Surf Forecasts:
Shelley Beach surf forecast from 27 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 12s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 11s period, SSE swell with 704 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s 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 (Aug 27) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. 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 1.7m 11s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Shelley Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here with the surf outlook for the next couple of weeks.
First up, we’ve got a bit of a mixed bag. The good news is there’s some fun swell on the way, but the trade-off is it’s pretty inconsistent across the board. The water temp at Shelley Beach is sitting at 64°, which is a touch on the cool side for this time of year, but nothing too wild.
Let’s kick things off. We’ve got a bit of a wait for the real quality. Thursday the 27th of August is a write-off, so don’t even bother. The swell is there but it’s messy, with a cross-on wind and a combined energy of 1410, but it’s too choppy.
The first real standout is Friday morning, the 28th of August. Glassy conditions, a clean 6 ft swell from the SSE, with a period of 11 seconds. That’s a groundswell, giving it some decent shape. The combined energy is 746, so it’s got some punch. This is the day to be out there. It’s an intermediate spot, so it’s not a beginner’s day, but for anyone with a bit of experience, this is the window.
Saturday the 29th is a bit of a let down. The swell drops to 4 ft, and the wind swings around, creating a bit of a mess. The morning is marginal, the afternoon is a bit better with a 5 ft swell, but the wind is onshore, so it’s not great.
Sunday the 30th of August morning is a solid option. Glassy again, with a 3 ft swell from the south. It’s not big, but it’s clean. The energy is low at 266, so it’s a small-wave day for the longboard or a fun fish.
Then we hit a bit of a lull. From the 31st of August through to the 6th of September, the swell is mostly small, often under 3 ft, and the wind is a factor. There are some glassy moments, like Monday morning the 31st and Tuesday morning the 1st of September, with clean conditions and a 4 ft and 3 ft swell respectively. But the energy is low, and it’s not going to be anything special.
Now, the next real standout is a bit further out. Monday morning, the 7th of September looks promising. We’ve got a 5 ft swell from the south, with a period of 10 seconds, and a gentle offshore wind from the WNW. That’s a clean setup, and the combined energy is 511. That’s a solid morning session. Be aware, the swell is just over 5 ft, so it’s getting a bit chunky for total beginners.
After that, from the 8th of September onwards, the swell drops off again and the wind gets stronger. There’s a few small, clean days, but the energy is very low.
So, to wrap it up, the best bet is Friday morning the 28th of August, with that clean, 6 ft SSE groundswell and glassy conditions. The secondary call is Monday morning the 7th of September, with a similar size swell and offshore wind. The rest of the period is a mix of small, clean windows and a lot of onshore slop.
Keep an eye on the charts, but for now, pencil in those two mornings.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu morning, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Tue afternoon, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 16 | S 9 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 11 | SSE 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
770 | 386 | 263 | 655 | 442 | 287 | 312 | 461 | 151 | 126 | 194 | 246 | 169 | 190 | 110 | 216 | 157 | 110 | 75 | 57 | 33 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | off | glassy | on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 7:40PM1.57m | 8:15AM1.25m | 8:15PM1.57m | 8:49AM1.32m | 8:50PM1.54m | 9:24AM1.38m | 9:27PM1.47m | 10:01AM1.42m | 10:07PM1.38m | 10:41AM1.45m | 10:52PM1.27m | 11:26AM1.45m | 11:44PM1.14m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:19PM0.32m | 2:14AM0.13m | 1:59PM0.28m | 2:44AM0.10m | 2:39PM0.26m | 3:14AM0.10m | 3:21PM0.25m | 3:46AM0.12m | 4:05PM0.26m | 4:20AM0.17m | 4:55PM0.29m | 4:58AM0.24m | 5:52PM0.33m | ||||||||
6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | |
— | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 24 | 26 | 20 | 27 | 28 | 22 |
Feels °C | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 19 | 21 | 17 | 22 | 24 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | S 9 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 11 | SSE 10 |
588 | 386 | 263 | 655 | 442 | 287 | 312 | 461 | 151 | 126 | 194 | 246 | 169 | 168 | 110 | 216 | 157 | 110 | 75 | 57 | 33 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | S 9 | ENE 9 | S 8 | SSE 10 | SE 9 | ENE 10 | S 17 | S 16 | SSE 16 | ENE 11 | NE 4 | ENE 5 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 |
35 | 24 | 42 | 26 | 26 | 13 | 57 | 25 | 109 | 115 | 23 | 18 | 144 | 190 | 82 | 22 | 12 | 19 | 33 | 31 | 32 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 15 | S 15 | SSE 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 10 | ENE 9 | S 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | SSE 16 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | NE 5 | NE 4 | NE 5 |
17 | 38 | 73 | 65 | 14 | 2 | 25 | 15 | 27 | 25 | 15 | 53 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 38 | 33 | 7 | 3 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | — | — | — | S 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 2 | NE 3 | NNE 4 | NE 4 | NW 2 | NNW 3 | — | NNW 2 |
770 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 6 | 36 | 1 | 3 | — | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 166 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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.











