Shelley Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.36° S 151.51° E

Shelley Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 04 Sep 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 4 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 10 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, SSE swell with cross-shore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SSE swell with 2,844 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 4 Sep, 7PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 8s 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 Friday (Sep 04) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 3s is also forecast. 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 13s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 10PM. 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 4s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 06) at 4AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7PM (Fri 4th Sep)2.5ft (0.7m) 8s
Best Surf 7AM (Thu 10th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 10s
Most Powerful10PM (Thu 10th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 13s

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 what’s lining up for us over the next couple of weeks.

We’re kicking off with a slow start. Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th are pretty much a write-off – small, weak, and messy. The water temperature is sitting at 65°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real glimmer of hope comes Monday morning, September 7th. Shelley Beach will see a clean 5 ft swell from the south with a period of 8 seconds. The wind is dead calm – glassy conditions. Combined energy is moderate at 270. It’s not going to be epic, but it’ll be clean and fun on a longboard. The swell direction is close to the optimum from the south-east, so it’s a decent little session to start the week.

Now, hold onto your boardies – Tuesday the 8th brings a serious jump in size. The morning shows 8 ft from the SSE (period 9 seconds) with a combined energy of 1709, which is strong. Problem is, the wind is cross-shore and lumpy. That’s big, powerful, but pretty messy. This one is for experienced surfers only, and even then, it’s not going to be pretty. The afternoon is similar, still big but with a gentle cross-onshore chop.

Wednesday the 9th morning is where it’s at. A clean 5 ft swell from the SSE, period 10 seconds, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the north (10 km/h). This is the standout of the first week – clean, solid, and surfable. Combined energy is 405 – moderate but solid. Shelley Beach should offer some nice, shapely lines. Crowds are possible here, so get in early.

The period from Thursday the 10th through to Tuesday the 15th is a mixed bag. Thursday the 10th morning has a massive 10 ft swell from the SSE (period 10 seconds, energy 1887) but the wind is a fresh 30 km/h cross-shore. It’s too big for this break and the wind is going to make it dangerous. Kite surfers might be interested, but for paddle surfing, it’s a hard no. Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th see size dropping back to 8 ft and 5 ft, but the wind stays onshore or cross-shore, keeping conditions marginal.

From Sunday the 13th right through to Wednesday the 16th, it’s a long flat spell. Swell drops to under 3 ft, with poor winds and weak energy. There’s a big gap of about 4 days with no real recommendations.

Then, just when you think it’s over, we get a late surprise. Thursday the 17th morning: glassy conditions again, with a 5 ft swell from the SSW (period 7 seconds). Combined energy is 341. It’s a short-period swell, but with the wind dead calm and clean, it’ll be a fun little session before the next pulse.

That next pulse hits on Friday the 18th – a massive 10 ft southerly swell with a period of 14 seconds. Combined energy is an enormous 3424. That’s very long period groundswell, but the wind is howling 30 km/h cross-onshore. It’s a messy, dangerous beast. Only for the hardcore, and even then, it’s going to be a washing machine. Saturday the 19th is still big (8 ft) but the wind is lighter, so it might clean up a little, but the onshore component will keep it lumpy.

So, the best bets are: Monday morning September 7th for a clean, glassy session, and Wednesday morning September 9th for the best combination of size and wind. The later pulse on the 17th is also a glassy option, but it’s short period. The big stuff on the 18th is a miss for Shelley Beach.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed morning, min 11°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon morning, strong winds from the S by Wed night).

Friday
4
Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
3
2
0
0
2
2
3
2
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)
1.2
S
11
0.9
S
9
0.5
S
11
0.7
S
10
0.6
S
9
0.5
S
9
0.7
S
7
0.7
S
7
2
S
10
1.4
S
8
1.2
SSE
8
3
SSE
9
2.3
SSE
9
2.3
SSE
11
1.9
SSE
10
1.5
SSE
10
1.4
SSE
9
2.5
SSE
9
3
SSE
10
3
S
11
3
SSE
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
335
123
66
89
58
42
52
54
873
260
187
1317
863
1256
671
391
340
1048
1673
2092
2535
Wind (km/h)
5
S
20
ENE
10
W
20
NNE
20
NNW
25
W
20
WSW
20
SE
15
WSW
0
W
15
E
35
S
20
SSW
15
SSE
10
NW
10
N
30
S
40
S
30
SSW
30
S
25
S
Wind State
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
on
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
1:25PM1.43m
2:14AM0.96m
2:40PM1.44m
3:44AM0.96m
3:54PM1.49m
4:59AM1.02m
5:00PM1.56m
5:57AM1.12m
5:57PM1.63m
6:45AM1.22m
6:46PM1.66m
7:28AM1.31m
7:31PM1.65m
Low Tide
8:22PM0.37m
7:47AM0.46m
9:46PM0.33m
9:08AM0.47m
10:57PM0.24m
10:24AM0.43m
11:54PM0.15m
11:28AM0.35m
00:41AM0.08m
12:24PM0.28m
1:23AM0.04m
1:14PM0.21m
2:00AM0.03m
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
light rain
cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
light rain
cloud
part cloud
light rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:09
6:07
6:05
6:05
6:03
6:01
6:01
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:37
5:37
5:38
5:38
5:39
5:40
5:40
 mm
1
1
1
Temp °C
17
17
18
28
30
25
20
18
16
18
17
16
13
14
14
19
16
14
12
14
15
Feels °C
13
12
16
23
26
22
16
14
14
15
15
8
8
11
13
16
10
6
5
7
9
  • 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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