Surf Forecasts:
Shelley Beach surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 6s period, NE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 6s period, NE swell with 200 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 6s period with NE 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 20) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 13s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Shelley Beach in the next 16 days are 1.6m 6s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Friday (Aug 21) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 6s |
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 the next 16 days for Shelley Beach.
It’s gonna be a real mixed bag to start. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak surf, and the wind is all over the place. For the first week and a half, the swell is tiny and the period is short, so expect a lot of bumpy, choppy conditions. You’ll be doing a lot of waiting for not much reward. The consistent setup means it won’t stay this flat forever, but right now, it’s pretty grim.
The first real standout isn’t until the morning of Wednesday, 2nd September. The wind swings light offshore from the west, and we get a clean 4ft swell from the east with a 10-second period. The combined energy here is a solid 459 (moderate), so there’s some proper push behind it. This is the best call on offer – clean, offshore lines, and a decent size to wrap around the exposed, SE-facing beach. It’s a consistent break, so there should be plenty of waves, but keep in mind the “sometimes” crowds could be a factor.
Then, on the morning of Thursday, 3rd September, it’s looking magic again. Glassy conditions, a 4ft swell from the east-northeast, and the period stretches to 11 seconds. That’s a nice groundswell signal, and the combined energy is 378 (moderate). The water temp is about 64°F, which is normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The rest of the second week is a bit of a lottery. The swell stays around 3ft, and the wind is variable. The morning of Friday, 4th September has a clean offshore breeze and a 3ft east-northeast swell with a 10-second period, which is a solid, fun option for a quiet session, but it’s not a standout like the 2nd and 3rd.
So, if you’ve got patience, pencil in the 2nd and 3rd of September. That’s where the juice is.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Thu morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 22°C on Tue afternoon, min 13°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun morning, strong winds from the SSW by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | S 10 | SSE 8 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 50 | 55 | 90 | 41 | 26 | 9 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 125 | 116 | 162 | 121 | 87 | 68 | 60 | 71 | 67 | 58 | 56 | 54 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | glassy | off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:49PM1.28m | 2:17AM0.88m | 2:54PM1.27m | 3:41AM0.86m | 4:00PM1.29m | 4:54AM0.89m | 4:58PM1.35m | 5:47AM0.94m | 5:46PM1.42m | 6:29AM1.01m | 6:27PM1.49m | 7:06AM1.09m | 7:04PM1.54m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:46PM0.53m | 7:49AM0.53m | 10:05PM0.51m | 8:59AM0.56m | 11:09PM0.46m | 10:09AM0.54m | 11:58PM0.39m | 11:07AM0.50m | 00:37AM0.32m | 11:56AM0.43m | 1:11AM0.24m | 12:39PM0.37m | 1:43AM0.18m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | |  | |  | | | | | | | |  |  | | | | |
 | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — |
 | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 19 | 3 | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 22 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 |
Feels °C | 15 | 14 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 19 | 11 | 6 | 8 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | SE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | S 6 | NE 6 | S 10 | SSE 8 | S 10 | ENE 6 | S 10 | ENE 6 | S 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SE 6 |
| kJ | 50 | 23 | 90 | 41 | 26 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 125 | 116 | 162 | 47 | 87 | 40 | 60 | 71 | 67 | 56 | 56 | 27 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 5 | E 10 | S 13 | S 12 | SE 7 | S 10 | S 6 | S 9 | S 8 | ENE 6 | SSE 15 | ENE 8 | S 10 | S 16 | S 10 | ENE 6 | S 9 | S 16 | S 8 | S 9 | S 6 |
| kJ | 14 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 71 | 7 | 121 | 43 | 68 | 20 | 40 | 21 | 13 | 6 | 36 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 11 | S 14 | S 12 | — | S 11 | SE 8 | S 9 | E 10 | — | ENE 9 | E 14 | E 14 | S 16 | E 13 | ENE 9 | NE 9 | S 3 | — | S 16 | S 16 | ENE 8 |
| kJ | 2 | 4 | 3 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 7 | 4 | 4 | 21 | 3 | 8 | 21 | 1 | — | 20 | 19 | 54 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | ENE 6 | — | NW 2 | NW 3 | NW 3 | — | ENE 6 | S 3 | S 4 | NE 9 | ENE 5 | NW 4 | ENE 6 | WSW 2 | — | — | S 4 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | — |
| kJ | 46 | 55 | — | 1 | 2 | 4 | — | 12 | 2 | 8 | 20 | 34 | 3 | 57 | 1 | — | — | 24 | 58 | 42 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 100 | 0 | 3 | 91 | 219 | 219 | 349 | 13 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 170 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 128 | 162 | 260 | 11 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Newcastle | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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