Shelley Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.36° S 151.51° E

Shelley Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 pm 26 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Shelley Beach sea temperature is
17.7°C
0.5° 

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 26 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 11s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 11s period, SSE swell with 691 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s 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 Thursday (Aug 27) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 8s. 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 1.7m 11s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore 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 (Sep 01) at 7PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7PM (Thu 27th Aug)5ft (1.5m) 9s
Best Surf 7AM (Fri 28th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 11s
Most Powerful 7AM (Fri 28th Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 11s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for us.

We’ve got a bit of a mixed bag comin’ up over the next couple of weeks at Shelley Beach. The first few days are pretty ordinary thanks to onshore winds and short, choppy seas, but we do have a couple of standout windows that’ll get the blood pumpin’ if you play your cards right.

The water’s sittin’ at 64°F with an anomaly of just -0.9°F, so that’s about average for this time of year – nothing to write home about, but you won’t need a thick steamer.

The first real highlight is shaping up for Friday morning, 28 August. We’ve got some 5ft groundswell rollin’ in from the SSE, with a long period of 11 seconds, and the glassy conditions with zero wind will make it clean as a whistle. The swell energy is at 639 (moderate), but the quality of those waves should be topnotch – expect very good surf conditions. This is your best bet in the early window. Shelley Beach is a consistent, exposed spot, and with the swell comin’ from the optimum SE direction, it’s gonna line up nicely. Crowds are sometimes there, so you might have a few mates out, but it’s worth it.

After that, we get a bit of a slump. The swell picks up again on Saturday morning, 29 August, with a 7ft SSE swell, but the energy is cranked up to 1595 (strong) and the wind is cross-on, making it messy. It’s a bit too big for beginners and the quality’s marginal – better suited for the more experienced crew if you’re desperate.

Sunday 30 August has a small, clean window in the morning with 3ft SSW swell, glassy, but the energy is only 238 (weak). It’s a nice little session if you’re on a log or a funboard, but not a standout.

The next serious highlight comes later. Monday 7 September sees a 8ft S swell with 1240 energy (strong) – that’s a big one, but the wind is cross-shore, so it’s gonna be a bit of a battle. Only for experts, and the conditions are marginal.

But hold on to your board – Tuesday 8 September morning is the real gem. We’ve got 5ft S swell with a period of 12 seconds, and the energy is 627 (moderate). The wind is NNE at 3 mph, so it’s cross-off and clean. Expect very good surf conditions. This one’s a beauty, and it’s consistent, so get out there. The swell direction is bang on for the optimum SE.

Then, on Thursday 10 September morning, another solid window: 5ft S swell, 11-second period, 596 energy, and offshore NW wind at 6 mph. That’s clean, lined-up, and well-shaped. Again, very good surf conditions.

So, to sum it up: your absolute best windows are Friday 28 August morning, Tuesday 8 September morning, and Thursday 10 September morning. The rest of the time, it’s either too small, too windy, or too messy. The long period swells (over 11 seconds) will have some extra push and longer gaps between sets, so paddlin’ out won’t be a chore. Shelley Beach is a beach break, so those long-period swells might break a bit straight – but with the right wind, it’ll still be fun.

Stay sharp, keep an eye on the wind, and don’t sleep on those clean mornings.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri night, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Tue afternoon, min 13°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
Monday
31
Tuesday
1
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
2
3
0
0
0
0
2
2
0
2
2
1
1
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)
1.4
SSE
7
1.9
S
9
1.6
S
9
1.3
S
9
1.6
SSE
11
1.5
SSE
10
1.4
SSE
9
1.4
SSE
10
1.3
SSE
10
0.8
SSE
10
0.8
S
9
1.1
SSE
9
1.1
S
9
0.6
S
17
0.6
S
16
0.8
S
9
0.8
S
12
0.7
S
11
0.6
S
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
214
601
386
257
582
442
329
394
327
140
102
197
186
217
190
106
180
119
80
Wind (km/h)
20
S
15
S
10
SE
10
WNW
0
SW
20
SSE
15
SSE
15
SSE
10
SE
5
W
5
NNE
15
ESE
10
SW
0
S
15
ENE
10
NNW
10
N
10
NW
15
NW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
on
off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
cross
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
High Tide
7:41AM1.17m
7:40PM1.57m
8:15AM1.25m
8:15PM1.57m
8:49AM1.32m
8:50PM1.54m
9:24AM1.38m
9:27PM1.47m
10:01AM1.42m
10:07PM1.38m
10:41AM1.45m
10:52PM1.27m
Low Tide
1:43AM0.18m
1:19PM0.32m
2:14AM0.13m
1:59PM0.28m
2:44AM0.10m
2:39PM0.26m
3:14AM0.10m
3:21PM0.25m
3:46AM0.12m
4:05PM0.26m
4:20AM0.17m
4:55PM0.29m
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:18
6:18
6:16
6:15
6:13
6:13
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:31
5:32
5:32
5:34
5:35
5:35
 mm
1
2
Temp °C
15
15
15
14
15
15
16
15
16
15
15
15
15
15
16
15
24
27
21
Feels °C
12
12
12
13
12
11
13
12
14
15
13
13
15
15
14
12
20
23
18
  • 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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