Shelley Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.36° S 151.51° E

Shelley Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 pm 14 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Shelley Beach sea temperature is
17.8°C
0.7° 

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 14 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, S swell with cross-shore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, S swell with 2,501 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 17 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 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 Thursday (Sep 17) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 3.0m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 13s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Shelley Beach in the next 16 days are 3.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 20) at 4PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 4AM (Thu 17th Sep)11ft (3.5m) 10s
Best Surf 4AM (Thu 17th Sep)11ft (3.5m) 10s
Most Powerful 4AM (Thu 17th Sep)11ft (3.5m) 10s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what Shelley Beach has cookin' for us over the next couple of weeks. Gotta be honest, it's a bit of a mixed bag, and for the most part, the ocean's just not playing ball. There's a lot of chop and wind-ruffled slop to sift through before we get anything decent.

For the first few days, right through Tuesday the 15th and into Wednesday the 16th, it’s pretty grim. Small, weak windswell with periods around 6 seconds and combined energy barely reaching 54. The wind is cross-onshore, making a mess of things. Wednesday the 16th sees a big jump in swell height – we're talking 10 ft to 12 ft from the South with a period of 10 seconds – but it's arriving with a strong cross-onshore wind that's just whipping the surface into a lumpy, choppy mess. The combined energy is massive (1633 to 2168), but it's unsurfable for a paddle; honestly, if you're into kites, that setup might look a whole lot more interesting.

Thursday the 17th is a bit of a tease. Morning session has a solid 10 ft S swell and the wind eases to a moderate breeze, but it's still cross-onshore and it's predicted to be just too big for this break. The afternoon cleans up a little with a 7 ft SSE swell and onshore wind, but the conditions are still described as poor.

We finally get a small window on Saturday the 19th. Saturday morning is the standout of the whole run. The swell drops to a clean 3 ft from the South with a period of 9 seconds, but the wind goes glassy. Combined energy is a modest 214, but that glassy surface is pure gold. It'll be small, but clean and fun for a log or a mid-length. The water temperature is about average for this time of year. Just a heads up, crowds are possible here.

After that, it's back to the struggle. We've got a long stretch of poor surf from Saturday afternoon right through to Monday the 28th. Most days are plagued by strong, lumpy cross-shore winds, making anything over knee-high a bumpy mess. The swell sticks around from the S and SSE, often with a long period (10-13 seconds), which usually means better shape, but the wind just ruins it.

There's a little flicker of hope on Monday the 28th of September. The afternoon session looks alright. We get a clean 4 ft swell from the ESE with a period of 7 seconds and, crucially, a moderate offshore wind from the NNW. That’s the kind of wind that will clean things right up. It's not a world-beater, but after all that rubbish, a clean offshore wave is a welcome sight. The combined energy sits at 292 – moderate.

But that's about it for the 16-day window. There's a massive gap of un-surfable conditions before that Monday arvo, and nothing promising after it. A long run of poor conditions, really.

So, to wrap it up: your best bet is Saturday the 19th morning at Shelley Beach for a tiny, glassy session. The other option, if you're desperate and can wait, is Monday the 28th afternoon for that clean offshore wind. For everything else, you might as well stay home and wax your board.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Mon night, min 9°C on Wed night). Mainly strong winds.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Sun morning, min 11°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
15
Wednesday
16
Thursday
17
Friday
18
Saturday
19
Sunday
20
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
!
0
2
1
0
2
2
0
1
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)
1.5
NE
6
0.7
ENE
6
0.5
NE
6
2.5
S
8
3
S
10
3.5
S
10
3.5
S
10
3
S
10
2.1
SSE
9
1.6
SSE
9
1.3
SSE
9
1.2
S
9
1
S
9
0.8
S
9
0.8
S
9
0.6
S
9
0.5
S
8
0.4
SSE
8
0.2
S
19
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
186
36
19
947
1609
2153
2248
1618
705
366
276
246
168
113
113
59
37
23
29
Wind (km/h)
15
N
5
SSE
20
SSE
30
S
35
SSW
35
SSW
30
S
20
SSW
15
SE
10
WNW
5
NE
15
ENE
15
W
5
SW
10
E
5
NW
10
NE
15
NE
15
NW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
off
cross-off
cross
off
High Tide
10:13PM1.25m
10:34AM1.46m
10:54PM1.12m
11:13AM1.40m
11:39PM1.01m
11:59AM1.34m
00:34AM0.92m
12:55PM1.27m
1:48AM0.86m
2:04PM1.24m
3:16AM0.87m
3:16PM1.25m
Low Tide
4:10AM0.28m
5:01PM0.31m
4:42AM0.37m
5:51PM0.39m
5:18AM0.46m
6:50PM0.46m
6:02AM0.54m
8:03PM0.50m
7:03AM0.59m
9:21PM0.50m
8:23AM0.62m
10:27PM0.45m
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:54
5:52
5:50
5:50
5:48
5:47
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:45
5:45
5:45
5:46
5:46
5:47
 mm
Temp °C
22
22
17
13
13
14
14
14
14
13
18
18
17
24
21
21
28
27
26
Feels °C
18
20
15
6
4
5
6
9
11
12
14
15
16
19
17
18
23
24
22
  • Map Icons:
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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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