
Surf Forecasts:
Manly surf forecast from 15 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 11s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 16 Sep, 1PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, S swell with 2,948 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 17 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 11s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Manly this week:
The surf forecast for Manly over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 13s. Another secondary swell of 0.2m and 18s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Manly in the next 16 days are 4.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Wed 16th Sep) | 13ft (4.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Manly over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Righto, let’s get into it. The first real chance of a wave at Manly comes Wednesday morning, the 16th. Before that, Tuesday is a bit of a non-event – tiny, messy leftovers with a weak 2 to 3 foot of short-period slop. Not worth paddling out for.
Wednesday morning is where it kicks off. We’ve got a solid 11 foot of south swell rolling in, with a 10-second period. That’s a lot of water moving, and the combined energy is a hefty 2553, so there’s plenty of grunt behind it. The wind is offshore from the southwest, which is a huge bonus, keeping things clean. But to be honest, this one is pushing it. That size is borderline expert territory, and with it being a point break, it could be a handful. The afternoon holds the size but the wind swings more cross-off, which will still be okay, but the forecast is a bit marginal – tide could be a factor.
The standout of the whole run has to be Thursday morning, the 17th. The swell drops back to a much more manageable 8 foot, still from the south with that same 10-second period. The energy is still substantial at 1321. But the big difference is the wind: a gentle offshore from the southwest. That’s the recipe for clean, lined-up point surf. This is the pick of the first week, no question. If you can only get out once, make it Thursday morning.
After that, things fade and get messy. Friday is smaller and onshore, Saturday is tiny, and we’re in a bit of a flat spell through the middle of the period. There’s a lump of 5 foot that appears Monday afternoon, but the wind is average, and it’s not clean enough to get excited about.
We then see a push of new swell on Tuesday the 22nd, with 8 foot from the south in the morning. It’s clean with a cross-off breeze, and the energy is moderate at 944. That’s a decent session, but the period is only 9 seconds, so it might be a bit sectiony. The afternoon turns to chop, so stick to the morning.
From the 23rd through to the 26th, we’re in a poor stretch. The wind is mostly onshore and fresh, with a mix of weaker, short-period north-east swell. The mornings are blown out, there’s rain about, and the whole setup just looks ugly. Not one for the water.
There’s a final little pulse of 5 to 6 foot around the 26th and 27th, but it’s from the north-east with a short period of 7 to 8 seconds, and the wind is on it. It’s going to be messy and poor. The energy levels are low to moderate, in the 500-700 range, but it’s not going to offer any quality.
The tail end of the forecast, the 30th, sees a small 4 foot south-east swell with a clean offshore in the morning. It’s tiny, but it might be the only clean, surfable wave on offer in that last week, even if it’s pretty ordinary. Water temp is a normal 64° for this time of year, so no worries there.
Overall, don’t sleep on Thursday the 17th. That’s your wave. Tuesday the 22nd is a solid second, but Thursday is the one.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Tue afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Tue morning, min 10°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Tue afternoon, light winds from the NW by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sat morning, min 16°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | NE 7 | NE 7 | S 8 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
75 | 36 | 1298 | 2543 | 2541 | 2770 | 1290 | 690 | 452 | 388 | 260 | 173 | 158 | 113 | 87 | 60 | 41 | 18 | 29 | 431 | 408 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:36AM1.42m | 10:59PM1.09m | 11:16AM1.37m | 11:45PM0.98m | 12:02PM1.31m | 00:41AM0.90m | 12:58PM1.25m | 1:55AM0.85m | 2:06PM1.22m | 3:20AM0.85m | 3:17PM1.23m | 4:28AM0.90m | 4:18PM1.27m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:04PM0.29m | 4:46AM0.37m | 5:55PM0.37m | 5:22AM0.45m | 6:55PM0.43m | 6:06AM0.53m | 8:07PM0.47m | 7:07AM0.58m | 9:23PM0.47m | 8:26AM0.60m | 10:27PM0.43m | 9:42AM0.57m | 11:15PM0.36m | ||||||||
5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | |
— | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:49 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 21 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 17 | 16 | 16 |
Feels °C | 19 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 15 | 13 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 6 | NE 12 | ENE 12 | NE 13 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | NE 4 | S 10 | S 9 | E 11 |
75 | 36 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 7 | 1290 | 690 | 452 | 388 | 260 | 173 | 158 | 113 | 87 | 60 | 41 | 6 | 29 | 431 | 2 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 9 | ENE 13 | E 15 | — | — | S 19 | S 19 | NE 13 | S 18 | S 18 | NE 4 | S 15 | S 15 | S 17 | S 16 | S 18 | S 10 | NE 4 | NE 5 | NE 11 |
29 | 14 | 18 | 4 | — | — | 28 | 7 | 7 | 106 | 216 | 13 | 42 | 42 | 22 | 20 | 26 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 5 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 13 | ENE 13 | S 16 | — | — | — | E 13 | E 13 | S 19 | E 12 | E 12 | S 15 | S 18 | S 18 | E 12 | NE 11 | E 11 | S 7 | S 15 | E 10 | — |
6 | 17 | 5 | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 115 | 57 | 25 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 2 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 3 | SSE 4 | S 8 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | — | — | — | — | ESE 7 | — | WSW 4 | — | N 4 | — | ENE 3 | — | S 5 | — | S 7 |
1 | 18 | 1298 | 2543 | 2541 | 2770 | — | — | — | — | 35 | — | 5 | — | 2 | — | 4 | — | 39 | — | 408 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 1307 | 185 | 725 | 725 | 12 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 3 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 3 | 47 | 84 | 99 | 185 | 152 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Sydney North Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Manly Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Manly provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Manly can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Manly 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 (Manly) 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 Manly 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.
Manly is 6 km (4 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.









