
Surf Forecasts:
Long Reef surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 10 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 10s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, S swell with 2,920 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 9 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 9s period with SSE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Long Reef this week:
The surf forecast for Long Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 09) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Long Reef in the next 16 days are 4.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 2s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 09) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Wed 9th Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Thu 10th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Thu 10th Sep) | 13ft (4.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Long Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright crew, Rusty here. Let’s break down the goods for Long Reef. This spot is gonna see some ups and downs over the next couple weeks, but there are a few real gems hidden in there.
The main event, the one you want to circle on the calendar, is Saturday morning, September 12th at Long Reef. The swell is running a solid 4ft from the south, and the wind is going glassy – that’s the holy grail for a reef break. The wave energy is moderate at 460, so it’s got some push but won’t be a washing machine. For an advanced spot like this, a glassy morning with that size is a gift.
Tuesday afternoon, September 8th gets things going with a 7ft SSE swell. The wind is a light cross-on from the SE at 6 mph, which is okay, but the energy is moderate (544). The water temp is 64°, which is about average for this time of year. Not a standout, but ridable.
Wednesday, September 9th is a blowout. Strong southerly winds up to 25 mph and a 10ft cross-shore mess – that’s kite-surf territory, not paddle.
Thursday, September 10th has a bigger 8ft south swell, but the wind is cross or cross-off, and the conditions are marginal. The energy is strong (1634 ft-lbs Thursday afternoon), but it’s hard to call it clean.
Friday morning, September 11th is better: a 7ft south swell with a clean cross-off breeze from the SW at 9 mph, and energy at 777. A solid session, but not the best.
After the peak Saturday, the surf drops off a cliff. Sunday, September 13th through Monday, September 14th sees the swell fade to 3ft. The period is long (11-12 seconds), which is classic groundswell for the reef, but it’s just too small to get excited about.
Tuesday, September 15th brings a pulse back to 7ft, but the wind is cross and messy, leaving it marginal.
We get a run of cleaner conditions starting Wednesday morning, September 16th. The morning is glassy with a 3ft south swell, 11-second period, and clean conditions. Energy is 377. The afternoon turns onshore and poor. Friday, September 18th is a beauty: a 3ft south swell, clean with a light NW cross-off, and glassy in the afternoon. That’s a real nice, relaxed session.
Saturday, September 19th is tiny (2ft) but has a 17-second period and offshore wind in the morning. Fun for the loggers, but inconsistent.
Sunday, September 20th is another clean day: a 4ft south swell, gentle offshore winds, and moderate energy at 362.
Monday, September 21st is the late-period highlight. The morning session has a 5ft south swell, 9-second period, a light offshore from the WSW at 6 mph, and strong energy at 506. Expect very good, clean surf. The afternoon gets a gusty 19 mph SW wind, so get out early.
Then it’s all over. Tuesday, September 22nd drops to 1.0ft, and the rest of the window is flat or tiny with poor winds. The Wednesday, September 23rd has a 0.7ft, 18-second groundswell that’s not going to break for a paddle surfer.
Bottom line: Saturday morning, September 12th is your glassy, clean winner, and Monday morning, September 21st is your pick for a bit more size and power. Everything else is either a small clean window or blown out.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Wed night. Very mild (max 16°C on Wed morning, min 11°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Tue afternoon, strong winds from the S by Wed afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Mon morning, min 13°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 10 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 19 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
536 | 427 | 133 | 906 | 2920 | 1112 | 1387 | 1147 | 739 | 602 | 386 | 332 | 279 | 171 | 143 | 149 | 102 | 172 | 151 | 78 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 5:56PM1.61m | 6:45AM1.20m | 6:46PM1.64m | 7:28AM1.29m | 7:32PM1.63m | 8:07AM1.37m | 8:15PM1.57m | 8:45AM1.43m | 8:56PM1.48m | 9:22AM1.46m | 9:36PM1.36m | 9:58AM1.46m | 10:16PM1.23m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:41AM0.08m | 12:24PM0.28m | 1:23AM0.04m | 1:14PM0.21m | 2:01AM0.04m | 2:02PM0.18m | 2:36AM0.07m | 2:47PM0.17m | 3:09AM0.12m | 3:32PM0.19m | 3:41AM0.20m | 4:17PM0.24m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | |
5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 24 | 22 | 22 |
Feels °C | 12 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 21 | 18 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | S 8 | ESE 13 | ESE 11 | SE 10 | S 22 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | S 11 | S 11 | NE 6 | S 12 | S 11 | NE 6 |
536 | 427 | 133 | 17 | 47 | 25 | 235 | 1147 | 739 | 602 | 386 | 332 | 279 | 154 | 143 | 149 | 61 | 172 | 151 | 51 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | SE 7 | E 17 | S 26 | S 23 | ESE 9 | E 15 | E 15 | ENE 14 | ENE 13 | S 19 | S 20 | S 19 | NE 5 | ENE 13 | S 10 | NE 6 | ENE 13 | S 10 |
8 | 8 | 51 | 6 | 13 | 93 | 8 | 4 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 109 | 206 | 171 | 11 | 17 | 102 | 28 | 16 | 78 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 9 | NE 9 | E 9 | E 17 | NE 16 | E 9 | E 15 | E 10 | ENE 15 | E 10 | S 18 | ENE 14 | ENE 14 | ENE 13 | S 16 | ENE 13 | S 13 | ENE 13 | — | ENE 12 |
2 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 2 | 26 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 47 | 17 | 54 | 17 | — | 15 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | WSW 2 | S 8 | S 10 | S 9 | S 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 4 | NE 5 | — | NE 4 | — | WNW 2 | ENE 4 | — |
— | — | 1 | 906 | 2920 | 1112 | 1387 | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 31 | — | 26 | — | 1 | 28 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 6 | 0 | 6 | 767 | 78 | 1 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 111 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Sydney North Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Long Reef Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Long Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Long Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Long 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 (Long 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 Long 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.
Long Reef is 2 km (1 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.










