Shelley Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.36° S 151.51° E

Shelley Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 am 09 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Shelley Beach sea temperature is
19.0° 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 8 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 10s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 16 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, SSE swell with 3,046 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 10s period with SE 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 (Jul 09) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 10s. 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 4.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 16) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 3s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 12) at 7AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)10AM (Thu 9th Jul)6ft (1.8m) 10s
Best Surf10AM (Thu 9th Jul)6ft (1.8m) 10s
Most Powerful 4AM (Thu 16th Jul)13ft (4.0m) 10s

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


Alright, listen up. Rusty checkin' in with a look at the surf for Shelley Beach. We've got a real mixed bag of weather and waves headin' our way, but there's a couple of windows that'll be worth the drive.

The big picture is we start with a solid pulse of energy that slowly fades, then a massive, messy storm swell blows in for the second week. The water temp is about 69°, which is right where it should be for the season, so no worries there.

The absolute best bet is Thursday morning, July 9th, at Shelley Beach. We're lookin' at a solid 6-foot swell from the southeast, with a 10-second period. The wind is a light cross-offshore, and with the combined wave energy at 752, it's got some real grunt. The report says "expect very good surf conditions," and with that clean 6-foot, you're gonna be gettin' some nice, punchy waves. Just keep an eye out, because this spot can get a few heads in the water.

Right on its heels, Friday, July 10th, is also a cracker. The swell drops a hair to 6 feet, still from the southeast, with a clean cross-offshore breeze. But the real standout is Friday afternoon when the wind goes glassy. We're talkin' 6-foot swell, 10-second period, with a surface like a mirror. The wave energy is still strong at 593, so those waves are gonna have plenty of shape. That afternoon session is gonna be pure magic.

After that, the swell starts to fade. Saturday morning, July 11th, is still surfable with a 4-foot swell and clean offshore winds, but it's gettin' smaller. By Sunday, the swell is droppin' fast and the wind picks up, so it's not worth the paddle.

From Monday, July 13th, we hit a real lull. The swell drops under 2 feet, and even with clean offshore winds, the wave energy is real low. It's surfable, but only if you're just itchin' to get wet.

Then, get ready for the storm. From Wednesday, July 15th, the wind turns onshore and the swell gets huge. We're talkin' 10-foot to 13-foot of southerly storm swell, with the combined energy goin' through the roof (over 2500). But the wind is howlin' onshore at 30 to 50 km/h, makin' it a complete mess. This is not for paddle surf. Honestly, with that setup, Shelley Beach is gonna look way more interesting for a kite surfer than anyone with a paddle.

The wind finally eases a bit around Sunday, July 19th, but the swell is still big and lumpy with cross-onshore wind. It's not gonna be pretty.

The only other half-decent window is way off on Wednesday, July 22nd. The morning looks promising with a 5-foot swell and glassy conditions, but the wind turns onshore in the afternoon. Still, that morning could be a sneaky good session, but it's a long way off, so don't book your holiday around it.

So, to wrap it up: the best surf is on Thursday morning, July 9th, and Friday, July 10th, especially the glassy afternoon. The rest of next week is a write-off, and the second week is stormy and messy. Get out there while the gettin' is good.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon afternoon, min 9°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Thursday
9
Friday
10
Saturday
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
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
3
3
3
2
2
1
2
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
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)
1.8
SE
10
1.8
SE
10
1.7
SE
9
1.7
SE
10
1.7
SE
10
1.4
SE
10
1.1
SE
9
0.9
ESE
11
0.9
ESE
10
0.7
ESE
10
0.5
ESE
9
0.3
ESE
9
0.5
S
12
0.7
S
9
0.6
S
6
0.5
S
9
0.4
S
9
0.2
S
10
1.4
S
6
3
S
9
3.5
S
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
573
614
492
513
580
373
194
190
160
81
50
16
73
85
29
40
24
8
148
1604
2646
Wind (km/h)
15
WSW
10
S
15
WSW
10
WSW
5
SSE
10
WNW
10
NNW
15
N
15
NW
30
W
25
W
25
W
20
NW
15
NNW
20
NW
20
W
10
SSE
15
WSW
30
SW
50
SSE
45
SSE
Wind State
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
cross
on
on
High Tide
3:27PM1.43m
3:41AM1.07m
4:26PM1.53m
4:57AM1.05m
5:23PM1.64m
6:06AM1.07m
6:19PM1.74m
7:08AM1.11m
7:13PM1.82m
8:03AM1.14m
8:04PM1.86m
8:55AM1.18m
8:54PM1.85m
Low Tide
10:00PM0.41m
9:38AM0.30m
11:11PM0.30m
10:38AM0.30m
00:15AM0.17m
11:38AM0.29m
1:13AM0.06m
12:36PM0.26m
2:06AM-0.02m
1:30PM0.24m
2:56AM-0.06m
2:23PM0.23m
3:43AM-0.06m
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
clear
cloud
cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
heavy rain
thunderstorm
mod rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:56
6:56
6:56
6:56
6:56
6:56
6:56
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:00
5:00
5:00
5:01
5:01
5:02
5:02
 mm
2
2
3
7
21
12
8
Temp °C
14
16
14
14
14
14
17
18
13
16
17
12
17
18
13
18
17
14
11
15
15
Feels °C
12
13
13
12
13
13
14
14
9
9
10
6
12
13
8
15
13
10
4
5
5
  • 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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