Redhead Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.02° S 151.72° E

Redhead Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 am 27 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Redhead sea temperature is
18.0°C
0.4° 

Redhead surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Redhead surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 30 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 10s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 10s period, SE swell with 139 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 10s period with SE swell.

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 Sunday (Aug 30) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 10s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Redhead in the next 16 days are 0.9m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.1m 9s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 10AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7AM (Sun 30th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 10s
Best Surf 7AM (Sun 30th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 10s
Most Powerful 7AM (Sun 30th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 10s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, let's get real about Redhead for the next couple of weeks. It's a tough stretch, no two ways about it. The swell energy is next to nothing, barely registering 20 to start, and it just doesn't have the oomph to get anything going. We're talking tiny, weak waves, mostly around 1ft to 1ft from the ENE, with a short, weak period around 8 to 10 seconds. It's a real struggle to find anything that's even remotely rideable, and the outlook is pretty grim for the first week and a half.

We start off Thursday, August 27th, with a sloppy, cross-on southerly breeze making a mess of the 1ft slop. It's a total write-off. Friday and Saturday don't get any better – still tiny, onshore junk. Now, Sunday morning, August 30th, you get a bit of a tease. The wind goes glassy from the NNW, and the water is flat calm, but the swell is still a pathetic 1ft. You could probably get a tiny knee-high ripple if you're desperate, but it's barely a surf. Monday morning, August 31st, is the same story – glassy conditions but no push.

The real bright spot, and the only time you'll see a bit of life, comes on Tuesday, September 1st, and Wednesday, September 2nd. The wind swings offshore from the NNW, and the swell picks up slightly to 1ft with a bit more period, hitting 11 seconds on Tuesday. That longer period (11 seconds) is a sign of a bit more shape, and with clean, offshore winds, the reef at Redhead should offer a few tiny, clean little shoulders. The combined energy is still weak (37 on Tuesday afternoon), so don't expect a big day, but it's the best you'll get. This is the standout window. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

After that, it's back to the same old story. The swell drops off again, a few days with a bit of cross-off or offshore breeze on the 4th and 5th of September, but the waves are still tiny. By the 7th, it's a total write-off with strong cross-on winds. The only glimmer is a late, last-ditch effort on the morning of Tuesday, September 8th. The swell climbs to 1ft with a combined energy of 59 (59) and glassy west winds. The wave comment finally says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions," which is the best rating we get. It's a 1/10, but after all this nothing, it's the only thing that's even in the conversation. It's a tiny, clean, glassy ripple – you'll be fighting for a knee-high wave, but it's clean.

After that, it's back to the doldrums. The 9th, 10th, and 11th of September are all tiny, under 1ft, with poor winds. The whole 16-day window is a tough one. There's no real size, and the only thing that makes it even worth a look is the clean offshore windows on the 1st, 2nd, and the 8th. The rest is just a flat, windy mess.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Sat morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Tue afternoon, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
Monday
31
Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
ENE
8
0.4
ENE
8
0.4
ENE
8
0.3
ENE
8
0.4
ENE
8
0.3
ENE
8
0.4
ENE
8
0.3
ENE
8
0.3
ENE
9
0.3
ENE
9
0.8
SE
10
0.3
ENE
10
0.3
ENE
9
0.3
ENE
9
0.3
ENE
9
0.3
E
11
0.4
ENE
11
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
0.4
ENE
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
20
21
24
13
25
13
28
14
16
15
113
18
17
16
15
20
37
33
32
31
31
Wind (km/h)
20
S
10
SSE
10
NW
5
NW
20
SSE
10
SSE
20
S
10
SE
10
WNW
5
NW
15
SE
10
S
0
W
15
ENE
10
N
15
NNW
20
N
20
NW
25
NW
25
NNW
20
NW
Wind State
cross-on
on
off
cross-off
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
High Tide
7:40PM1.40m
8:16AM1.14m
8:17PM1.42m
8:50AM1.21m
8:55PM1.42m
9:25AM1.27m
9:34PM1.37m
10:01AM1.30m
10:15PM1.29m
10:41AM1.32m
10:58PM1.18m
11:25AM1.31m
11:47PM1.06m
Low Tide
1:17PM0.27m
2:11AM0.08m
1:58PM0.22m
2:43AM0.07m
2:40PM0.18m
3:17AM0.08m
3:23PM0.17m
3:51AM0.11m
4:08PM0.18m
4:26AM0.16m
4:57PM0.21m
5:04AM0.23m
5:53PM0.26m
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
cloud
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:18
6:16
6:15
6:13
6:13
6:11
6:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:31
5:31
5:32
5:32
5:34
5:35
5:35
 mm
1
Temp °C
15
15
15
17
15
16
16
16
15
17
16
15
16
16
15
23
24
20
25
25
21
Feels °C
11
13
14
15
12
13
12
14
14
15
14
15
14
14
13
18
20
17
19
20
17
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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