Hat Head tides today
- Tide now 1.4 ft ↓ falling · low 6:13 pm (0.5 ft)
- Best time to fish 5:10–7:10 pm average day · 5/10
- Beach day 11:00 am–4:00 pm Fair beach day · 5/10
- Waves · water 3.8 ft · 68 °F slight · 8.6 s from the south-southeast
- Wind · air 9 mph · 71 °F from the ESE, gusts 20 · clear sky
- Surf today 2.7–4.1 ft Good day · 6/10 · 7:00–7:34 pm
- Sun 5:55 am–7:09 pm 13 h 14 min of daylight
- Moon 89% · 10:52 pm waning gibbous · rises at 10:52 pm
Today in Hat Head there are high tides at 11:33 am (5.0 ft) and 11:59 pm (3.1 ft) and low tides at 4:50 am and 6:13 pm. Tide coefficient 85. Right now the tide is falling toward the low tide at 6:13 pm. The sun rises at 5:55 am and sets at 7:09 pm: 13 h 14 min of daylight. The moon is 89% illuminated (waning gibbous) and rises at 10:52 pm. Major solunar periods run from 1:46 am to 3:46 am and from 2:18 pm to 4:18 pm. The next spring tides arrive from October 27 to 29. The sea is slight, with 3.8 ft waves. There's a gentle breeze from the east-southeast (9 mph). Clear sky, 71 °F.
Fishing in Hat Head today
Best time to fish
Solunar activity today: medium- Low tide at 6:13 pm
- Sunset at 7:09 pm, golden hour from 6:36 pm
- Rising pressure (+0.19 inHg in 24 h), light onshore wind (6 mph) and some swell (4.1 ft waves) to stir the water
- Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
- Highest tide coefficient today: 85 (average tides)
Your day at a glance
The best window, 5:10 pm to 7:10 pm, combines the 6:13 pm low tide, sunset, a light onshore breeze and some swell, though with rising pressure. Also worth a try from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm, with the 11:33 am high tide, a light onshore breeze and some swell, though with rising pressure. Also worth a try from 3:50 am to 5:50 am, with the 4:50 am low tide, sunrise and some swell, though with rising pressure.
Species with the most records nearby: John Dory, Australasian snapper, striped mullet and yellowtail amberjack. October is one of the months when these are seen most: John Dory and Australasian snapper. What you can catch
Beach day in Hat Head
Is it a beach day?
- Sunny
- Feels like 76 °F: pleasant
- Onshore breeze (10 mph)
- Water at 68 °F (cool)
- Swim with care: 3.6 ft waves every 8 s; moderate rip current risk
- UV 10 (very high): SPF 50 sunscreen
Today, hour by hour
- Swimming Use care · 3.6 ft
3.6 ft waves every 8 s: swim with care and stay where you can stand. Moderate rip current risk. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.
- Water 68 °F
Cool: refreshing on a hot day.
- Sun & sunscreen UV 10 · SPF 50
Max UV 10 (very high): SPF 50 sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours. Seek shade 11:00 am–3:00 pm (very high UV).
- Wind 10 mph
Onshore breeze (10 mph).
- Tide & sand 6:13 pm
Low tide at 4:50 am and 6:13 pm: that's when there's the most sand. High tide at 11:33 am and 11:59 pm.
The best window, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, brings sunshine, pleasant temperatures and little wind, though with some waves and very high UV.
