Surf Forecasts:
Nobbys Reef surf forecast from 22 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 29 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s period, SSE swell with 442 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 11s period with S 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 (Aug 24) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.8m and 5s 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 1.6m 9s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 2s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 1PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nobbys Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been watching this stretch of coast like a hawk. Right now, we’ve got a bit of a slow start, but there’s some real promise further out if you’re willing to be patient. The first few days are a write-off, but things start to look up by the end of the first week.
The first surf worth mentioning is Monday, August 24th, at Nobbys Reef. It’s an exposed reef break, best for advanced surfers, and it’s inconsistent, so you’ll need to be in the right spot at the right time. Monday morning is looking clean with a light cross-offshore breeze and a small S swell of 3ft, period at 10 seconds. The combined energy is weak (210). The water temp is 64°, which is about 2° cooler than the long-term average for this time of year, so pretty normal. It’s not big, but for a quiet session, it’s a start.
After that, Tuesday, August 25th, has a chance in the afternoon if you’re desperate. The swell drops to 2ft from ENE, period 7 seconds, but the wind goes glassy. The energy is very weak (88). It’s surfable, but you won’t be writing home about it.
The real standout in this forecast is the end of August and the start of September. Sunday, August 30th, shows a jump in size, but the wind is messy, so skip it. Instead, look to Monday, August 31st. That’s the day. Both the morning and afternoon at Nobbys Reef are clean, with a S swell pushing 5ft to 5ft and a period of 11 to 12 seconds. The combined energy is strong (821 in the morning, 711 in the afternoon). The wind is light cross-offshore, keeping it clean. That’s a proper groundswell with good shape, and at a reef like this, it’ll be lined up. Swell direction is S to SSE, and the optimum is SE, so it’s a good match. At 5ft to 5ft, it’s a solid size for experienced surfers, maybe a bit much for beginners. Crowds are sometimes a thing here, so expect some company.
Tuesday, September 1st, is also worth a mention. The morning is a bit windier with offshore NW winds at 16 mph, and the swell drops to 4ft from SSE, period 12 seconds. The energy is moderate (403). The afternoon is cleaner with the same offshore flow, swell at 3ft, and energy at 269. It’s not as good as Monday, but still a solid option.
The second week drops off quickly. From Wednesday, September 2nd, the swell fades to tiny 1.0ft to 2ft, and the energy is very weak. There’s a small bump on Saturday, September 5th, with a clean morning and a 3ft SSE swell, period 10 seconds, and energy at 201. It’s surfable, but nothing special. After that, the forecast goes flat with weak energy and onshore winds through the 6th and 7th.
Overall, the clear winner is Monday, August 31st. That’s the one to circle on your calendar. For the rest of the run, it’s a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 22°C on Tue morning, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Wed morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed morning, min 10°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 10 | S 8 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | S 5 | SSE 7 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
262 | 142 | 231 | 123 | 89 | 70 | 49 | 42 | 48 | 48 | 34 | 157 | 372 | 325 | 136 | 160 | 356 | 265 | 208 | 203 | 129 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | off | off | off |
High Tide | 4:52PM1.43m | 5:52AM1.02m | 5:41PM1.50m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:59PM0.47m | 11:00AM0.61m | 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 | ||||||||
6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | |
— | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 21 | 15 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 20 | 19 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 8 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 | S 9 |
262 | 142 | 231 | 123 | 89 | 33 | 49 | 42 | 48 | 48 | 34 | 35 | 372 | 325 | 136 | 160 | 356 | 265 | 192 | 203 | 129 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 5 | S 15 | NE 8 | E 5 | SSE 17 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 11 | — | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 12 | S 13 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 10 | S 9 | SSE 10 |
23 | 112 | 3 | 19 | 28 | 70 | 44 | 27 | 14 | 6 | 9 | — | 25 | 22 | 98 | 81 | 21 | 13 | 208 | 145 | 117 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | — | — | SSE 17 | E 13 | ENE 9 | S 16 | S 16 | S 16 | S 16 | S 15 | — | — | S 16 | E 8 | ENE 8 | SSW 12 | S 11 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 |
6 | — | — | 28 | 3 | 8 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 4 | — | — | 19 | 37 | 22 | 51 | 41 | 14 | 15 | 26 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 4 | ENE 5 | NE 5 | ENE 4 | ENE 6 | — | — | — | WNW 2 | S 5 | SSE 7 | — | — | — | — | S 8 | — | — | — | — |
— | 18 | 31 | 40 | 22 | 68 | — | — | — | 1 | 34 | 157 | — | — | — | — | 94 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 81 | 81 | 0 | 0 | 276 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 9 | 9 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 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.











