Shelley Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 33.36° S 151.51° E

Shelley Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 pm 17 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Shelley Beach sea temperature is
18.5° C
0.3° 

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 17 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period, E swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 11s period, E swell with 1,126 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period with E 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 Monday (Jul 20) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 12s. 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 2.1m 11s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 10PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 4AM (Mon 20th Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 10s
Best Surf 4AM (Mon 20th Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 10s
Most Powerful 4AM (Sun 19th Jul)7ft (2.1m) 11s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, let’s talk Shelley Beach. This spot is consistent, exposed to the south-east, and it usually handles a bit of size. But the next few days? Honestly, pretty grim for a paddle. The wind is onshore from the SSE for Saturday the 18th, and the swell is small and short-period – 4ft at 6 to 7 seconds from the ESE. The combined energy is moderate at best, but the surf is just poor. Not worth getting wet.

Sunday the 19th is a no-go too. The swell bumps up to 7ft from the east, period gets to 11 seconds, and the energy jumps – that’s solid wave energy. But the wind is still onshore from the SE, making it messy. The forecast calls it marginal, and I’d agree.

Now, Monday the 20th is where it gets interesting. The morning is the standout for the first week. Glassy conditions with a light south-west wind, the swell is 5ft from the east at 10 seconds, and the combined energy is moderate to strong. The forecast says expect very good surf conditions. That’s the one to aim for. Shelley Beach will be clean and have some punch. The water temperature is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.

After Monday, things drop off. Tuesday the 21st is clean in the morning with a cross-offshore wind, but the swell is only 4ft and the energy drops. It’s surfable, but nothing special. The rest of the week slides into small, weak, and mostly messy conditions. From Wednesday the 22nd through to Sunday the 27th, the swell is tiny – often below 2ft – and the energy is weak. You’ll see a few glassy or clean moments, like Wednesday the 22nd morning and Sunday the 26th morning, but the waves are just too small to get excited about. There’s a long gap of flat, ordinary surf.

The end of July and into August brings a massive change. On Friday the 31st of July, a big south swell rolls in. The morning shows 10ft at 13 seconds from the south, with very strong energy. The wind is light offshore from the west, glassy. But here’s the thing: the forecast says it’s too big for this break. 10ft is expert territory, and at a beach break like Shelley, that’s going to be a washing machine. Same goes for the afternoon and into Saturday the 1st of August, with 10ft to 12ft and energy over 2000. These are big, powerful groundswells, long period, and they’ll be closing out hard. Unless you’re a seasoned charger with a big gun, stay on the sand. Even Sunday the 2nd of August sees 13ft at 11 seconds from the south – combined energy nearly 6000 – again, way too big for paddle surfing here. This setup would be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

So, the best of the whole outlook? Monday the 20th in the morning. Glassy, clean, 5ft of east swell with decent energy. That’s your window. The big stuff at the end is for the brave and the boardshorts, but it’s not really a goer for most.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Fri night. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat morning, min 13°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed morning, min 11°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
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
0
1
1
2
3
2
3
2
0
2
1
0
1
0
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
E
6
1.2
ESE
6
1.2
ESE
7
1.5
E
9
2
E
11
1.9
E
10
1.7
E
10
1.6
E
10
1.5
E
10
1.5
ENE
10
1.2
ENE
10
1.2
ENE
10
1.2
ENE
10
0.9
ENE
9
0.9
ENE
9
0.7
ENE
9
0.6
ENE
9
1.6
S
6
2.1
S
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
66
113
143
332
907
730
632
562
487
424
294
288
253
149
119
84
59
194
593
Wind (km/h)
10
S
20
SSE
20
SSE
20
SE
20
SE
15
SE
10
SE
5
SW
15
ENE
10
NW
10
N
20
NE
10
WNW
10
W
10
ESE
10
WSW
10
SW
10
SSE
20
SW
Wind State
cross-on
on
on
on
on
on
on
glassy
cross
off
cross-off
cross
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
cross
on
cross
High Tide
10:29PM1.67m
11:20AM1.25m
11:15PM1.51m
12:09PM1.27m
00:01AM1.34m
12:59PM1.28m
00:51AM1.17m
1:51PM1.29m
1:47AM1.03m
2:45PM1.31m
2:54AM0.93m
3:41PM1.32m
Low Tide
5:10AM0.04m
5:01PM0.35m
5:51AM0.13m
5:59PM0.42m
6:30AM0.22m
7:01PM0.48m
7:10AM0.31m
8:11PM0.52m
7:53AM0.39m
9:27PM0.53m
8:42AM0.45m
10:38PM0.50m
rain showers
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:54
6:54
6:52
6:52
6:52
6:52
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:05
5:06
5:06
5:07
5:07
5:07
 mm
1
3
Temp °C
16
17
17
17
17
16
16
14
15
14
14
16
15
18
18
16
15
15
15
Feels °C
15
13
12
13
12
14
14
13
13
12
11
13
13
16
15
13
12
13
13
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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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