Surf Forecasts:
Stockton Beach surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s period, ESE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s period, E swell with 199 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Stockton Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Stockton Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 11s. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Stockton Beach in the next 16 days are 1.1m 9s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) 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 0.4m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Stockton Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab your wettie, let’s talk about Stockton Beach.
The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. We’ve got a slow start with hardly any surf to speak of for the first few days, and then things start to move around a bit. There’s a real window of opportunity late in the piece, but it comes with some wild conditions.
The first real chance of anything decent is on Wednesday, August 19th. It’s small, but clean. We’re looking at a 2ft ESE swell with a 10-second period, and the wind is glassy from the NNE in the morning. That’s your classic small-wave morning, and the water temperature is sitting at 63°, which is a bit colder than usual for this time of year. It’s not going to be pumping, but it’s the best thing on offer for that first week. The energy behind this swell is weak, only hitting 202 in the morning, so set your expectations low.
After that, we hit a real lull. From Thursday the 20th right through to the 27th, there’s basically nothing worth paddling out for. The swell drops off, the periods are short, and the winds are all over the place. It’s a frustrating stretch of tiny, messy waves. I wouldn’t bother even checking the cam. It’s a blank run, but it happens.
Then things get interesting. On Friday, August 28th, the morning looks like the standout of the whole period. We’ve got a 3ft S swell with a 12-second period, and the wind is offshore from the WNW at a light 3 mph. That’s clean and lined up. The wave energy is moderate, at 231, and with that longer period, Stockton should actually have some shape. This is the one to make a real effort for.
Saturday the 29th is more of a mixed deal. The morning has a 3ft S swell, but a fresher cross-off shore wind at 12 mph. It’s surfable, but it’s not as clean. By the afternoon, the swell jumps to 5ft and the energy is strong at 407, but the conditions are getting messier.
Now, Sunday the 30th is a big one. The morning sees a solid 8ft ESE swell with a short 7-second period. The wave energy is very strong, hitting 823. The wind is howling from the SW at 19 mph, but it’s cross-offshore. This is big, powerful, and unruly. This is expert territory only, and honestly, with that short period and the size, it might be more of a kite surfing day than a paddle surfing day. The afternoon brings more wind and a chance of storms, with the swell dropping to 6ft.
The following Monday the 31st is a washout. Massive 10ft SE swell meets 25 mph south winds, creating heavy, lumpy, cross-shore chaos. The energy readings are off the chart, over 2200, but you won’t be surfing it. This is not the time to be a hero.
We start September with more sizeable but junky surf. Tuesday the 1st has a 6ft ESE swell, and the afternoon looks like the better bet with a 6ft SE swell and a moderate cross-offshore wind. It’s heavy, around 1185 energy, but still a messy, marginal prospect. By Wednesday the 2nd, it’s back to strong winds and lumpy conditions, with a 8ft SSE swell.
So, here’s the deal. The clear standout is Friday morning, August 28th. Get out there for that session. Sunday the 30th is also notable for its power, but it’s for experts only. Everything else is either too small, too messy, or just plain too big and windy.
Stay safe out there.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Warm (max 21°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 22°C on Fri morning, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | S 9 | ENE 6 | S 8 | SSE 17 | SSE 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
120 | 127 | 125 | 92 | 196 | 169 | 66 | 60 | 50 | 20 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 96 | 123 | 76 | 118 | 118 | 87 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | glassy | glassy | on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 12:12PM1.39m | 00:16AM1.16m | 12:59PM1.36m | 1:04AM1.03m | 1:52PM1.34m | 2:06AM0.94m | 2:52PM1.35m | 3:30AM0.91m | 3:55PM1.38m | 4:54AM0.95m | 4:52PM1.43m | 5:52AM1.02m | 5:41PM1.50m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:30PM0.53m | 6:20AM0.46m | 7:31PM0.60m | 6:59AM0.54m | 8:45PM0.63m | 7:47AM0.60m | 10:07PM0.62m | 8:49AM0.64m | 11:13PM0.55m | 9:57AM0.64m | 11:59PM0.47m | 11:00AM0.61m | 00:36AM0.38m | ||||||||
6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | |
— | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:29 | — | |
mm | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 |
Temp °C | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 19 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 22 | 24 | 19 |
Feels °C | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 20 | 21 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 11 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | S 5 | SSE 5 | SSE 9 | SSE 7 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 |
34 | 55 | 125 | 84 | 196 | 169 | 66 | 60 | 50 | 20 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 123 | 46 | 118 | 118 | 87 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | SE 14 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | S 9 | E 11 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 7 | S 9 | — | ENE 6 | S 10 | SSE 14 | S 10 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ENE 8 |
10 | 47 | 85 | 92 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 6 | — | 4 | 31 | 65 | 76 | 3 | 2 | 14 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 15 | S 17 | S 10 | S 9 | — | — | — | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | SE 7 | S 9 | S 8 | SSE 17 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 4 |
9 | 6 | 30 | 26 | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 96 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | E 5 | — | E 3 | NE 4 | — | ENE 6 | NW 2 | NNW 2 | — | — | — | — | SSW 5 | — | — | E 4 | — | E 4 | — |
120 | 127 | 25 | — | 5 | 26 | — | 48 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | 7 | — | 3 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 73 | 138 | 0 | 0 | 279 | 2 | 2 | 93 | 2 | 24 | 92 | 172 | 177 | 172 | 105 | 29 | 138 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 34 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Newcastle | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Stockton Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Stockton Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Stockton Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Stockton 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 (Stockton 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 Stockton 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 Stockton Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Newcastle, consider staying in Newcastle which is 3 km (2 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 33 km (20 miles) away, Port Stephens, Cessnock and Central Coast.











