:22PM0.41m | 2:14AM0.17m | 2:02PM0.35m | 2:46AM0.15m | 2:42PM0.30m | 3:18AM0.15m | 3:23PM0.28m | 3:50AM0.18m | 4:07PM0.29m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — |
 | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — |
mm | — | 7 | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 19 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 7 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 12 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | S 8 | S 9 | SE 8 | SSE 18 | SSE 17 | S 15 |
| kJ | 49 | 66 | 67 | 49 | 35 | 231 | 384 | 356 | 220 | 470 | 12 | 13 | 826 | 592 | 512 | 142 | 145 | 135 | 464 | 293 | 279 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 16 | S 15 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 14 | S 11 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | SE 6 |
| kJ | 28 | 27 | 15 | 19 | 5 | 35 | 24 | 20 | 24 | 22 | 34 | 39 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 151 | 162 | 84 | 57 | 42 | 14 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | S 16 | S 16 | S 9 | — | S 16 | S 15 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | S 14 | S 14 | — | — | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | SSE 18 | SE 8 | ENE 9 | E 9 |
| kJ | 20 | 20 | 21 | 6 | — | 5 | 17 | 42 | 37 | 64 | 33 | — | — | 30 | 26 | 16 | 18 | 193 | 55 | 8 | 6 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | S 5 | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 7 | ENE 4 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | 467 | 462 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 37 | 5 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 219 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 258 | 42 | 7 | 43 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Newcastle | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Bar Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Bar Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Bar Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Bar Beach surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Bar Beach) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Bar Beach may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a holiday in Newcastle? If you are looking for accommodation near Bar Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Newcastle, consider staying in Newcastle which is 2 km (1 miles) away. Other places in and around Newcastle where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Catherine Hill Bay which is 29 km (18 miles) away, Port Stephens, Cessnock and Central Coast.
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