Surf Forecasts:
Nobbys Reef surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 23 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, S swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 23 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, S swell with 1,247 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 7s 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 10s. 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 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
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 the next couple of weeks.
We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but the end of the window is where the real potential is. The first few days are pretty ordinary, with onshore winds and poor conditions. The wind only really starts to play ball later on, and the swell builds into something special.
Nobbys Reef is a tricky reef setup that’s exposed and inconsistent, so it doesn’t just fire up on a whim. The first real glimmer of hope comes on Wednesday, 19th August. The morning is looking glassy with a light offshore wind from the NW, and a 4ft SE swell at 7 seconds. The combined wave energy is moderate (223). It’s not a huge swell, but the clean conditions will make it rideable for the advanced crew who know the lineup. Crowds are possible here.
After that, we get a few days of small, clean, but ordinary waves. The energy drops right off. Thursday 20th and Friday 21st have some clean morning windows with 3ft to 3ft of swell, but the energy is weak (81 and 59). It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about.
Then, hold onto your board. Sunday, 23rd August is the standout. The morning brings a glassy, dead calm session with a solid 10ft S swell at 9 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 2950, which is very strong. This is a serious groundswell, but the file warns it’s predicted to be too big for this break. This is strictly for experts only, and the long period (9 seconds) will mean the reef could be a beast. The afternoon gets messy with onshore wind, so the window is small.
Monday 24th offers a nice recovery: 4ft S swell with light offshore NW wind, clean conditions, and moderate energy (253). That’s a solid, clean option.
The next big call is Tuesday, 25th August. The morning has a 6ft S swell, a moderate offshore NW wind at 25 km/h, and clean conditions. The energy is strong (543). This is a proper, powerful, clean swell hitting the reef. It’s more than 5ft, so it’s not for beginners, but it’s a cracker for the experienced. The period is 9 seconds, so it’s a quality groundswell.
The rest of the week is a mix of bigger, cleaner swells but with strong winds that keep the quality down. The period does get long (12 seconds) on Wednesday 26th, with 5ft to 5ft S swell, but the wind is a fresh 35 km/h, making it messy. Thursday 27th is similar. The end of the run, Friday 28th, has a clean 4ft SE swell with light offshore wind and moderate energy (210), which is a much better, tidier option.
After that, the swell fades out to small, weak waves through the end of August and into the 31st, which is mostly poor and choppy.
So, the best on offer is the Sunday 23rd August morning session for the fearless experts, and the Tuesday 25th August morning for a powerful, clean session. Don’t sleep on the Friday 28th morning either, as a clean, smaller option.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat night, min 13°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu morning, min 12°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | ||||||||||||||
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 7 | SSE 6 | S 7 | ESE 6 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | SE 9 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | E 6 | E 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
176 | 145 | 117 | 100 | 102 | 99 | 113 | 113 | 99 | 117 | 128 | 225 | 102 | 73 | 51 | 80 | 56 | 77 | 44 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 10:14PM1.61m | 10:48AM1.45m | 10:54PM1.46m | 11:30AM1.42m | 11:35PM1.30m | 12:12PM1.39m | 00:16AM1.16m | 12:59PM1.36m | 1:04AM1.03m | 1:52PM1.34m | 2:06AM0.94m | 2:52PM1.35m | 3:30AM0.91m | ||||||
Low Tide | 4:37AM0.19m | 4:49PM0.36m | 5:12AM0.28m | 5:38PM0.44m | 5:46AM0.37m | 6:30PM0.53m | 6:20AM0.46m | 7:31PM0.60m | 6:59AM0.54m | 8:45PM0.63m | 7:47AM0.60m | 10:07PM0.62m | |||||||
— | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | |
mm | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 15 |
Feels °C | 13 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 7 | SSE 18 | S 7 | S 8 | ESE 7 | S 9 | S 8 | ESE 7 | S 11 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | SE 9 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 |
176 | 102 | 117 | 72 | 102 | 78 | 35 | 113 | 55 | 117 | 128 | 225 | 102 | 73 | 51 | 80 | 56 | 43 | 44 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 17 | E 10 | SSE 18 | S 11 | S 9 | S 9 | S 12 | S 8 | SE 14 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | — | — | E 10 | E 10 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 |
101 | 8 | 102 | 40 | 81 | 80 | 25 | 33 | 46 | 74 | 90 | — | — | 8 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | S 12 | S 12 | SSE 18 | S 16 | SSW 13 | ESE 11 | S 12 | E 9 | S 10 | S 16 | S 15 | E 11 | — | S 14 | S 13 | — | — | SE 7 |
7 | 3 | 25 | 60 | 21 | 53 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 47 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | 4 | 3 | — | — | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | — | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | — | ESE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 3 | — | NNW 2 | ENE 7 | — |
— | 145 | 66 | 100 | — | 99 | 113 | — | 99 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | 77 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 125 | 96 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 30 | 44 | 185 | 30 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 154 | 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.











