Redhead Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.02° S 151.72° E

Redhead Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 01 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Redhead sea temperature is
17.9° C
0.7° 

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


Redhead surf forecast from 1 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 3 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 12s period, SE swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 2 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 12s period, SE swell with 736 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 2 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 15s 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 02) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 15s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Redhead in the next 16 days are 1.6m 12s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 9s period and expected on Friday (Aug 07) at 4AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7AM (Sun 2nd Aug)2ft (0.6m) 15s
Best Surf 1AM (Mon 3rd Aug)5ft (1.5m) 12s
Most Powerful10PM (Sun 2nd Aug)5ft (1.6m) 12s

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


The Lowdown

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's get stuck into what's on offer for our local stretch, and just quietly, it's a patchy run with a few windows to chase.

Alright, looking at the big picture, we've got a long wait ahead. The first few days are flat, with nothing worth paddling out for. The first real chance to get wet doesn't come until Monday the 3rd, and after that, it's mostly a struggle against raw conditions until a couple of bigger, more interesting days pop up in the second week. We're looking at a solid four-day blank from the start, so don't be in a rush.

The standout of the whole forecast is Monday morning, the 3rd of August. Redhead is your call. We've got a clean 4 ft southeast swell rolling in with a period of 11 seconds, and the wind is a gentle offshore from the northwest. The water is sitting at 64°, which is about average for the time of year. The combined energy of all swells directed here is moderate (302). It's a reef break, so it'll handle that long-period energy well. It's a beginner-friendly spot, and you'll be surfing it on a fairly consistent day. Just a heads up, crowds are possible here sometimes.

Monday afternoon on the 3rd holds up okay too, with the same offshore wind and a 3 ft southeast swell, but the energy drops off a bit. It's still surfable, just not as punchy as the morning.

Now, the second week gets a bit more dramatic. Look at Monday the 10th of August. We've got a fresh 19 mph offshore wind from the northwest, pushing into a 4 ft southeast swell. The combined energy is strong (424). It's a bit on the messier side with a "marginal" tag, but it's the cleanest of a gnarly bunch. The wind is strong, but it's offshore, so it'll be blowing the tops off. The swell period is only 9 seconds, so it's a bit of a windswell, lacking the deeper push of the 3rd.

Then, on Thursday the 13th of August, the size jumps up. The morning has a 8 ft southeast swell, combined energy a very strong (773), but the period is a short 8 seconds. With a cross-offshore wind, it's clean, but that size is getting into expert-only territory, and the short period means it'll be a bit of a lumpy, walled-up mess at this reef. The afternoon blows out with a strong 19 mph cross-shore wind. The 14th and 15th are similar – big, chunky, and messy with strong winds, not really a paddle surfer's friend.

So, to sum it up: Monday morning the 3rd is your best bet by a long shot. It's the cleanest, most user-friendly wave. The second week offers some size but it's raw, windy, and low quality. If you're kite surfing, the 13th, 14th, and 15th with that strong cross-offshore wind and 6 ft+ swell will look very interesting, but for the paddle crew, it's mostly a watch-and-wait situation.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Sat morning. Warm (max 21°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue afternoon, min 8°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
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
1
0
2
2
1
1
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)
0.1
E
12
0.1
E
12
0.1
E
18
0.6
SE
15
0.8
SE
14
1.5
SE
12
1.1
SE
11
0.9
SE
11
0.5
SE
10
0.3
ESE
7
0.3
ESE
7
0.3
E
10
0.4
E
10
0.3
E
9
0.3
E
8
0.2
E
8
0.2
E
8
0.1
E
16
0.1
E
7
0.2
E
7
0.2
E
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
3
3
6
174
221
583
297
191
54
10
9
19
29
14
12
5
5
5
2
4
6
Wind (km/h)
5
W
10
E
10
N
10
N
20
ENE
15
N
15
NW
15
NW
10
NW
20
W
5
NNW
20
WNW
15
WNW
10
SE
10
W
10
NW
15
E
5
NW
10
SSW
10
SSE
5
NW
Wind State
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
off
cross
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
cross-on
on
cross-off
High Tide
9:57PM1.42m
10:36AM1.16m
10:36PM1.35m
11:15AM1.19m
11:18PM1.26m
11:58AM1.20m
00:04AM1.15m
12:47PM1.22m
00:59AM1.02m
1:45PM1.23m
2:08AM0.91m
2:54PM1.26m
3:35AM0.85m
Low Tide
3:41PM0.26m
4:30AM0.09m
4:25PM0.27m
5:06AM0.13m
5:13PM0.30m
5:43AM0.19m
6:08PM0.34m
6:24AM0.25m
7:11PM0.37m
7:11AM0.31m
8:25PM0.39m
8:07AM0.36m
9:49PM0.36m
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:43
6:43
6:43
6:41
6:41
6:39
6:39
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:14
5:15
5:15
5:15
5:16
5:16
5:17
 mm
1
Temp °C
14
15
15
16
16
16
20
21
17
17
19
13
16
15
13
15
15
14
14
15
15
Feels °C
13
13
12
14
12
12
15
17
13
13
16
7
12
11
9
13
11
11
12
13
14
  • 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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