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Frenchmans Reef Surf Forecast
/ NSW – Newcastle (55 breaks) / New South Wales (297 breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Frenchmans Reef surfForecast / NSW – Newcastle / Australia
16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 9 pm Wednesday 29 Apr 2026 AESTForecast 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
22.9° C
(Which is 1.0°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 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (May 01) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 9s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Frenchmans Reef in the next 16 days are 2.4m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (May 04) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (May 05) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Fri 1st May) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Mon 4th May) | 8ft (2.4m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Mon 4th May) | 8ft (2.4m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Frenchmans Reef over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 21°C on Wed night, min 17°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Tue afternoon. Warm (max 23°C on Sun morning, min 17°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ENE on Sun afternoon, light winds from the WNW by Mon night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 30 | Friday 1 | Saturday 2 | Sunday 3 | Monday 4 | Tuesday 5 | Wed 6 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
ENE 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 8 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 10 | |
79 | 134 | 163 | 133 | 169 | 183 | 192 | 207 | 579 | 770 | 838 | 913 | 866 | 710 | 640 | 680 | 706 | 762 | 694 | 505 | 476 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
cross-on | cross-on | on | cross | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross | |
High Tide | 7:18AM1.24m | 7:38PM1.48m | 7:59AM1.20m | 8:14PM1.51m | 8:38AM1.14m | 8:49PM1.50m | 9:16AM1.08m | 9:24PM1.48m | 9:55AM1.02m | 9:59PM1.43m | 10:37AM0.96m | 10:35PM1.38m | 11:21AM0.92m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:18AM0.27m | 1:13PM0.26m | 2:02AM0.24m | 1:47PM0.27m | 2:45AM0.23m | 2:21PM0.30m | 3:26AM0.24m | 2:53PM0.34m | 4:07AM0.26m | 3:26PM0.39m | 4:49AM0.28m | 4:00PM0.45m | 5:32AM0.31m | 4:37PM0.51m | |||||||
 |  | |  |  | | | | |  |  | | | | | |  |  | |  | | |
 | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — |
 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:08 |
1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
Temp °C | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 18 | 18 |
20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 18 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | S 15 | S 13 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 8 | ENE 8 | S 8 | S 15 | S 14 | S 13 | ENE 8 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 10 |
 kJ | 79 | 39 | 31 | 133 | 169 | 183 | 10 | 207 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 678 | 710 | 640 | 680 | 706 | 762 | 694 | 505 | 476 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | S 10 | S 8 | S 8 | S 19 | S 7 | S 15 | — | — | — | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 17 | S 17 | S 16 | S 15 | S 13 | S 17 |
| kJ | 5 | 5 | 4 | 17 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 20 | 17 | 3 | 23 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 19 | — | S 7 | S 6 | S 15 | S 16 | — | S 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 10 | — | S 16 | — | S 19 | S 12 |
| kJ | 7 | — | 4 | 1 | 5 | 5 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 20 | — | 7 | 3 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 4 | E 8 | ENE 8 | — | — | — | ENE 8 | — | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 8 | — | NW 2 | — | S 3 | — | — | SSW 3 | SSW 4 |
| kJ | 19 | 134 | 163 | — | — | — | 192 | — | 579 | 770 | 838 | 913 | 866 | — | 2 | — | 6 | — | — | 5 | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 11 | 131 | 97 | 2 | 0 | 68 | 9 | 9 | 316 | 52 | 52 | 316 | 58 | 11 | 157 | 24 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Newcastle | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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 16 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.
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