Shelley Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.36° S 151.51° E

Shelley Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 25 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Shelley Beach sea temperature is
18.4° C
0.2° 

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 25 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 30 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, S swell with 1,561 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 25 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 10s period with S 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 Saturday (Jul 25) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Shelley Beach in the next 16 days are 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 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 0.6m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 10PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7PM (Sat 25th Jul)4ft (1.2m) 10s
Best Surf 7AM (Thu 30th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 9s
Most Powerful 7AM (Thu 30th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 9s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here, let's talk about what's coming up at Shelley Beach.

Alright, so we're looking at a pretty average start with a lot of waiting around. The first week is mostly a write-off, but there's a couple of blips worth keeping an eye on. The real action, if it holds, looks like it's in the second week.

This weekend, Saturday the 25th, we've got a bit of a tease. A 6ft southerly swell with a solid 11-second period is rolling in, giving us a combined energy of (701). The morning glass-off with a light WNW cross-off wind will be the time to be in the water. It'll be clean. But by afternoon, the wind swings and it gets messy. It's a short window, but it's the best of the near-term.

Sunday the 26th is similar - a 6ft southerly swell (746) and clean conditions in the morning with a light offshore wind. Again, a morning mission. Then Monday the 27th, the swell drops to 4ft (212) but the wind goes glassy in the morning. The waves will be clean but small.

After that, it really goes flat. From Tuesday the 28th all the way through to Friday the 1st of August, the wave energy is weak and the wind is either onshore or cross-shore and messy. You're looking at a solid 5-day gap where there's nothing worth paddling out for. The swell pops a little on Thursday the 30th, but an 8ft southerly swell (1895) with a strong cross-on wind is just a washing machine. Not for paddling, maybe look at it for a kite session if you're into that.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. A nice long period groundswell arrives for Wednesday the 5th of August. A 7ft SSE swell with a 13-second period (1576) and a light offshore wind in the morning, then going glassy in the afternoon. This is for experienced surfers as it's over 7ft, but the conditions are clean and the energy is high. This is a standout.

Thursday the 6th of August follows it up with a 5ft SSE swell (581) and a clean offshore wind in the morning. Still very good conditions.

Then the big one shows up on the Saturday the 8th of August. A 10ft SSE swell (1093) is forecast. The wind is light and cross-off, but the file tells me the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. That's a big swell for Shelley, so it's only going to be for the most experienced crew, and even then it's a question mark.

To wrap it up, the best bet on offer is the Wednesday the 5th of August morning session. The swell is a solid 7ft from the SSE, the period is a juicy 13 seconds, and the wind is light and offshore. It's a week and a half away, so don't book the time off just yet, but it's the one to circle on the calendar. The Sunday the 9th of August morning also looks excellent with a similar sized swell and offshore winds, so that second week is looking promising.

Rusty out.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat afternoon, min 11°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue morning, min 8°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue morning, fresh winds from the SW by Wed afternoon).

Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
Friday
31
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
1
1
3
1
2
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
3
2
0
3
0
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.7
S
11
1.3
S
10
1.3
S
11
1.8
S
11
1.6
S
10
1.3
S
9
1.1
S
9
1
S
9
0.8
SSE
8
0.6
S
7
0.4
S
9
0.3
S
8
0.2
S
7
0.6
SSW
6
2.3
S
9
2.5
S
9
2.2
S
9
2.3
S
9
1.6
S
9
2.1
S
9
1.4
SSE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
688
361
423
743
551
300
199
154
87
40
24
12
3
26
842
1062
803
847
402
691
290
Wind (km/h)
10
WNW
10
NE
15
WSW
10
W
10
ESE
5
S
0
WNW
15
ENE
10
NW
10
W
15
ENE
20
WNW
25
WSW
30
SW
20
WSW
20
SW
25
SSW
20
WSW
25
SW
25
SSW
15
WSW
Wind State
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
on
glassy
glassy
cross
off
cross-off
cross
off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
5:26PM1.40m
6:08AM0.93m
6:12PM1.46m
6:53AM0.97m
6:53PM1.52m
7:33AM1.02m
7:32PM1.57m
8:10AM1.07m
8:08PM1.60m
8:46AM1.11m
8:43PM1.60m
9:22AM1.16m
9:17PM1.58m
Low Tide
10:34AM0.49m
00:26AM0.38m
11:27AM0.47m
1:07AM0.32m
12:14PM0.43m
1:44AM0.26m
12:57PM0.39m
2:19AM0.21m
1:38PM0.36m
2:52AM0.17m
2:16PM0.34m
3:24AM0.14m
2:56PM0.34m
3:55AM0.13m
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:50
6:50
6:48
6:48
6:48
6:47
6:46
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:09
5:09
5:10
5:12
5:12
5:13
5:14
 mm
Temp °C
17
18
14
15
15
15
16
16
15
18
17
14
16
14
10
13
14
14
14
15
14
Feels °C
15
15
9
12
12
14
15
13
12
16
13
9
8
6
5
7
8
8
8
10
11
  • 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 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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