Freshwater and Harbord Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.78° S 151.30° E

Freshwater and Harbord Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 pm 08 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Freshwater and Harbord sea temperature is
16.8° C
1.2° 

Freshwater and Harbord surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Freshwater and Harbord surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 9 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 8s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, NE swell with 1,682 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 9 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 8s period with ENE swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Freshwater and Harbord this week:

The surf forecast for Freshwater and Harbord over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Freshwater and Harbord in the next 16 days are 3.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 10s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 13) at 4PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7AM (Sun 9th Aug)2.5ft (0.7m) 8s
Best Surf 7AM (Sun 9th Aug)2.5ft (0.7m) 8s
Most Powerful 7AM (Mon 10th Aug)11ft (3.5m) 9s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Freshwater and Harbord over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

G’day, it’s Rusty.

Alright, let’s be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are a mixed bag. We’ve got some proper swell windows, but there’s also a lot of junk to wade through. The early part of the period is pretty average, so if you’re keen for a paddle, you’ll want to keep an eye on the back half of the forecast. The first real standout is a ways off, so don’t get too excited about the start of the week.

Looking at Sunday the 9th, we’ve got some surfable but very ordinary waves at Freshwater. We’re looking at a 3ft ENE swell with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is a weak 163. The morning has a gentle cross-offshore breeze which will keep it clean, but it’s not going to set the world on fire. The afternoon, the scores drop off, so if you’re out there, make it a morning session.

Monday the 10th sees a big jump in size, but the quality isn’t there. The morning brings a 8ft ENE swell with a 9-second period, and the energy is moderate at 950. There’s a fresh offshore wind, which sounds good, but the forecast flags it as marginal. It’s a lot of water moving around, and it might be a bit of a handful for the average punter. The afternoon gets stronger winds, hitting 45 km/h from the NW, making it hard to paddle into and hard to surf.

From Tuesday the 11th through to Friday the 14th, we’re in a real lull. Swell heights drop to under 3ft, and the energy readings are pathetic—anywhere from 17 to 106. There are a few clean windows in there, like Tuesday morning and Thursday morning, but with waves that small, you’re really just bobbing around. This is a stretch where the board stays in the car.

Saturday the 15th is a write-off with onshore winds and tiny, weak surf. Then Sunday the 16th brings a short-period 4ft E swell, with the energy at 124, but the wind is onshore and it’s messy. The pattern of poor quality continues into the next week. From Monday the 17th through Wednesday the 19th, we see a pulse of 5ft to 5ft ESE swells with short periods of 7-8 seconds. The energy gets up to 463 at times, but the wind is cross-onshore and it’s all choppy and messy. There’s a lot of water moving but it’s not lined up. On Tuesday the 18th it’s onshore, and the waves are lumpy and hard to read. This stretch is more interesting for the kite crew than us paddle surfers.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Thursday the 20th is our first real standout of the period. The morning is looking clean. We’ve got a 6ft E swell with an 8-second period, and the energy is moderate at 426. The wind is a light offshore from the WNW, which means clean, lined-up faces. It’s not huge, but it’s solid and shapely. This is the one to make a plan for. The afternoon, the wind swings around to the NE, making it cross-shore, so the morning session is the go.

Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd are back to poor conditions with onshore winds and choppy surf, so that window closes quickly.

Then we get to the real prize. Sunday the 23rd. The morning is glassy, with a 6ft E swell and a 12-second period. The energy is a strong 1062, and it’s going to be very good surf. This is a proper groundswell, and it’s going to have some punch. The long period means the sets will be well-spaced, and it’s going to peel better than the short-period junk we had earlier. This is the standout of the entire run—a good size, glassy conditions, and real power. The afternoon, the wind gets a bit cross-onshore and it chops up, so get out early.

Monday the 24th, the last day in the window, looks like another cracker. The morning is glassy again, with a 5ft E swell, a very long 12-second period, and a strong 1244 energy. It’s going to be clean and pushing. This is another morning session for sure.

So, to sum it up: there’s a lot of average stuff to start, but the 20th is a good, clean surf, and the 23rd and 24th are the standouts. Get your schedule sorted for those mornings, because that’s the best we’re going to get.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun afternoon, min 10°C on Mon morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNW on Sat night, strong winds from the NW by Mon afternoon).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed morning, min 9°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Wed afternoon, light winds from the SE by Fri morning).

Sunday
9
Monday
10
Tuesday
11
Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
Friday
14
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.7
ENE
8
0.9
ENE
9
0.9
ENE
9
2.5
NE
6
2.4
ENE
9
1.9
NE
10
1
NE
9
0.8
ENE
9
0.8
ENE
9
0.7
ENE
9
0.7
ENE
9
0.7
ENE
9
1.3
SW
5
0.4
ENE
9
0.3
ENE
9
0.3
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
67
156
146
486
950
653
166
106
94
68
67
75
92
35
17
19
19
19
19
Wind (km/h)
10
NW
15
N
15
N
40
NNE
35
NNW
40
NW
30
WNW
15
W
15
WNW
15
NW
20
NW
30
W
30
WSW
20
SW
15
SSE
15
W
10
WSW
10
ESE
15
S
Wind State
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
cross-off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
on
cross-off
cross-off
on
cross-on
High Tide
4:58AM0.98m
5:10PM1.58m
6:05AM1.04m
6:08PM1.67m
7:01AM1.10m
7:01PM1.74m
7:50AM1.17m
7:51PM1.76m
8:35AM1.24m
8:37PM1.72m
9:18AM1.29m
9:21PM1.64m
Low Tide
11:05PM0.25m
10:26AM0.37m
00:08AM0.14m
11:31AM0.33m
1:02AM0.05m
12:29PM0.27m
1:50AM-0.01m
1:23PM0.22m
2:34AM-0.04m
2:14PM0.19m
3:14AM-0.02m
3:03PM0.19m
3:52AM0.02m
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:39
6:39
6:37
6:37
6:35
6:35
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:20
5:21
5:21
5:22
5:22
5:22
 mm
2
2
2
1
Temp °C
15
17
19
16
16
15
16
18
19
13
19
16
12
14
15
13
15
15
15
Feels °C
12
13
15
9
7
5
10
14
14
9
12
8
5
8
11
9
12
12
12
  • 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 Freshwater and Harbord Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Freshwater and Harbord provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Freshwater and Harbord can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Freshwater and Harbord 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 (Freshwater and Harbord) 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 Freshwater and Harbord 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.

Freshwater and Harbord is 4 km (2 miles) from Dee Why. If you plan a holiday in Sydney North Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in Dee Why. Dee Why has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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