We don't have data on jellyfish, sargassum or beach closures: ask the lifeguard or check with the local beach authority. How it works · The next 7 days
Beaches near Hat Head
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Hat Head Beach 0.4 mi · NE
- Restrooms
- Showers
- Parking
- Connors Beach 0.8 mi · SE
- Little 1.0 mi · NE
- Third Beach 1.1 mi · S
- South Smoky Beach 4.7 mi · N
- Restrooms
- Parking
- Killick Beach 5.8 mi · S
- Lifeguard
- Restrooms
- Parking
Named beaches within 6.2 mi, nearest first. Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. View on OpenStreetMap · Add or fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches and amenities: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Webcams near Hat Head
Webcams provided by windy.com — add a webcam
Tides in Hat Head
Today's high and low tides
- ▼ Low tide 4:50 am 0.5 ft
- ▲ High tide 11:33 am 5.0 ft · coef. 85
- ▼ Next low tide 6:13 pm 0.5 ft
- ▲ High tide 11:59 pm 3.1 ft · coef. 81
↓ Falling The tide is falling. 1 h 59 min to low tide at 6:13 pm.
Tide coefficient 85 for the 11:33 am high tide and 81 for the 11:59 pm high tide. Average coefficient. The water rises and falls 4.5 ft between the highest high and the lowest low: a large range for this place. 70 is an average tide here; 90 and above means spring tides; below 45, neap tides. What is the tide coefficient?
2026 extremes: the highest tide of the year is on June 16 (5.8 ft) and the lowest, on December 25 (0.2 ft).
Mixed: two high and two low tides a day, but of quite different heights.
Heights above chart datum: the lowest astronomical tide (LAT), the zero of nautical charts in Europe. Astronomical prediction: wind and air pressure can raise or lower the water by a few inches, and more in a storm. Not for navigation. chart datum (LAT)
Tide coefficient and range in October
The biggest tides of the month came from October 26 to 28 (coefficient 94, 4.6 ft range). The smallest, from October 18 to 19 (coefficient 38, 2.5 ft).
Tide and solunar table · this week
| Day | Sun | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Coef. | Moon | Major periods | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today, Thu 29 | 5:55 am · 7:09 pm | Low tide 4:50 am · 0.5 ft | High tide 11:33 am · 5.0 ft | Low tide 6:13 pm · 0.5 ft | High tide 11:59 pm · 3.1 ft | Coef. 85 | 89% | Major periods 1:46 am · 2:18 pm | Medium |
| Fri 30 | 5:54 am · 7:10 pm | Low tide 5:38 am · 0.7 ft | High tide 12:26 pm · 4.9 ft | Low tide 7:14 pm · 0.6 ft | — | Coef. 77 | 80% | Major periods 2:50 am · 3:23 pm | Medium |
| Sat 31 | 5:53 am · 7:10 pm | High tide 12:58 am · 2.9 ft | Low tide 6:34 am · 0.9 ft | High tide 1:23 pm · 4.7 ft | Low tide 8:21 pm · 0.8 ft | Coef. 73 | 70% | Major periods 3:54 am · 4:25 pm | Medium |
| Sun 1 | 5:52 am · 7:11 pm | High tide 2:07 am · 2.8 ft | Low tide 7:37 am · 1.1 ft | High tide 2:27 pm · 4.5 ft | Low tide 9:31 pm · 0.8 ft | Coef. 65 | 59% | Major periods 4:55 am · 5:24 pm | Medium |
| Mon 2 | 5:51 am · 7:12 pm | High tide 3:25 am · 2.8 ft | Low tide 8:51 am · 1.2 ft | High tide 3:35 pm · 4.3 ft | Low tide 10:37 pm · 0.8 ft | Coef. 61 | Last quarter | Major periods 5:51 am · 6:17 pm | Medium |
| Tue 3 | 5:50 am · 7:13 pm | High tide 4:40 am · 3.0 ft | Low tide 10:11 am · 1.2 ft | High tide 4:42 pm · 4.1 ft | Low tide 11:32 pm · 0.7 ft | Coef. 65 | 37% | Major periods 6:42 am · 7:07 pm | Medium |
| Wed 4 | 5:50 am · 7:14 pm | High tide 5:42 am · 3.3 ft | Low tide 11:28 am · 1.1 ft | High tide 5:43 pm · 4.0 ft | — | Coef. 70 | 27% | Major periods 7:30 am · 7:53 pm | Low |
▲ high tide · ▼ low tide · heights above chart datum (LAT). Major periods: start time; they last 2 hours. Activity: based on the moon phase and the solunar periods.
