Crescent Head Surf Break

Lat Long: 31.19° S 152.98° E

Crescent Head Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 04 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Crescent Head sea temperature is
19.6° C
0.1° 

Crescent Head surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Crescent Head surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period, ENE swell with 393 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 5 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 10s period with E 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 Wednesday (Aug 05) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. 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 1.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 4AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Wed 5th Aug)1.5ft (0.4m) 10s
Best Surf 7AM (Mon 10th Aug)4.5ft (1.4m) 9s
Most Powerful 4PM (Sun 9th Aug)5ft (1.5m) 9s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Crescent Head over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. This is a tough one to swallow for the Crescent Head (New South Wales) region. We are looking at a long, lean stretch ahead. The first real glimmer of surfable waves doesn't pop up until the 10th of August, so you’re looking at a gap of nearly a week of pretty ordinary conditions.

The water temp is sitting at 67°F, which is perfectly normal for this time of year, so at least you won't be shocked by a strange chill.

Right now, through the 4th and 5th, we’ve got tiny little knee-high swells, around 2ft to 2ft from the SE and E. The mornings are glassy, which is a cruel tease, but the energy is weak (49 to 79) and the period is short, so it’s just not enough to get excited about. The combination of small swell and onshore wind in the afternoons is a total write-off.

The 6th through the 9th are a real slog. The swell bumps up a touch but the wind is a mess – cross-shore, cross-onshore, and even a strong NNE breeze on the 9th kicking up a choppy 5ft wave. That 5ft swell might sound okay, but it’s attached to a short period and bad wind, so it’s just a messy lump. The combined energy on the 9th afternoon hits 622, but it’s all wind-driven junk. For a point break like Crescent Head, that’s not going to be a pretty sight.

The Standout Window

The best bet of the whole outlook is Monday the 10th of August. We finally get a proper offshore wind from the West, blowing at 12 mph in the morning. This will groom the 4ft, 9-second ENE swell into something clean and rideable. The energy is a decent 276, and the wave comment says "expect good surf conditions". This is the only time the stars align for a decent session. It’s not a huge swell, but with those offshore winds, the point should offer some long, peeling lines. Crowds are possible here, so get there early.

The 11th of August morning is still clean with a light NNW wind, but the swell is back down to 3ft. Worth a look if you’re desperate, but it’s a step down.

After that, the 12th and 13th see a shift in swell direction to the SSW/S. The morning of the 13th has a clean 3ft S swell with light SSW winds, scoring a "good surf conditions" call. It’s a smaller window, but the conditions are tidy.

The 16th of August (Sunday) morning is another one to keep an eye on. A clean 3ft SSE swell with light SSW winds. The energy is 288, and it’s marked as "expect good surf conditions". It’s a long-range call, so keep your fingers crossed.

The Later Window

The 14th and 15th bring some bigger numbers, with a 5ft SSE swell on the 14th and a period stretching to 12 seconds on the afternoon, which is a nice groundswell. The energy hits 494 and 589, but the wind is cross-shore, and the reports are "marginal". That long period is great for a point break, but the cross wind will make it lumpy. For the 15th, the swell is tiny at 1ft with a weird 24-second period, which is a super long period ghost swell that won't have any power.

Overall, it’s a frustrating outlook. The best advice is to wait for Monday the 10th of August and hope the offshore winds deliver. The rest of the fortnight is a game of waiting for the cleanest window of the day.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue morning, min 11°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun morning, min 11°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
1
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
SE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.4
E
10
0.6
E
9
0.6
E
9
0.4
ESE
8
0.4
E
8
0.4
SE
10
0.5
S
8
0.5
SE
10
0.7
SSE
9
0.7
SSE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.4
S
8
0.8
E
8
1
E
9
1.5
ENE
9
1.4
ENE
10
1.3
ENE
9
1.1
ENE
9
0.9
ENE
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
32
18
33
64
55
23
21
28
35
45
88
84
25
24
80
153
393
327
274
188
138
Wind (km/h)
5
W
15
E
10
WSW
5
NW
15
E
10
W
5
S
15
ESE
5
WSW
0
WNW
10
E
10
SW
10
S
15
SSE
5
WNW
15
N
25
NNE
25
N
20
W
15
WSW
10
W
Wind State
glassy
on
cross-off
glassy
on
off
cross
on
off
glassy
on
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross
off
off
off
High Tide
11:33AM1.45m
00:03AM1.35m
12:32PM1.48m
00:50AM1.22m
1:40PM1.52m
1:49AM1.11m
2:56PM1.58m
3:01AM1.03m
4:12PM1.68m
4:18AM1.00m
5:22PM1.81m
5:25AM1.03m
6:22PM1.92m
Low Tide
5:53PM0.33m
6:07AM0.39m
6:56PM0.44m
6:55AM0.37m
8:15PM0.52m
7:52AM0.35m
9:44PM0.54m
8:59AM0.32m
11:07PM0.50m
10:09AM0.25m
00:15AM0.43m
11:15AM0.15m
1:09AM0.37m
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:33
6:33
6:31
6:31
6:30
6:28
6:28
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:14
5:15
5:15
5:15
5:16
5:16
5:17
 mm
1
Temp °C
18
18
17
16
16
14
15
15
13
16
16
14
16
16
13
18
18
17
20
20
14
Feels °C
16
15
17
13
13
12
12
12
11
14
14
12
13
13
11
14
14
13
14
15
10
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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