Surf Forecasts:
Nobbys Reef surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 11s period, SSE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 9s period, SSE swell with 708 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 25 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 6s period with ENE 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 (Aug 25) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 10s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Nobbys Reef in the next 16 days are 2.1m 9s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 1PM. 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 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 1PM (Fri 28th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nobbys Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Righto, let’s have a look at what’s on the table for Nobbys Reef over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with small windows of clean, workable waves, but a lot of ordinary stuff in between. The standout sessions are the ones where the wind gets its act together and the swell has a bit of length to it.
We kick things off on Tuesday 25th August. The morning shows a small 2ft swell coming from the ENE with a short 7 second period, but the wind is offshore from the NW at 9 mph, so it’s clean. Combined energy is weak at 97, so it’s small and not much punch. Still, you can get a few little runners if you’re patient. The afternoon goes glassy with light rain and a 2ft ENE swell – very ordinary conditions, but at least it’s glassy (90 energy). Not a standout by any means.
Wednesday 26th August morning has a 2ft ENE swell, 8 second period, with a cross-offshore WSW breeze at 6 mph – clean enough (73 energy). The afternoon turns ugly: a 4ft S swell but with the wind swinging onshore from the south at 19 mph, so it’s lumpy and poor.
Thursday 27th August sees a bump in size – 5ft from the south, period 8 seconds, but the wind is cross-onshore in the morning (311 energy), making it marginal. The afternoon lightens up a bit with an ESE offshore at 6 mph, but the conditions are still questionable (368 energy). Not great.
Friday 28th August morning is the first proper highlight. The swell drops to 3ft but it’s coming from the SSE with a 11 second period – that’s a nice groundswell with good shape. The wind is offshore from the NW at 6 mph, so it’s clean and glassy. Combined energy is moderate at 308, and the score is solid. This is a lovely session for a reef break – that long period will wrap in nicely. The afternoon? Don’t bother – onshore SE wind at 9 mph spoils it.
Saturday 29th August is a write-off: 6ft SSE swell with 9 second period (602 energy – moderate to strong), but the south wind is cross-onshore at 16 mph, making it choppy and poor. Bigger, but messy.
Sunday 30th August improves slightly: morning has a 3ft SE swell, 10 second period, but still cross-onshore from the S at 6 mph – only marginal (257 energy). Afternoon is similar, smaller and poor. Not worth getting wet for.
Monday 31st August morning – now we’re talking. A tiny 2ft swell from the SSE, but check this out: an 18 second period! That’s a very long period groundswell – clean lines with an offshore NE breeze at just 3 mph, practically glassy. Energy is moderate at 279. This is the kind of session where you get long waits between sets but the waves are beautifully shaped. For a reef like Nobbys, that long period makes for proper stand-up barrels. The afternoon has cross-shore wind and loses the plot.
Tuesday 1st September morning offers another clean session: 2ft from the south, 16 second period, NW offshore at 9 mph (234 energy). Clean and fun for the small stuff. Afternoon fades with cross-off wind.
From here, the forecast gets pretty uninspiring. Wednesday 2nd September morning is just surfable – 2ft S swell, 11 seconds, clean but weak (144 energy). Afternoon onshore. Thursday 3rd September is messy with cross-shore wind. Friday 4th September morning has offshore wind but only 2ft S swell at 10 seconds (131 energy) – not much to get excited about. The afternoon has a 5ft ENE swell with onshore SE wind, so it’s a poor, lumpy mess.
Saturday 5th September morning is clean again but tiny – 2ft ENE, 9 seconds (102 energy). Just a grovel. Sunday 6th September has a 5ft S swell at 9 seconds with a strong offshore WNW wind at 22 mph (330 energy), but the score says poor – that much wind makes it tricky and bumpy, even offshore. Monday 7th September is all cross-shore winds and lumpy.
But then Tuesday 8th September morning shines again. A 3ft S swell, 11 second period, with a light NW offshore at 6 mph – clean and glassy. Combined energy is moderate at 268. That’s a solid session for the reef, with good shape and easy paddling between sets. Another standout.
Wednesday 9th September morning rounds it out: a 2ft S swell, 10 second period, offshore NW wind at 12 mph (205 energy). Clean and rideable.
Overall, the real standouts are the Monday 31st August morning with that super long 18 second groundswell and glassy conditions, and the Friday 28th August morning with its clean 11 second SSE swell. Both are small but perfect for Nobbys Reef. The rest of the fortnight is mostly small, ordinary, or windy – a few sessions worth a paddle, but nothing epic.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 23°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue afternoon, fresh winds from the S by Wed afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 10 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 5 | SSE 6 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SSE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
65 | 49 | 43 | 67 | 48 | 53 | 147 | 270 | 304 | 220 | 173 | 415 | 295 | 559 | 381 | 157 | 139 | 95 | 52 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy | off | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 6:35AM1.11m | 6:23PM1.57m | 7:12AM1.20m | 7:02PM1.62m | 7:46AM1.28m | 7:40PM1.65m | 8:19AM1.35m | 8:17PM1.66m | 8:52AM1.41m | 8:54PM1.63m | 9:27AM1.45m | 9:33PM1.57m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:36AM0.38m | 11:53AM0.55m | 1:10AM0.29m | 12:39PM0.48m | 1:42AM0.22m | 1:22PM0.41m | 2:14AM0.17m | 2:02PM0.35m | 2:46AM0.15m | 2:42PM0.30m | 3:18AM0.15m | 3:23PM0.28m | 3:50AM0.18m | ||||||
— | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | |
mm | — | — | 6 | 6 | 3 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 23 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Feels °C | 17 | 21 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 6 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | SSE 11 | ENE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | S 9 | SE 9 | S 8 |
36 | 49 | 43 | 67 | 48 | 34 | 147 | 270 | 304 | 220 | 113 | 415 | 12 | 559 | 381 | 157 | 102 | 95 | 49 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 15 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | SSE 11 | ENE 8 | S 11 | ENE 8 | S 9 | S 10 | SE 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 |
65 | 28 | 27 | 15 | 6 | 5 | 37 | 20 | 21 | 36 | 173 | 21 | 22 | 14 | 164 | 156 | 139 | 76 | 52 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 9 | S 16 | S 16 | S 16 | S 16 | — | S 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | ENE 8 | SSW 13 | — | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 4 |
8 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 19 | — | 5 | 21 | 43 | 38 | 22 | 59 | — | 29 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 6 | — | — | NW 3 | WNW 2 | S 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 10 | — | — | — | — | ENE 3 | NE 4 |
65 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 295 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 13 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 96 | 9 | 9 | 44 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 117 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Newcastle | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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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.











