Frenchmans Reef surfForecast / NSW – Newcastle / Australia

information circle12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 4 am Thursday 20 Nov 2025 AEDT
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Frenchmans Reef surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Frenchmans Reef sea temperature is
21.6° C
(Which is 1.1°C warmer than normal for this time of year)


Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Frenchmans Reef this week:

The surf forecast for Frenchmans Reef over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Nov 23) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Frenchmans Reef in the next 12 days are 1.4m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Nov 27) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Nov 20) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11AM (Sun 23rd Nov)3ft (0.9m) 10s
Best Surf11AM (Sun 23rd Nov)3ft (0.9m) 10s
Most Powerful 2AM (Thu 27th Nov)4.5ft (1.4m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Frenchmans Reef over the next 12 days.

Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast Heavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 23°C on Thu morning, min 18°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the S on Thu night, light winds from the SE by Sat night).

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Moderate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Warm (max 26°C on Tue afternoon, min 19°C on Sun morning). Winds increasing (calm on Mon morning, fresh winds from the NNE by Tue night).

Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
AMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
0
0
1
0
2
1
0
2
1
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
1.1
ENE
1
ENE
1.5
S
1.6
SSE
1.8
SSE
1.6
SE
1
E
1
E
1.5
ESE
0.9
E
0.8
E
0.7
E
0.7
E
1.5
ENE
1.1
ENE
0.8
E
0.7
E
1.2
ENE
1.2
ENE
1.1
ENE
1.4
ENE
Period(s) (?)876777111171010101068101010101110
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)1381041602303072332372331981621259492144145125106274274320419
Wind
(km/h)
10
SSE
20
SE
30
S
20
SSE
25
SSE
15
SE
15
SE
15
ESE
10
ENE
5
WSW
15
E
5
N
10
ESE
30
ENE
5
N
10
E
30
ENE
5
NNW
15
NW
25
NW
10
SW
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
crosscross-
on
crosscross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
oncross-
off
oncrossoncross-
on
glassononcross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
High Tide
/ height (m)
9:00AM
1.48
9:26PM
1.04
9:34AM
1.49
10:06PM
1.01
10:08AM
1.49
10:47PM
0.99
10:44AM
1.47
11:30PM
0.97
11:21AM
1.44
12:16AM
0.95
12:02PM
1.41
1:06AM
0.96
12:48PM
1.38
1:59AM
0.99
Low Tide
/ height (m)
3:39PM
0.28
2:57AM
0.36
4:18PM
0.26
3:31AM
0.39
4:58PM
0.25
4:07AM
0.42
5:39PM
0.25
4:45AM
0.47
6:22PM
0.26
5:29AM
0.51
7:06PM
0.27
6:21AM
0.55
7:53PM
0.29
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Sunrise5:41--5:39--5:39--5:39--5:39--5:39--5:37--
Sunset-7:36--7:37--7:37--7:38--7:39--7:40--7:42-
part cloud
part cloud
heavy rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
cloud
light rain
light rain
mod rain
clear
rain showers
part cloud
clear
thunderstorm
clear
rain showers
part cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
Rain (mm)
--12222-159-1--2-1----
Temp. °C232220191919192020192120222423252623283326
Feels °C (?)232119171717171919212220232222272620263123
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder

Latest Updates

submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Frenchmans Reef:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Frenchmans Reef surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


Information about the Frenchmans Reef Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Frenchmans Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at Frenchmans Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Frenchmans Reef 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 (Frenchmans Reef) 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 Frenchmans Reef 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.

Frenchmans Reef is 8 km (5 miles) from the city of Catherine Hill Bay. If you plan a holiday in Newcastle, look for hotels and other accommodation in Catherine Hill Bay. Catherine Hill Bay has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest