Surf Forecasts:
Manly surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 6s period, NE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 26 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 7s period, S swell with 242 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 6s period with NE 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 (Aug 20) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 13s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Manly in the next 16 days are 1.5m 7s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Wed 26th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Manly over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the outlook for Manly. We’ve got a bit of a slow start, with the first real chance to get wet not coming until Wednesday morning the 19th of August, and even then it’s a pretty ordinary affair.
The early period is a real struggle. Wednesday morning the 19th has a tiny 2-foot ESE swell with a period of 10 seconds. The combined energy is weak at 224. The water temp is sitting at 63°, which is a touch below average for this time of year, nothing to get worked up about. The wind is glassy from the north, which is a major positive, but the swell is just too small to get excited about. After that, the wind swings onshore and the swell gets messy, so we’re looking at a few days of poor conditions.
Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st are both write-offs. The swell is small, the period is short, and the wind is all over the place. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd are flat and poor. We’re looking at a real dry spell here for about 5 days with no real recommendations.
The first standout that catches my eye doesn’t come until Thursday the 27th of August. Thursday morning looks promising. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the west at 6 mph, which will keep the waves clean. The swell is a solid 6 feet from the south, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is moderate at 426. This is a nice, solid, surfable wave for Manly, and with the light wind, it’s going to be a good session. The morning is the pick here, as the afternoon wind swings onshore and kills it.
Now, looking further ahead, the end of the month and the start of September gets really interesting, but it’s for experts only. From Saturday the 29th of August right through to Monday the 31st of August, we’ve got a big, powerful south swell. On Saturday the 29th, the swell is 8 feet building to 12 feet in the afternoon, with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy is very strong, hitting 1163 and then 1892. The wind is cross-offshore, so the waves will be clean, but this is big, powerful stuff. By Sunday the 30th, the swell is 10 feet from the south with a period of 10 to 11 seconds and the energy is massive at 3147. This is not for the faint of heart. The best bet for stronger surfers is Monday the 31st of August. The morning still has a big 10-foot south swell, but by the afternoon it drops to 8 feet, with a very long period of 11 seconds and a light cross-offshore breeze. The combined energy is still very strong at 1395. This is a proper groundswell with a long period, which means it will be better shaped and more powerful, but it will break straight at the beach, so it’s not ideal for beginners. For the experienced crew, this is the true standout of the whole outlook.
After that, the swell eases back down through the first few days of September, with smaller, more ordinary conditions returning.
Remember, there’s a big gap in quality surf for about 5 days right at the start. The big south swell at the end of the month is the real story, and it’s one for the experts only.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 21°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 21°C on Mon morning, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 6 | E 10 | NE 6 | ESE 8 | NE 5 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | SE 5 | S 8 | S 8 | ENE 5 | S 10 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | NE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
80 | 305 | 89 | 56 | 57 | 125 | 52 | 26 | 18 | 9 | 13 | 31 | 34 | 46 | 48 | 31 | 58 | 92 | 127 | 151 | 82 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 12:55PM1.29m | 1:12AM0.93m | 1:51PM1.26m | 2:24AM0.86m | 2:55PM1.25m | 3:46AM0.84m | 4:00PM1.27m | 4:56AM0.87m | 4:57PM1.32m | 5:49AM0.92m | 5:45PM1.39m | 6:30AM0.99m | 6:27PM1.45m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:34PM0.47m | 6:57AM0.47m | 8:49PM0.50m | 7:52AM0.53m | 10:06PM0.48m | 9:01AM0.55m | 11:10PM0.43m | 10:09AM0.53m | 11:58PM0.37m | 11:07AM0.49m | 00:38AM0.30m | 11:56AM0.43m | 1:12AM0.23m | ||||||||
6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | |
— | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 16 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 15 |
Feels °C | 14 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | S 8 | ESE 9 | ENE 6 | SE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | SE 5 | S 8 | S 8 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | S 9 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | NE 8 |
73 | 10 | 70 | 40 | 25 | 125 | 52 | 26 | 18 | 9 | 9 | 26 | 34 | 46 | 48 | 30 | 28 | 57 | 127 | 151 | 82 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | E 9 | S 8 | ESE 8 | E 10 | S 12 | S 11 | SE 7 | S 10 | S 9 | S 8 | NE 6 | NE 6 | S 16 | S 8 | S 10 | S 16 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 |
80 | 6 | 5 | 56 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 5 | 9 | 21 | 29 | 31 | 5 | 27 | 24 | 8 | 17 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | — | E 12 | E 11 | S 13 | — | S 11 | S 11 | SE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | S 9 | ENE 9 | E 14 | NE 9 | NE 8 | E 13 | NE 9 | S 14 | S 8 | S 14 |
23 | — | 3 | 2 | 4 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 3 | 19 | 16 | 5 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 5 | E 10 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 5 | — | NW 2 | NW 3 | NW 3 | SW 5 | S 5 | SE 5 | ESE 4 | ENE 4 | NNW 3 | — | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NNW 4 | NW 4 | SW 4 |
48 | 305 | 89 | 50 | 57 | — | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 24 | 31 | 11 | 20 | 2 | — | 58 | 92 | 24 | 3 | 28 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 401 | 2 | 2 | 78 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 272 | 104 | 393 | 0 | 4 | 178 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
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.










