Redhead surf break

Redhead surfForecast / NSW – Newcastle / Australia

information circle16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 9 am Monday 18 May 2026 AEST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Redhead surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Redhead sea temperature is
21.0° C
(Which is normal for this time of year)

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Redhead this week:

The surf forecast for Redhead over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (May 18) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Redhead in the next 16 days are 2.4m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (May 23) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 8s period and expected on Friday (May 22) at 10AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7PM (Mon 18th May)5ft (1.6m) 9s
Best Surf 7PM (Sat 23rd May)7ft (2.1m) 11s
Most Powerful 7AM (Sat 23rd May)8ft (2.4m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Redhead over the next 16 days.


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 37mm), heaviest during Mon afternoon. Warm (max 20°C on Mon afternoon, min 16°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, fresh winds from the S by Wed morning).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat morning, min 16°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the S on Fri afternoon, calm by Sat afternoon).

Monday
18
Tuesday
19
Wednesday
20
Thursday
21
Friday
22
Saturday
23
Sunday
24
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
1
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
E
9
2.4
ENE
8
1.6
E
9
1.8
E
10
1.8
E
10
1.5
E
10
1.3
E
10
1.2
E
10
1
E
10
1.1
E
10
1
E
10
0.9
E
10
0.7
E
10
0.5
E
10
0.4
E
10
0.4
ESE
12
1.9
ESE
11
2
ESE
11
1.9
ESE
10
1.9
ESE
10
1.5
E
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
516
827
408
600
637
461
340
290
202
242
196
153
87
47
31
50
870
867
698
734
477
Wind (km/h)
10
NNW
10
S
5
WNW
10
WNW
15
SW
20
SW
30
SSW
30
S
25
SSW
25
SSW
35
S
30
S
30
S
35
S
30
S
15
SSE
25
SSW
10
WSW
5
WSW
15
SSE
10
WSW
off
on
glassy
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross
cross
on
cross
High Tide
9:21PM1.67m
10:09AM1.09m
10:11PM1.63m
11:06AM1.05m
11:04PM1.57m
12:06PM1.02m
00:00AM1.48m
1:10PM1.02m
1:01AM1.39m
2:18PM1.06m
2:06AM1.30m
3:23PM1.13m
3:13AM1.23m
Low Tide
2:47PM0.33m
4:13AM0.13m
3:37PM0.38m
5:09AM0.16m
4:31PM0.43m
6:06AM0.20m
5:32PM0.49m
7:03AM0.24m
6:39PM0.53m
8:00AM0.28m
7:52PM0.55m
8:55AM0.31m
9:06PM0.54m
light rain
mod rain
mod rain
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
cloud
cloud
cloud
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:37
6:37
6:39
6:39
6:39
6:41
6:41
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:00
5:00
4:59
4:59
4:58
4:57
4:57
2
7
7
1
2
8
5
5
4
6
4
4
3
Temp °C
19
20
17
17
18
17
17
18
18
17
17
18
17
18
18
19
19
18
17
18
18
20
20
19
17
16
14
12
12
11
12
11
12
11
12
12
17
20
19
16
17
18
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
E
9
1.7
E
9
1.6
E
9
1.8
E
10
1.8
E
10
1.5
E
10
1.3
E
10
1.2
E
10
1
E
10
1.1
E
10
1
E
10
0.9
E
10
0.7
E
10
0.5
E
10
3
SE
10
2.3
SE
9
1.9
ESE
11
2
ESE
11
1.9
ESE
10
1.9
ESE
10
1.5
E
10
Energy kJ
516
445
408
600
637
461
340
290
202
242
196
153
87
47
1799
861
870
867
698
734
477
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
S
16
0.1
S
15
0.2
S
14
0.4
E
10
0.3
ENE
10
1.6
SSE
9
1
SSE
8
0.7
SSE
8
0.1
S
13
0.1
S
11
Energy kJ
5
5
15
31
20
405
123
60
3
2
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
ESE
12
0.2
S
19
0.2
SSE
17
0.1
S
14
0.2
S
13
0.1
S
20
Energy kJ
50
29
27
4
13
8
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.4
ENE
8
0.6
SW
3
1.6
S
7
2.1
S
8
2.5
S
9
2.5
S
9
2.2
S
8
2.4
S
8
2.3
SSE
8
3
SSE
8
3
SSE
9
3
SSE
10
1.9
S
9
0.7
S
4
1.4
SSE
6
Energy kJ
827
6
239
593
1198
1075
659
762
636
1102
1361
2023
575
14
139
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
2
4
2
2
3
3
2
4
4
3
2
1
4
3
4
3
4
4
3
3
3
Distance (km)
0
3
0
0
3
3
13
84
3
3
119
13
84
209
209
3
3
3
3
3
3
Best forecast wave conditions in Newcastle
Rating
(10 max)
3
4
3
4
3
4
4
4
4
1
3
4
4
3
3
3
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
6
4
4
4
4
3
3
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
4
5
4
4
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
4
4
5
6
5
7
5
5
5
4
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Redhead:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Redhead surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


Information about the Redhead Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Redhead provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Redhead can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Redhead 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 (Redhead) 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 Redhead 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 Redhead, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Newcastle, consider staying in Newcastle which is 12 km (7 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 19 km (12 miles) away, Cessnock, Port Stephens and Central Coast.

Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest