
Surf Forecasts:
Nobbys Reef surf forecast from 7 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 10 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, S swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, S swell with 2,423 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 8s period with SSE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Nobbys Reef this week:
The surf forecast for Nobbys Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Nobbys Reef in the next 16 days are 3.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Monday (Sep 14) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Tue 8th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Thu 10th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Thu 10th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nobbys Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s going on at Nobbys Reef over the next couple of weeks.
The first few days are a bust. Monday afternoon’s a mess – cross-onshore wind, choppy water, and the swell’s a nothing burger. Tuesday and Wednesday are the same story: plenty of swell, but the wind’s blowing straight onshore, so it’s all slop. The combined swell energy is moderate to strong (347 to 699), but the quality’s just not there for a proper session.
The first real chance is Wednesday morning, September 9th. The wind is light and a little offshore, the swell is 3ft from the south, and the water’s clean. The energy’s moderate (227), and it’s a good window for a few smooth ones. The water temp is about 66°, which is pretty normal for this time of year.
Thursday the 10th is a no-go – the swell jumps to 8ft to 10ft, with a strong cross-shore wind, and the energy gets hefty (1515 to 2047). That’s expert-only and messy. Friday the 11th shows a bit of promise in the morning with an 8ft SSE swell and a light cross-off wind, but the energy’s still high (1073), and there’s a slight chop. It’s borderline.
The standout for the first week? Lock in Sunday morning, September 13th. The swell is 3ft from the SSE, the wind is light and cross-offshore, so the waves will be clean. The energy’s moderate (233), and the reef setup will handle that long-period groundswell (9 seconds) nicely. The crowds can be around sometimes, but with the conditions this good, it’s worth the company. Nobbys Reef is an exposed reef break, so it’s best for advanced surfers.
After that, the surf drops away. The next decent window is Wednesday morning, September 16th, when the wind is glassy, the swell is 3ft from the SSE, and the energy’s moderate (288). It’s clean and small, good for a quiet paddle.
Then there’s a lull. The swell picks up again on the 18th, but it’s way too big – 13ft from the SSE with a massive energy (5091) – and the wind’s cross-shore. That’s kite-surfing territory, not for a paddle.
The real standout for the whole outlook is Saturday morning, September 19th. The swell is 7ft from the SSE, the wind is light and cross-offshore, and the combined energy is strong (1129). The period is 11 seconds, which is a proper groundswell, and the reef break will handle it well. The water’s clean, and the conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to circle.
The final few days (20th to 22nd) are small and clean but ordinary – mostly 3ft to 4ft, with light offshore winds and moderate energy. Surfable but not a highlight.
So, to sum it up: the best of the bunch is Saturday morning, September 19th, with Sunday the 13th as a solid backup. The rest is either too windy, too big, or too small. Nobbys Reef is inconsistent, so this pattern is about right for the area.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon afternoon, min 11°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, strong winds from the S by Wed afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the S on Thu afternoon, light winds from the S by Sat morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | ||||||||||||||
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 9 | S 8 | S 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | S 8 | S 7 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 11 | SE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
336 | 880 | 1055 | 562 | 433 | 165 | 670 | 2423 | 1420 | 1850 | 1556 | 1060 | 713 | 463 | 368 | 436 | 269 | 151 | 110 | 70 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 5:08PM1.65m | 6:07AM1.21m | 6:08PM1.71m | 6:55AM1.32m | 6:59PM1.74m | 7:38AM1.42m | 7:45PM1.73m | 8:18AM1.49m | 8:28PM1.67m | 8:56AM1.53m | 9:08PM1.58m | 9:33AM1.54m | 9:47PM1.46m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:02AM0.23m | 11:39AM0.42m | 00:51AM0.15m | 12:36PM0.33m | 1:33AM0.11m | 1:27PM0.25m | 2:11AM0.10m | 2:14PM0.21m | 2:47AM0.12m | 2:59PM0.20m | 3:21AM0.17m | 3:43PM0.24m | 3:53AM0.24m | |||||||
— | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | |
5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:42 | — | |
mm | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 16 |
Feels °C | 14 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | E 10 | E 10 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | S 8 | ESE 13 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | SSE 22 | SSE 18 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 11 | SE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | ENE 5 |
336 | 2 | 2 | 562 | 433 | 165 | 17 | 47 | 38 | 169 | 176 | 1060 | 713 | 463 | 368 | 436 | 269 | 151 | 110 | 31 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | — | — | E 10 | E 10 | SE 7 | E 9 | S 26 | SSE 23 | SE 10 | E 15 | E 15 | E 14 | E 13 | SSE 18 | SSE 18 | SSE 20 | SSE 19 | SSE 17 | S 10 |
8 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 60 | 6 | 13 | 52 | 24 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 66 | 104 | 38 | 68 | 29 | 70 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 8 | — | — | — | E 15 | E 9 | E 17 | — | E 16 | E 15 | — | S 21 | — | E 8 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 |
3 | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | 6 | — | 5 | 4 | — | 9 | — | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 13 | 13 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 8 | S 9 | — | — | NW 3 | S 7 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | SSE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 4 | NNE 4 | ENE 4 | NE 5 |
— | 880 | 1055 | — | — | 2 | 670 | 2423 | 1420 | 1850 | 1556 | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 7 | 19 | 85 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 81 | 211 | 212 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 702 | 185 | 96 | 125 | 44 | 9 | 221 | 9 | 9 | 81 | 0 | 0 | 224 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Newcastle | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Nobbys Reef Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Nobbys Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Nobbys Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Nobbys 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 (Nobbys 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 Nobbys 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Newcastle? If you are looking for accommodation near Nobbys Reef, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Newcastle, consider staying in Newcastle which is 3 km (2 miles) away. Other places in and around Newcastle where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Catherine Hill Bay which is 31 km (19 miles) away, Port Stephens, Cessnock and Central Coast.










