Surf Forecasts:
Nobbys Reef surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period, E swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 11s period, E swell with 1,056 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period with E 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 Monday (Jul 20) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 12s. 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 2.1m 11s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nobbys Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Nobbys Reef.
It’s a tough start to the outlook, I won’t lie. The early weekend is a write-off with onshore winds and weak, messy waves. The wait for something decent is a bit of a grind, but things do get interesting later on.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on Monday, 20 July. The morning is looking like a proper little gem. We’ve got a clean 5ft swell rolling in from the east, with a period of 10 seconds, and the wind is glassy. The combined energy of all swells directed here is moderate (556). This is a standout for the first week – get on it early before the breeze shifts.
The rest of the week is pretty ordinary. The wind is a problem, and the swell hangs around in the 2ft to 5ft range, but it’s often cross-shore or too small. The combined energy values drop right off, with some readings in the 50s (weak). There’s a brief moment on Friday, 24 July in the afternoon – the wind goes glassy, but the swell is a weak 4ft from the SSE at only 8 seconds, so it’s just about surfable, not a standout.
The real madness is forecast for the end of the month. Friday, 31 July and the days that follow show a massive pulse of swell. On the 31st we’re looking at an 12ft southerly swell with a 12-second period, and the combined energy hits 6434 (very strong). This is a beast of a groundswell. However, for Nobbys Reef, a reef break, this is way too big. The wind is offshore in the morning, which is a beautiful thing to see, but the size is for experts only, and even then, it’s into the danger zone. This pattern continues into Saturday, 1 August (10ft, SSE) and Sunday, 2 August (13ft, S). The glassy conditions on the 2nd are a tease, but the power is just too extreme for a safe paddle.
The long-period (15 seconds or more) swells are a double-edged sword. They bring incredible energy, but at a reef break like this, they can be unpredictable and walled up. For the average surfer, the best bet is the clean, glassy morning of Monday, 20 July.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Fri night. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat morning, min 15°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed morning, min 11°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 9 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | S 5 | SSE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 140 | 173 | 191 | 612 | 890 | 637 | 524 | 402 | 353 | 296 | 235 | 192 | 154 | 86 | 64 | 62 | 38 | 73 | 534 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 10:39PM1.76m | 11:26AM1.38m | 11:24PM1.61m | 12:13PM1.37m | 00:10AM1.45m | 1:01PM1.37m | 00:56AM1.29m | 1:51PM1.36m | 1:46AM1.15m | 2:44PM1.37m | 2:44AM1.04m | 3:40PM1.40m | 3:53AM0.99m | ||||||
Low Tide | 5:17AM0.18m | 5:12PM0.45m | 5:58AM0.26m | 6:06PM0.52m | 6:38AM0.35m | 7:03PM0.58m | 7:17AM0.43m | 8:07PM0.64m | 7:57AM0.50m | 9:20PM0.66m | 8:41AM0.54m | 10:35PM0.63m | |||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — |
 | — | — | 5:05 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 15 |
Feels °C | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | SSE 21 | S 10 | S 9 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | ENE 8 | SSE 8 |
| kJ | 93 | 43 | 29 | 24 | 890 | 637 | 524 | 402 | 353 | 296 | 235 | 192 | 154 | 86 | 64 | 62 | 38 | 24 | 534 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 21 | SSE 20 | SSE 19 | SSE 18 | SSE 16 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | E 8 | ENE 8 |
| kJ | 49 | 35 | 39 | 70 | 102 | 87 | 125 | 144 | 139 | 86 | 58 | 54 | 31 | 30 | 17 | 20 | 8 | 1 | 23 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 21 | — | S 18 | SSE 19 | S 8 | S 8 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 15 | S 15 | SE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | — | — | — | — | S 17 | S 14 |
| kJ | 8 | — | 6 | 69 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 21 | 20 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 16 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | NE 5 | — | — | SW 3 | SSW 4 | S 5 | — |
| kJ | 140 | 173 | 191 | 612 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 35 | — | — | 1 | 5 | 73 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 168 | 179 | 167 | 112 | 96 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 91 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Newcastle | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Nobbys Reef surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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.
Nearest