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Surf Forecasts:

Headlands surfForecast / NSW – Illawarra / Australia

information circle12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 4 pm Friday 16 Jan 2026 AEDT
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Headlands surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Headlands sea temperature is
22.4° C
 (Which is normal for this time of year)

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Headlands this week:

The surf forecast for Headlands over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jan 21) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Headlands in the next 12 days are 5.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jan 18) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.1m 16s period and expected on Sunday (Jan 18) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 2AM (Wed 21st Jan)8ft (2.5m) 9s
Best Surf 5AM (Wed 21st Jan)8ft (2.5m) 9s
Most Powerful11AM (Sun 18th Jan)16ft (5.0m) 10s

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

Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent 
12 DaysHourly
Print Table

Short Range Forecast Heavy rain (total 72mm), heaviest during Sun morning. Warm (max 23°C on Fri afternoon, min 19°C on Fri night). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Heavy rain (total 23mm), heaviest during Tue morning. Warm (max 22°C on Mon afternoon, min 16°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Fri
16
Saturday
17
Sunday
18
Monday
19
Tuesday
20
Wednesday
21
Thursday
22
PMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAM
Rating
(10 max)
0
2
1
2
2
0
0
2
1
1
1
2
1
3
3
2
4
3
2
4
3
Swell
Height Map
See all maps
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
1.1
ENE
4
SE
4
SE
4
SE
5
SE
5
ESE
4
ESE
3.5
ESE
3.5
ESE
3
E
2.2
ENE
2
ENE
2.5
ESE
2.5
ESE
2.5
ESE
2.5
ESE
3
ESE
2.5
E
2.5
ESE
2.4
ESE
2.4
E
Period(s) (?)8101011101010999889910101211111112
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)1423131298038624998589134002180177814736624728929131375132223941921165513381557
Wind
(km/h)
30
S
30
SE
25
SSE
30
SSE
30
SE
30
SE
30
SE
20
SSE
20
ESE
20
SE
15
SE
15
SE
20
SE
10
S
15
S
20
SSE
10
WSW
10
ESE
15
SE
10
SSW
10
SSE
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
cross-
off		crosscrosscrosscrosscross-
on		cross-
on		crosscross-
on		cross-
on		cross-
on		crosscrosscross-
off		cross-
off		crossoffcross-
on		crosscross-
off		cross
High Tide
/ height (m)
8:10PM
0.96
8:07AM
1.51
8:50PM
1.00
8:46AM
1.56
9:28PM
1.03
9:23AM
1.60
10:05PM
1.07
9:59AM
1.60
10:42PM
1.11
10:35AM
1.58
11:21PM
1.15
11:13AM
1.53
12:02AM
1.20
11:53AM
1.45
Low Tide
/ height (m)
2:22PM
0.28
1:29AM
0.42
3:00PM
0.22
2:11AM
0.38
3:36PM
0.17
2:51AM
0.35
4:10PM
0.13
3:31AM
0.33
4:44PM
0.11
4:11AM
0.33
5:18PM
0.10
4:54AM
0.34
5:52PM
0.10
5:41AM
0.37
Fri
16
Saturday
17
Sunday
18
Monday
19
Tuesday
20
Wednesday
21
Thursday
22
Sunrise--6:00--6:01--6:01--6:03--6:03--6:05--6:05
Sunset8:09--8:09--8:09--8:08--8:08--8:07--8:07--
clear
rain showers
rain showers
thunderstorm
heavy rain
mod rain
thunderstorm
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
thunderstorm
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
Rain (mm)
-3781810911627662-------
Temp. °C232020201920202021222021212020211921212020
Feels °C (?)211717181517171719201921201818181721191920
  • 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

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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 Headlands 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.

View detailed surf forecast for Headlands at:
surf-forecast.com

Information about the Headlands Surf forecast

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

Headlands is 19 km (12 miles) from Wollongong. If you plan a holiday in Illawarra, look for hotels and other accommodation in Wollongong. Wollongong has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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