Shelley Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.36° S 151.51° E

Shelley Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 am 19 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Shelley Beach sea temperature is
18.6° C
0.4° 

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


Shelley Beach surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 11s period, E swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 11s period, E swell with 924 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 11s period with E swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Shelley Beach this week:

The surf forecast for Shelley Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Shelley Beach in the next 16 days are 2.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 10PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Mon 20th Jul)6ft (1.8m) 11s
Best Surf 1AM (Mon 20th Jul)6ft (1.8m) 11s
Most Powerful10AM (Sun 19th Jul)6.5ft (2.0m) 11s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at Shelley Beach over the next couple of weeks.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but don’t write it off just yet. The first couple of days are pretty average, with onshore winds and a bit of a bumpy ocean. But hold tight, because the second half of the week and into the weekend is where things start to get interesting.

The real standout is going to be the morning of Monday the 28th of July. The swell is solid at 8ft out of the S, with a long period of 13 seconds. That’s proper groundswell with some serious push. The wind is light and cross-off, keeping things clean. The combined wave energy is a hefty 2676, so you’ll feel the power. This is a day for experienced surfers, as it’s well over the 8ft mark for the afternoon session, but the morning is a beauty. The crowd situation at Shelley Beach can be “sometimes” busy, so get in early.

Don’t sleep on the 29th of July either. Wednesday morning is looking excellent for experienced surfers with a 8ft S swell and a 13-second period, and clean offshore winds from the NW. The energy is strong at 1951. That afternoon holds up nicely too, with a 7ft S swell and continuing offshore winds.

The water temperature is sitting at 66°F, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

There’s a big pulse forecast for the afternoon of the 28th, but it’s predicted to be too big for this break at 12ft. That’s a warning for the crew on the beach.

Wind and conditions look good for the 30th as well, with a 5ft SSE swell and glassy conditions in the morning. That’s a solid, clean option.

The first week of August brings another excellent pulse on the morning of Monday the 3rd. A 7ft SSE swell with a 13-second period and light winds, giving you a 2036 energy reading. That’s another one for the experienced crew.

So, to sum it up: the first few days are a bit meh, but from the 24th of July onward, the quality picks up. The absolute best on offer is the morning of the 28th and the 29th of July. The 3rd of August is also a promising call, but it’s a bit further out, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed morning, min 7°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
3
3
2
3
2
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
3
2
2
1
2
2
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2
E
11
1.8
E
10
1.8
E
11
1.7
E
11
1.6
E
11
1.5
ENE
10
1.2
ENE
10
1.1
ENE
10
1.3
ENE
10
1
ENE
9
0.9
ENE
9
0.8
ENE
9
0.7
ENE
9
0.8
SSW
6
2
S
9
1.6
S
9
1.3
S
10
0.8
S
10
1
S
12
1.1
S
13
1.4
S
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
924
656
734
682
584
432
294
250
305
161
121
94
70
50
635
386
320
121
285
440
451
Wind (km/h)
20
SE
15
SE
5
SE
5
SSW
10
NE
10
NW
10
N
20
NE
15
N
15
WNW
10
E
20
W
20
W
25
SW
25
WSW
15
W
5
WNW
15
W
10
WNW
25
W
20
W
Wind State
on
on
glassy
glassy
cross
off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
off
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
12:09PM1.27m
00:01AM1.34m
12:59PM1.28m
00:51AM1.17m
1:51PM1.29m
1:47AM1.03m
2:45PM1.31m
2:54AM0.93m
3:41PM1.32m
4:07AM0.89m
4:36PM1.36m
5:13AM0.89m
5:26PM1.40m
Low Tide
5:59PM0.42m
6:30AM0.22m
7:01PM0.48m
7:10AM0.31m
8:11PM0.52m
7:53AM0.39m
9:27PM0.53m
8:42AM0.45m
10:38PM0.50m
9:37AM0.49m
11:38PM0.44m
10:34AM0.49m
00:26AM0.38m
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:54
6:52
6:52
6:52
6:52
6:50
6:50
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:06
5:06
5:07
5:07
5:07
5:08
5:09
 mm
Temp °C
17
16
15
14
15
14
15
16
15
20
20
16
17
16
9
14
17
10
19
18
14
Feels °C
14
14
14
13
13
12
12
12
12
17
17
12
11
9
2
10
14
4
16
13
8
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  • 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 Shelley Beach Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Shelley Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Shelley Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Shelley Beach 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 (Shelley Beach) 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 Shelley Beach 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 Shelley Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Newcastle, consider staying in Central Coast which is 20 km (12 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 24 km (15 miles) away, Dee Why, Newcastle and Hornsby.

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