Nobbys Reef Surf Break

Lat Long: 32.93° S 151.80° E

Nobbys Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 pm 09 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Nobbys Reef sea temperature is
18.6° C
0.0° 

Nobbys Reef surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Nobbys Reef surf forecast from 9 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 16 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 11s period, SSE swell with cross-onshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 16 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 11s period, SSE swell with 6,763 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 10s period with SE 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 Thursday (Jul 09) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 16s. 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 5.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 16) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 12) at 7AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)10PM (Thu 9th Jul)6ft (1.8m) 10s
Best Surf10PM (Thu 16th Jul)18ft (5.5m) 11s
Most Powerful10PM (Thu 16th Jul)18ft (5.5m) 11s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nobbys Reef over the next 16 days.


Alright, let’s get into it. This is Nobbys Reef, a tricky reef setup for advanced surfers only. It’s inconsistent and can be a bit of a tease, but when it lines up, it’s a proper little wave. Water temp is sitting right on 66°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The outlook starts off with a bit of a whimper, not a bang. The first couple of days are pretty ordinary. Thursday afternoon the 9th has some Southeast swell around 6ft, but with a light onshore wind, it’s not looking great. The combined energy is moderate (633), but the wind is a killer. Friday morning the 10th is a bit better – the swell drops a touch to 6ft from the Southeast, but we get a clean cross-offshore breeze from the West. That’s the best of the early window, but it’s still only a marginal call.

The real standout in the first week is Saturday morning the 11th. We’ve got clean 4ft Southeast swell with a nice offshore wind from the Northwest. The energy is moderate (398), and the period is a touch short at 9 seconds, but the conditions will be clean. This is your best bet for a fun, manageable session. Saturday afternoon hangs in there too with 3ft from the ESE and a longer 11-second period, and still offshore. After that, it drops right off.

From Sunday the 12th through to Wednesday the 15th, it’s a proper lull. Swell drops to tiny, weak stuff, often under 2ft, and the wind is a mess. The energy drops to weak two-digit numbers like 71 or even 15. Not worth paddling out.

Then we get a massive pulse of swell from the 16th of July onwards. This is the big story. From Thursday the 16th through to Monday the 20th, we’re looking at a serious run of Southern Ocean groundswell. The combined energy is enormous – four-digit numbers like 4755, 5953, even 9715 on the 18th. This is very strong, powerful energy. The swell height is 16ft to 20ft from the SSE, with periods of 10 to 12 seconds. This is expert-only territory. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the waves are going to be huge and messy. The file even says for the 17th, 18th, and 19th that the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. That’s the truth. Unless you’re a tow-in charger, stay away.

The window of opportunity for experienced surfers actually opens on Monday the 20th. The swell drops to a still-chunky 10ft in the morning, then 8ft in the afternoon from the Southeast, with a good 11-second period. More importantly, the wind swings offshore from the Northwest. The afternoon of the 20th is the real highlight for the whole outlook: 8ft SE groundswell, clean offshore winds, and the combined energy is still strong (1670). Conditions are excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to circle.

After that, the swell settles back down. Tuesday the 21st has 6ft SE swell and cross-offshore winds, but it’s nothing special. The rest of the week looks poor with strong onshore winds and messy conditions.

So, to sum it up: the early week is average, but Saturday morning the 11th delivers a clean, small window. The big swell from the 16th to the 19th is way too big for this spot. The absolute best on offer is Monday afternoon the 20th – solid 8ft SE groundswell, clean offshore wind, and perfect for the experienced crew. That’s your session.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu afternoon, fresh winds from the WNW by Sun morning).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 30mm), heaviest during Tue night. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue morning, min 8°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the W on Tue afternoon, strong winds from the SSE by Wed morning).

Thu
9
Friday
10
Saturday
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
Rating
(10 max)
2
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
SE
10
1.7
SE
9
1.7
SE
10
1.7
SE
10
1.5
SE
10
1.2
SE
9
0.9
ESE
11
1.2
ESE
10
0.9
SE
10
0.6
ESE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.6
S
7
0.4
S
12
0.4
S
8
0.4
S
7
0.3
S
7
0.2
S
11
0.8
S
6
1.4
S
7
4
SSE
9
5
SSE
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
602
502
513
580
408
225
193
261
134
59
23
40
42
21
16
9
9
39
184
2867
4755
Wind (km/h)
5
SE
5
NW
10
W
5
SSE
10
NW
10
NW
15
NW
15
NNW
30
WNW
25
W
20
WNW
20
NW
20
NW
20
NW
25
WNW
25
WSW
20
WSW
40
SSE
35
SSE
35
SSE
30
SSE
Wind State
on
off
cross-off
cross-on
off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
High Tide
3:48AM1.18m
4:29PM1.62m
5:04AM1.16m
5:30PM1.73m
6:15AM1.19m
6:28PM1.83m
7:17AM1.23m
7:23PM1.91m
8:13AM1.29m
8:15PM1.95m
9:04AM1.33m
9:04PM1.94m
9:52AM1.37m
Low Tide
10:03PM0.52m
9:44AM0.45m
11:16PM0.43m
10:44AM0.44m
00:23AM0.32m
11:45AM0.42m
1:21AM0.22m
12:44PM0.39m
2:14AM0.14m
1:41PM0.37m
3:03AM0.09m
2:35PM0.36m
3:50AM0.09m
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:54
6:54
6:54
6:54
6:54
6:52
6:52
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:00
5:00
5:00
5:01
5:01
5:02
5:02
5:04
 mm
2
6
1
13
17
4
4
3
Temp °C
16
14
14
15
15
16
17
14
16
16
11
15
16
12
17
16
13
14
15
15
15
Feels °C
14
13
13
14
14
13
13
11
9
9
5
10
10
7
12
9
7
5
7
7
8
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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