
Surf Forecasts:
Nobbys Reef surf forecast from 10 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 12 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s period, SSE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 16 Sep, 1PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 9s period, SSE swell with 933 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 12 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s period with SSE 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 (Sep 12) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 19s. 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 2.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 6s period and expected on Monday (Sep 14) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Sat 12th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Sat 12th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Wed 16th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nobbys Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s on offer at Nobbys Reef.
Truth be told, mate, it’s a bit of a slow start for this stretch. The first real chance to get wet isn’t until Friday morning, the 11th, and even then it’s a tough call. We’ve got a 6 ft swell from the SSE, but the wind is a cross-shore from the SW, and the wave energy is moderate (576). It’s a bit messy and lumpy, nothing to get excited about – marginal at best.
Saturday the 12th sees the swell drop right off to 2 ft, and the wind stays cross-onshore, which is a no-go. Sunday morning the 13th is cleaner, with a light cross-offshore breeze from the NNE, but the swell is tiny at 3 ft. You’d be scratching for anything rideable. The energy drops to weak (177) too.
Monday the 14th morning is a tease. We get a clean offshore wind from the NNW, and the swell is a small 2 ft from the S, but it’s a long-period groundswell at 12 seconds. That means it’ll be a bit more lined up on this reef, but the energy is weak (155). It’s one of the better windows in the first week, but only just.
Then things get grim. From Tuesday the 15th through to Wednesday the 16th, the wind goes onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell gets messy. Wednesday morning actually sees a jump in size to 8 ft from the S, but with a strong cross-onshore wind at 16 mph, and moderate energy (923), it’s going to be a choppy, blown-out mess. That’s expert-only territory, and even then, it’s not pretty.
Thursday the 17th has a small 4 ft swell but the wind is light and cross-onshore, so it stays bumpy. The energy is still moderate (342), but the quality isn’t there.
Now, let’s look ahead. The standout in this entire forecast is the morning of Friday the 18th. We’ve got a clean cross-offshore breeze from the N, and while the swell is small at 2 ft, it’s a very long-period groundswell from the S at 18 seconds. The energy is moderate (311). That long period will wrap nicely into Nobbys Reef, giving you some clean, lined-up waves. It’s a sweet spot for the experienced crew, and the light wind will make it glassy. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.
The following weekend, Saturday the 20th morning, is another promising window. Offshore wind from the NW at 12 mph, with a 4 ft swell from the S at 10 seconds. The energy is moderate (430) and the wind will keep it clean. This is a solid, surfable option for the more advanced surfer.
Beyond that, the swell drops off again. Monday the 21st morning is glassy, zero wind, but the swell is only 2 ft with weak energy (91). You’d be doing a lot of waiting for a small one. The rest of the second week is mostly small, weak, or onshore, with a few fleeting moments of offshore wind but not enough swell to make them count.
Overall, the best on offer is the Friday the 18th morning session – that long-period groundswell and clean conditions make it the pick of the bunch. The following Saturday morning the 20th is another solid backup. The rest of the 16 days is mostly flat or messy, so don’t hold your breath.
Stay salty,
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun morning, min 13°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri night, fresh winds from the NE by Sun afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 26°C on Mon afternoon, min 14°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNE on Mon morning, fresh winds from the SSE by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | ||||||||||||||
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 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 19 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 11 | S 10 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 9 | SSE 6 | S 8 | S 9 | SSE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
736 | 563 | 418 | 307 | 207 | 320 | 163 | 113 | 146 | 102 | 132 | 85 | 50 | 31 | 14 | 230 | 899 | 742 | 218 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | cross | off | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 8:18AM1.49m | 8:28PM1.67m | 8:56AM1.53m | 9:08PM1.58m | 9:33AM1.54m | 9:47PM1.46m | 10:10AM1.53m | 10:25PM1.32m | 10:48AM1.50m | 11:03PM1.19m | 11:27AM1.46m | 11:44PM1.07m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:11AM0.10m | 2:14PM0.21m | 2:47AM0.12m | 2:59PM0.20m | 3:21AM0.17m | 3:43PM0.24m | 3:53AM0.24m | 4:26PM0.31m | 4:24AM0.32m | 5:12PM0.39m | 4:55AM0.41m | 6:01PM0.48m | |||||||
— | 5:58 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:44 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 25 | 26 | 22 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Feels °C | 12 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 11 | ENE 5 | S 12 | S 11 | ENE 6 | SSE 10 | S 9 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | SSE 8 |
736 | 563 | 418 | 307 | 181 | 320 | 163 | 113 | 146 | 33 | 132 | 85 | 17 | 31 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 218 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 18 | E 15 | E 14 | SSE 19 | S 12 | SSE 18 | SSE 20 | SSE 18 | SSE 17 | S 10 | ENE 5 | E 12 | S 10 | ENE 5 | NE 5 | S 17 | ENE 14 | E 13 | S 12 |
126 | 4 | 4 | 34 | 78 | 184 | 131 | 61 | 28 | 102 | 10 | 3 | 50 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 20 | 14 | 132 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | S 21 | E 10 | E 13 | SSE 19 | E 14 | E 13 | E 4 | ENE 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 10 | E 12 | E 13 | E 14 | S 16 | — | — | E 13 |
2 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 207 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 3 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 21 | — | — | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 4 | NE 4 | E 4 | NNE 6 | NNW 2 | ENE 5 | — | — | SSE 3 | SSE 6 | S 8 | S 9 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 7 | 36 | 105 | 1 | 10 | — | — | 8 | 230 | 899 | 742 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 81 | 0 | 0 | 508 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 70 | 174 | 259 | 259 | 125 | 9 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Newcastle | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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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.










