
Surf Forecasts:
Nobbys Reef surf forecast from 21 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 10s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 13s period, S swell with 1,207 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 10s 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 (Jul 21) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 0.8m and 4s 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 1.9m 13s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 6ft (1.9m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nobbys Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the next couple of weeks.
First up, we’ve got a bit of a quiet start. The early part of the week is looking pretty flat and uninspiring, so don’t get too excited just yet. The water temperature is sitting at 66°F, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The first real chance to get wet will be on Tuesday morning. It’s not going to set the world on fire, but it’s a start. We’ve got a small 4ft easterly swell rolling in at Nobbys Reef, with a period of 10 seconds – so it’s got a bit of push to it. The wind is light and cross-off from the north, which should keep things clean. The energy is moderate (325), so you’ll feel it, but it’s not a powerhouse. It’s a reef break, so it might be a bit inconsistent, and you might have to share it with a few others now and then.
Wednesday morning will see the swell drop a little to 3ft from the ENE, but the wind is blowing offshore from the NW at 12 mph, which will keep the faces clean. It’s a small, clean, surfable wave, but nothing to write home about.
The real standout is going to be Friday the 24th. That morning, the swell jumps up to 7ft from the south, with a period of 10 seconds. The energy is strong (1275), and the wind is a light cross-off from the WSW. This is a proper size for experienced surfers – it’s going to be too big for beginners. The reef should handle that south swell nicely, and the conditions are looking clean. That’s your best session of the first week right there.
Saturday the 25th is also worth a mention. The swell hangs around 5ft from the south, but the period stretches to 11 seconds, which is long-period groundswell. That means more energy and better shape. The wind is offshore from the WNW at 12 mph (584). It’s a very good option, but Friday morning just has a little more punch.
After that, the swell drops off again through the early part of the following week, with some smaller, clean but ordinary days. The wind stays friendly for the most part, but the size just isn't there.
Looking further ahead into the second week, things get pretty wild. From Thursday the 30th right through to Sunday the 3rd of August, we’re looking at a massive pulse of swell. The swell height hits 10ft from the SSE with a very long period of 11 to 12 seconds. The energy readings are massive (2119, 2315, 4075) – this is a serious event. However, the notes say this swell is predicted to be too big for Nobbys Reef. This is an expert-only zone at that size, and even then, it might be a washing machine. The wind is offshore for most of it, so it’ll be clean, but don’t even think about it if you’re not a seasoned pro. Monday the 3rd turns messy with fresh onshore winds and rain, so that’s a write-off.
So, to sum it up: the best surf on offer is the Friday morning (24th July) session. It’s the perfect balance of decent size, clean wind, and manageable energy. The second week is a big swell event for experts only, but the conditions are good for those who can handle it. For everyone else, there’s a long gap of smaller, cleaner days to work on the basics.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 8°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Tue morning, fresh winds from the WSW by Thu afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat afternoon, min 6°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SSW 6 | S 10 | S 9 | S 13 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
245 | 200 | 188 | 118 | 90 | 86 | 57 | 39 | 104 | 882 | 465 | 1207 | 563 | 389 | 418 | 476 | 467 | 311 | 230 | 188 | 103 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | off | off | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:51PM1.36m | 1:46AM1.15m | 2:44PM1.37m | 2:44AM1.04m | 3:40PM1.40m | 3:53AM0.99m | 4:35PM1.45m | 5:04AM0.98m | 5:25PM1.52m | 6:05AM1.02m | 6:09PM1.59m | 6:54AM1.08m | 6:51PM1.65m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:07PM0.64m | 7:57AM0.50m | 9:20PM0.66m | 8:41AM0.54m | 10:35PM0.63m | 9:30AM0.57m | 11:38PM0.58m | 10:24AM0.58m | 00:26AM0.50m | 11:18AM0.57m | 1:07AM0.42m | 12:09PM0.54m | 1:43AM0.34m | ||||||||
6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | |
— | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:08 | — | — | 5:08 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:10 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 16 | 15 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 |
Feels °C | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 13 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 9 |
245 | 200 | 188 | 118 | 90 | 86 | 57 | 39 | 25 | 377 | 465 | 1207 | 563 | 389 | 418 | 476 | 467 | 311 | 230 | 188 | 103 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 6 | S 10 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 12 | E 11 | SE 8 |
56 | 35 | 31 | 17 | 17 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 11 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | S 13 | — | — | E 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | E 7 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 11 | E 8 | SE 18 | SE 16 |
24 | 21 | 19 | 3 | — | — | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 10 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NE 4 | NW 2 | — | W 2 | WSW 3 | — | SSW 6 | S 10 | — | — | WNW 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 2 | W 3 |
— | — | 32 | 2 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 104 | 882 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 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.










