Shelly Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.54° S 145.40° E

Shelly Beach Sea Temperature and Wetsuit Guide

Issued: 9 pm 18 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Shelly Beach sea temperature is
13.4° C
0.9° 

Shelly Beach surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.

Today's Shelly Beach sea temperature is 13.4 °C

(Slightly warmer than usual (0.9° above average))

Mean: 12.5 °C
Range: 12.0 °C to 13.2 °C
Statistics for 18 Aug (1981–2005)
  • wetsuit boots for warmth, grip, and protection in cold temperatures

Today, many surfers would wear a spring wetsuit and neoprene boots.

The Shelly Beach water temperature is rather cool (13 °C) and the air temperature will feel about the same. A good quality spring wetsuit with optional neoprene boots should suffice. No need for wetsuit gloves.

Australia Sea Water Temperature

Map of current Australia
Surface Water Temperatures

(based on measurements from oceanographic satellites)
Australia Water Temperature Anomaly

Map of current Australia
Sea Water Temperature Anomalies

(compared with long term averages
at this time of year)

click thumbnails to expand

Below is a graph of Historical Sea Surface Temperature for Shelly Beach. This has been derived from analysis of two decades of oceanographic satellite measurements of nearby open water. We have calculated the average water temperature variation around the year as well as the extremes that have been observed on each date.

Shelly Beach Water Temperature Graph

All of the graphs for the surf breaks presented on Surf-Forecast.com are on the same scale to enable comparison between locations around the world.

Shelly Beach sea temperatures peak in the range 17 to 20°C (63 to 68°F) on around the 28th of February and are at their minimum on about the 15th of August, in the range 12 to 13°C (54 to 55°F). The maximum Shelly Beach sea temperatures in the fourth week of February require something like a 3/2mm fully sealed wetsuit. The minimum sea temperatures at Shelly Beach in mid August are ideally suited to a 4/3mm wetsuit + 3mm boots, although a 5/3mm wetsuit may be preferable for longer sessions and cold windy days.

Actual sea surface water temperatures close to shore at Shelly Beach can vary by several degrees compared with these open water averages. This is especially true after heavy rain, close to river mouths or after long periods of strong offshore winds. Offshore winds cause colder deep water to replace surface water that has been warmed by the sun. Air temperature, wind-chill and sunshine should also be considered before deciding on the kind of wetsuit needed to stay warm when surfing at Shelly Beach. Refer to our detailed weather forecasts for this information.

Nearest locationNearest