Surf Forecasts:
Crescent Head surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 17 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 7s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period, ESE swell with 386 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 7s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Crescent Head this week:
The surf forecast for Crescent Head over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 17) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 0.9m and 7s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Crescent Head in the next 16 days are 1.4m 10s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Crescent Head over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, we’ve got a bit of a mixed bag coming our way over the next couple of weeks. The surf won’t be huge, but there are a few windows where it’ll clean up real nice. The main spot in the frame is Crescent Head, a classic point break that’s exposed to the swell and fairly consistent. The water temperature is sitting at 66°, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing out of the ordinary there.
The first real standout comes on Monday afternoon, the 17th of August. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the SE, with a period of 7 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate (405). The wind swings to a light offshore from the SW, making for clean conditions. The energy’s there, and the point will be working. It’s a good one for the beginner-friendly wave face, but keep an eye on the period – it’s short, so the waves will be a bit more frequent and a little less pushy.
The best of the whole run looks like Wednesday morning, the 19th of August. The swell is 5ft from the ESE, with a period stretching to 10 seconds, giving it a bit more shape and power. The combined energy is solid at 440 (moderate). The kicker is that glassy – absolutely no wind. For a point break like Crescent Head, that’s as good as it gets. The waves will be clean, lined up, and offering some nice rides. This is the one to circle.
After that, the surf drops off pretty hard. There’s a gap from Thursday, the 20th, through to Saturday, the 22nd, with mostly small, weak, or choppy conditions. Not much to write home about. Things start to pick up again on Sunday morning, the 23rd of August, with a 4ft SSE swell and a clean cross-off breeze from the SSW. The energy is moderate (292), and the waves will be okay, but not as good as the earlier standout.
There’s another potential highlight on Tuesday morning, the 25th of August. It’s a 5ft swell from the NNE, but with a short period of 6 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (249). The wind is completely glassy, so it’ll be another clean session. The shape might be a bit soft due to the short period, but on a point like Crescent Head, it’ll still be fun.
The last week of the window is a bit of a slog. Swell sizes drop off, winds get stronger, and there’s a lot of “poor” or “marginal” calls. The 28th of August has a 3ft SSE swell with an 11-second period (longer period, so better shape), but the wind is cross-shore and breezy, making it messy. The 29th of August has a 5ft NE swell, but onshore winds ruin it. Overall, the first half of the week is the real play.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 30mm), heaviest during Mon morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Fri morning, min 14°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 7 | SSE 7 | ESE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | S 5 | SSE 6 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 103 | 299 | 161 | 242 | 242 | 207 | 230 | 236 | 201 | 386 | 320 | 190 | 125 | 86 | 62 | 76 | 178 | 83 | 51 | 45 | 91 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:05AM1.47m | 10:55PM1.55m | 10:51AM1.49m | 11:31PM1.36m | 11:41AM1.49m | 00:06AM1.18m | 12:38PM1.47m | 00:43AM1.03m | 1:44PM1.45m | 1:30AM0.92m | 2:59PM1.46m | 2:37AM0.86m | 4:12PM1.50m | 3:54AM0.86m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:25PM0.07m | 4:54AM0.43m | 5:16PM0.23m | 5:25AM0.44m | 6:11PM0.40m | 5:57AM0.45m | 7:17PM0.56m | 6:35AM0.46m | 8:41PM0.66m | 7:25AM0.47m | 10:15PM0.69m | 8:30AM0.46m | 11:28PM0.66m | ||||||||
 | |  | | |  |  | | |  | |  | | |  |  | |  | | | | |
 | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — |
 | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — |
mm | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 22 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 7 | SSE 7 | ESE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SSE 5 |
| kJ | 103 | 143 | 161 | 242 | 242 | 207 | 230 | 236 | 201 | 386 | 320 | 190 | 125 | 86 | 62 | 76 | 82 | 83 | 51 | 36 | 48 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | S 7 | SSE 12 | S 10 | S 8 | S 8 | ESE 13 | ESE 11 | S 10 | NE 6 | E 12 | NE 9 | NE 9 | SE 7 | S 12 | SE 7 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | SE 9 | ENE 7 |
| kJ | 29 | 71 | 79 | 14 | 135 | 20 | 11 | 60 | 130 | 46 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 30 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 38 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 18 | SE 18 | SSE 12 | SSE 17 | ENE 9 | E 9 | S 12 | S 12 | SSE 11 | E 10 | S 8 | E 12 | — | E 10 | S 13 | — | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | — | — |
| kJ | 61 | 78 | 14 | 27 | 28 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 19 | 3 | — | 2 | 3 | — | 5 | 4 | 4 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 6 | — | NE 3 | NNE 4 | — | NE 7 | — | — | S 5 | SSE 6 |
| kJ | — | 299 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 27 | — | 3 | 16 | — | 178 | — | — | 45 | 91 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 14 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 146 | 0 | 15 | 290 | 0 | 15 | 155 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Port Macquarie | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Crescent Head Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Crescent Head provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Crescent Head can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Crescent Head 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 (Crescent Head) 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 Crescent Head 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 Port Macquarie? If you are looking for accommodation near Crescent Head, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Port Macquarie, consider staying in North Shore which is 25 km (16 miles) away. Other places in and around Port Macquarie where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Port Macquarie which is 28 km (17 miles) away, Taree and Coffs Harbour.
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