Surf Forecasts:
Nobbys Reef surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 29 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 10s period, SE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 10s period, SSE swell with 261 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 29 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 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 Saturday (Aug 29) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 8s. 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 1.2m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be 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 Thursday (Sep 03) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nobbys Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Imperial
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Nobbys Reef. It’s a bit of a slow start, but there are a couple of real gems hiding in the forecast if you’re patient.
Alright, looking at the whole 16-day window for Nobbys Reef, it’s a tale of two halves. The first week or so is pretty flat and uninspiring, but then we’ve got a proper pulse of energy arriving around the second week. Don't get too excited about the next few days though. For Saturday the 29th, it’s a write-off with a messy 4ft SSE swell and a cross-onshore wind making a mess of things. That moderate combined energy (311) isn't doing anyone any favors.
Things start looking up on Sunday morning the 30th. The swell drops back to a clean 3ft from the SSE, but the wind goes glassy out of the NW. That’s proper clean conditions, the kind that makes a reef like this start talking. The energy is moderate (218) but it’s a small, clean wave that’ll be fun for an advanced crew.
Monday the 31st morning is your next little window. The wind is dead calm, glassy as anything, with a 3ft south swell. The combined energy picks up a bit to 301, still moderate. It’s going to be clean but small.
After that, we drop into a lull. From Tuesday the 1st of September through to Saturday the 6th, it’s tiny. We’re talking waves between 1.0ft and 2ft. The wind is offshore a lot of this time, which is nice, but with combined energy dropping as low as 39, there’s just not enough push to make Nobbys Reef work properly for a paddle surfer. One session on the 7th of September looks interesting for kites, with a strong 28 mph offshore NW wind and a 3ft SSW swell, but the energy is only moderate (149) and that wind is going to make paddling a nightmare.
Then, the real event arrives. Keep your eyes on Wednesday the 9th of September. That morning we see a solid 8ft southerly swell rolling in with a very long period of 12 seconds. The combined energy is pumping at 1699. This is serious groundswell. It’s going to be a lot of water, and for a reef break, that long period should produce some proper, heavy lines. This is strictly for experts only.
But the absolute standout, the one to circle on the calendar, is Thursday the 10th of September. The morning is glassy calm, with a 6ft SSE groundswell arriving at a 12-second period. The combined energy is still strong at 986, but the complete lack of wind is going to make it an epic, clean day at the reef. The swell is still big enough to be challenging for beginners, but for an advanced surfer, it’s looking like the pick of the 16-day period.
Friday the 11th morning is a close second, with clean, glassy conditions again and a 5ft SSE swell at the same long period. The energy (613) is still proper. It’s going to be a touch smaller but just as clean.
After that high, it fades again through the weekend, with the swell dropping and onshore winds returning for the 12th. The last few days are just small and clean, finishing the run on a quiet note. So, to sum it up: be patient this week, the flat spell will feel like an eternity, but hold out for that morning of the 10th of September. That’s the one where it all comes together.
Stay frothy.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Sat morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Wed afternoon, min 15°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
269 | 472 | 192 | 113 | 126 | 158 | 153 | 105 | 110 | 85 | 191 | 143 | 96 | 71 | 50 | 48 | 30 | 49 | 46 | 85 | 38 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 8:54PM1.63m | 9:27AM1.45m | 9:33PM1.57m | 10:03AM1.49m | 10:13PM1.48m | 10:43AM1.51m | 10:58PM1.36m | 11:28AM1.51m | 11:50PM1.23m | 12:22PM1.51m | 00:54AM1.12m | 1:26PM1.51m | 2:14AM1.04m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:42PM0.30m | 3:18AM0.15m | 3:23PM0.28m | 3:50AM0.18m | 4:07PM0.29m | 4:25AM0.23m | 4:56PM0.32m | 5:03AM0.31m | 5:53PM0.37m | 5:47AM0.39m | 7:02PM0.42m | 6:42AM0.47m | 8:22PM0.44m | ||||||||
6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | |
— | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:36 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 23 | 24 | 20 | 25 | 27 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 18 | 23 | 25 | 19 |
Feels °C | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 9 | S 5 | SSE 5 | S 9 | ENE 4 |
269 | 472 | 192 | 91 | 126 | 158 | 153 | 105 | 110 | 74 | 191 | 143 | 96 | 71 | 50 | 48 | 29 | 17 | 22 | 85 | 8 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | S 9 | S 8 | SSE 9 | SE 10 | SSE 18 | S 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 16 | S 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 5 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | SSE 12 | S 10 | S 10 | E 10 | SSE 11 |
14 | 15 | 84 | 113 | 113 | 103 | 132 | 75 | 48 | 85 | 22 | 9 | 33 | 33 | 18 | 18 | 30 | 49 | 46 | 16 | 38 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | E 9 | ENE 11 | — | ENE 10 | — | NE 5 | NE 5 | SSE 13 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | S 7 |
28 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 22 | — | 20 | — | 1 | 1 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 32 | 15 | 15 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 3 | ENE 4 | NNE 3 | NE 3 | — | NW 3 | NW 3 | NW 3 | NW 3 | WNW 3 | — | — | E 3 | NW 2 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | — | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 7 | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 44 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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.











