
Surf Forecasts:
Tamarama Reef surf forecast from 16 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 19 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 10s period, ENE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 11s period, ENE swell with 705 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 10s period with ENE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Tamarama Reef this week:
The surf forecast for Tamarama Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tamarama Reef in the next 16 days are 1.8m 11s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tamarama Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming for Tamarama Reef over the next couple of weeks.
First off, the first week is a bit of a bust. From Thursday the 16th through Saturday the 19th, it’s just poor. Cross-onshore winds, lumpy water, and the swell is either too short or messy. Not worth getting wet.
Sunday the 19th is a little better. We get a clean wind in the morning with a 5ft swell from the ENE, period around 11 seconds, and the energy is moderate (669). It’s still just marginal, but it’s the first real sign of life. Water temp is 63°, which is about 1° below normal – a bit cooler than usual.
Monday the 20th morning is the best in the first week. Light WNW breeze, which is cross-offshore, keeping the surface glassy. Swell is 5ft from the ENE, with a 10-second period and moderate energy (557). Not massive, but clean and fun. The wind swings to a cross-shore NE in the afternoon, so get out early.
Tuesday the 21st morning is also decent. Light offshore NW wind, 4ft of ENE swell, 10-second period. Clean and surfable, but the energy drops (320). It’s a good follow-up to Monday.
The rest of that week is small and weak. By Thursday the 23rd, we’re down to 3ft from the ENE, and the energy is weak (113). Friday the 24th is even smaller, with a 2ft S swell.
Then we hit a weird one. Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th bring a very long-period S swell – 19 seconds on Saturday, 18 seconds on Sunday. But the size is tiny, only 2ft. The energy is still moderate (276 and 244), but it’s just too small to do much at the reef. Light winds on Sunday morning could make it glassy, but you’ll be scratching for a wave.
Now, the big one. Wednesday the 29th is the standout. That’s a week away. We’re looking at a solid 8ft S swell with a 10-second period. The combined energy is massive (2200), and the wind is a gentle offshore from the NW in the morning. This is excellent for experienced surfers only. The swell direction is from the south, close to the optimum SE for Tamarama Reef, so it should wrap in nicely. Beginners, stay on the beach.
After that, the wind gets messy again on Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st. A strong SSW breeze kicks up, and the swell stays around 5ft to 6ft, but it’s lumpy and cross-onshore. Not worth it.
So, bottom line: the first week is mostly a wash, with Monday the 20th morning being the only clean, small-wave option. The one to circle is Wednesday the 29th – that’s for the experienced crew. Big, clean, and powerful.
Rusty, out.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Thu night. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu night, min 14°C on Thu morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Thu morning, light winds from the SE by Fri afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | |||||||||||||||
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 8 | S 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 6 | S 6 | E 7 | S 10 | E 8 | E 10 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
391 | 551 | 225 | 119 | 64 | 85 | 121 | 135 | 562 | 599 | 473 | 473 | 407 | 363 | 307 | 258 | 240 | 223 | 186 | 140 | 135 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | off | cross-off | cross | off | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:43PM1.74m | 10:35AM1.20m | 10:31PM1.63m | 11:23AM1.23m | 11:18PM1.47m | 12:11PM1.24m | 00:05AM1.30m | 1:01PM1.26m | 00:56AM1.14m | 1:52PM1.27m | 1:53AM1.01m | 2:46PM1.28m | 2:59AM0.91m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:17PM0.24m | 4:29AM-0.03m | 4:09PM0.28m | 5:12AM0.04m | 5:04PM0.33m | 5:53AM0.13m | 6:02PM0.40m | 6:33AM0.22m | 7:05PM0.46m | 7:13AM0.31m | 8:14PM0.50m | 7:56AM0.39m | 9:28PM0.50m | ||||||||
6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | |
— | 5:04 | — | — | 5:04 | — | — | 5:05 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:06 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:07 | — | |
mm | — | 2 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Feels °C | 7 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | S 18 | S 19 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 10 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 |
6 | 27 | 27 | 10 | 53 | 85 | 103 | 135 | 562 | 599 | 473 | 473 | 407 | 363 | 307 | 258 | 240 | 223 | 186 | 140 | 135 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 14 | — | E 8 | S 15 | S 8 | S 10 | SSE 21 | S 10 | S 8 | SSE 17 | S 16 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 |
4 | — | 5 | 5 | 13 | 49 | 42 | 45 | 22 | 59 | 127 | 112 | 141 | 97 | 58 | 54 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 16 | 14 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 12 | S 19 | S 11 | S 21 | S 21 | S 20 | SSE 18 | S 8 | SE 16 | SSE 16 | SE 15 | SE 15 | SE 14 | SE 14 | SE 14 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 12 | S 12 |
— | — | 25 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 75 | 31 | 64 | 11 | 11 | 24 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 7 | SSE 6 | S 6 | S 5 | S 10 | S 4 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | NNE 4 | N 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
391 | 551 | 225 | 119 | 64 | 12 | 121 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 11 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 94 | 110 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 11 | 94 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Sydney South Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Tamarama Reef Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Tamarama Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Tamarama Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Tamarama Reef 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 (Tamarama Reef) 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 Tamarama Reef 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.
Tamarama Reef is 4 km (2 miles) from Randwick. If you plan a holiday in Sydney South Coast, look for hotels and other accommodation in Randwick. Randwick has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










