Byron to Eden under hazardous surf warning

Eight coastal zones warned Monday and Tuesday

The Bureau of Meteorology issued hazardous surf warning IDN28522 at 3:45 am EDT on Monday 9 November 2026, with the warning period running until midnight EDT on Tuesday 10 November.

Both Monday and Tuesday cover the same eight zones: Byron Coast, Coffs Coast, Macquarie Coast, Hunter Coast, Sydney Coast, Illawarra Coast, Batemans Coast and Eden Coast.

Every ocean beach in the state, from the Queensland border to the Victorian border, sits inside the warning area for the next two days.

The Bureau's coastal waters forecast IDN11001, issued at 10:00 am EDT Monday, puts a low pressure system over the Tasman Sea with a ridge building over inland NSW.

That pattern is holding strong and gusty southerly winds against the coast and keeping large, powerful seas running onto the beaches.

Two hazards, not one

The warning reads the same everywhere, but the physics behind it changes markedly between the far south coast and the Sydney to Hunter stretch.

Off Batemans and Eden the problem is almost purely swell, with the 10:00 am forecast calling a south-easterly 3-4 m swell for Tuesday on the Eden Coast.

Between Sydney and the Macquarie Coast the hazard is a combination: a 2.5-3 m southerly swell, locally generated wind seas to 2.5 m, and southerlies reaching 30 kt.

That difference matters because swell-driven surf arrives in long, clean sets, while wind-sea stacked on swell produces short, steep and confused water close inshore.

Rock platforms and ocean bars behave differently under each, so conditions at Merimbula will not resemble conditions at Swansea even under the one statewide warning.

Sydney and the Illawarra

A Strong Wind Warning applies to Sydney Coast waters on Monday, with south-westerlies at 20-25 kt turning southerly 15-25 kt early afternoon and reaching 30 kt late afternoon.

Seas are forecast at 2 m with a southerly swell of 2.5-3 m, per the 10:00 am figures.

The Illawarra Coast runs southerly 15-25 kt, up to 30 kt from late morning, with seas 1.5-2.5 m and a 2.5-3 m southerly swell.

Sydney Enclosed Waters also carries a Strong Wind Warning, with southerlies 15-25 kt possibly reaching 30 kt, although seas stay below 0.5 m.

Harbour sailors get the wind without the water, which is a very different proposition to crossing the Heads into a 3 m southerly swell.

NSW Police Force, Marine Area Command has asked people to consider staying out of the water altogether and to avoid walking near surf-exposed areas while the warning stands.

Boaters planning to cross shallow water and ocean bars should consider changing or delaying their voyage.

The command also advises that anyone already on the water carry the appropriate safety equipment and wear a lifejacket.

Hunter and Macquarie coasts

Hunter Coast winds run south to south-west 15-25 kt, up to 30 kt in the afternoon, with seas 1.5-2.5 m and a southerly swell of 2.5-3 m.

Tuesday keeps 2-3 m of southerly swell inshore on the Hunter, building to 2.5-4 m offshore north of Norah Head.

The Macquarie Coast mirrors it with south-westerlies 15-25 kt, up to 30 kt in the afternoon, seas 1.5-2.5 m and a 3 m southerly swell, lifting to 3-4 m offshore south of Port Macquarie on Tuesday.

North coast still exposed

Coffs Coast carries a 3 m southerly swell on Monday and the Byron Coast 2.5-3 m, both well above a comfortable working height for small craft.

Far south coast peaks Tuesday

Batemans Coast runs a 3 m south-easterly swell with seas 1.5-2 m on Monday, lifting to 3-4 m swell on Tuesday before easing to 2.5-3 m during the morning.

Eden Coast sits at 2.5-3 m inshore on Monday and 2.5-4 m offshore north of Merimbula, then 3-4 m on Tuesday easing to 2-3 m through the morning.

That makes Tuesday the peak day for the far south, while the peak wind day for Sydney and the Hunter is Monday afternoon.

Bars, ramps and rock platforms

Sydney Heads, Port Kembla, the Swansea channel into Lake Macquarie, the Merimbula bar and the Coffs Harbour entrance are all exposed to this swell direction.

Marine Rescue NSW log-on remains the simplest safety step for anyone who does head out, either by VHF radio or the Marine Rescue app.

Rock fishers are advised to avoid coastal rock platforms exposed to the ocean and to find a location sheltered from the surf.

The Bureau's standing caution applies, noting that maximum waves can reach twice the forecast height.

On a 3 m southerly swell that means individual waves to 6 m, which is the number that washes people off platforms.

Swimmers, divers and wind riders

Swimmers face strong rips and surging shorebreak on every exposed beach from Byron to Eden for the next two days.

Divers will find visibility and entries poor at ocean sites, with wind-sea on top of swell stirring up the inshore zone.

Kiters and windsurfers have the wind they want in 25-30 kt of southerly, but ocean launches in 2.5-3 m of swell carry a very different risk profile.

When it eases

Sydney Coast winds ease on Tuesday and turn north-east 10-15 kt, with the swell tending south-east 2-2.5 m during the afternoon.

By Wednesday the Sydney forecast has seas below 1 m and a south-easterly swell of 1.5-2 m, decreasing to 1-1.5 m in the morning.

Another southerly change is due from Wednesday, so the window of easier conditions looks short.

The Bureau scheduled the next hazardous surf warning for no later than 5:00 pm EDT Monday, and current NSW warnings are worth reading before any trip.

Does the warning cover enclosed waters like Sydney Harbour?

The hazardous surf warning applies to open coast zones, though Sydney Enclosed Waters carries a separate Strong Wind Warning for southerlies of 15-25 kt reaching 30 kt.

Which day is worst on the far south coast?

Tuesday, with Eden and Batemans both forecast at 3-4 m of south-easterly swell before it eases later in the morning.

Can I still cross a bar if my boat is big enough?

Marine Area Command advises boaters planning to cross shallow water and ocean bars to consider changing or delaying the voyage, regardless of vessel.

How much bigger can the waves actually get?

The Bureau notes that maximum waves can be twice the forecast height, so a 3 m swell can deliver 6 m sets.

Keep an eye on the live NSW warnings page on Seabreeze for the 5:00 pm update before you commit to anything on Tuesday.