Where this tide comes from
Hat Head has no station of its own, so we use the tide at Port Macquarie (TICON-4), 27 mi away. On the open coast the difference is usually a few minutes and inches; inside estuaries, rivers and enclosed bays it can be much larger.
Station data attribution: Slackwater database (https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database). Source: Hart-Davis, M., Dettmering, D., Seitz, F. (2025), TICON-4: TIdal CONstants based on GESLA-4 sea-level records, SEANOE, https://doi.org/10.17882/109129. Licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Modified: see https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database#modifications-to-source-data
The sea at Hat Head
Sea stateSea state: slight
The waves you may find
- Most commonMost common1.9 ft
- Significant3.8 ft
- Highest expectedHighest7.7 ft
One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 7.7 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 7.7 ft.
Wind on the coast and offshore
Onshore wind. The coast faces east and the wind blows straight in from the sea: more surf and backwash at the shore, and bait and boats drift toward land.
Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days
Waves stay much the same all week. The biggest waves arrive on Saturday 31: 5.4 ft with a period of 7 s, from the northeast (moderate).
Water temperature
Water temperature →Water temperature changes how fish behave: in very cold or very warm water they feed less. The water is steady these days, with no sudden changes.
Water colder than normal for late October (−2.4 °F).
Satellite: NASA MUR (JPL MUR MEaSUREs, PO.DAAC), doi:10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04. Sources and licenses
Water temperature →Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 4:14 pm (local time).
Surf in Hat Head today
Surf today
Good- 2.7–4.1 ft surf at the shore, a good size with some punch
- 4.2 ft swell at 8 s from the south-southeast, short: weak, messy waves
- Almost no wind (4 mph): glassy water
- First or last light of the day
- Rising tide (high tide at 11:59 pm)
- Light: First light 5:29 am · sunrise 5:55 am · sunset 7:09 pm · last light 7:34 pm
- Tide: low 4:50 am (0.5 ft), high 11:33 am (5.0 ft), low 6:13 pm (0.5 ft) and high 11:59 pm (3.1 ft). Every break has its own tide: some work at low tide and others at high tide. The tide doesn’t change the score here.
- Water at 67.5 °F–68.4 °F: a springsuit or a 2 mm fullsuit.
- Energy: 181 kJ · Medium power
Today’s surf at a glance
The best window, 7:00 pm to 7:34 pm, has a good size and glassy water, though with a short-period swell. 5:29 am to 9:00 am can also work, with a good size and glassy water, though with a short-period swell.
An estimate for this stretch of coast, not for a specific break: every beach or reef works its own way (its tide, bottom and angle). Check it when you get there.
Follow the flags and the lifeguards, and don’t paddle out if the surf is above your level: this score is a guide, not a substitute for what you see when you get there.
Diving in Hat Head today
Diving and snorkeling today
Likely visibility: good- Slack water around low tide (6:13 pm): little current from 5:50 pm to 6:40 pm
- 3.9 ft swell at 7 s from the south-southeast: some surge on the bottom
- Light onshore wind (6 mph)
- 0.5 mph current toward the southwest, weak (model)
- Daylight
- Slack water today: low tide 4:50 am (4:30–5:10 am), high tide 11:33 am (11:10–11:50 am), low tide 6:13 pm (5:50–6:40 pm) and high tide 11:59 pm (11:30 pm–12:30 am)
- Likely visibility: good. Swell (up to 3.5 ft at 6 s) over the last few days has stirred up the water. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
- Water at 67.5–68.4 °F: a 5 mm wetsuit.
- Snorkeling: better not, with these waves, wind or current.
- Night dive: dark from 7:34 pm. Waning gibbous (89%), rising at 10:52 pm: a bright night.
Your diving day at a glance
The best window, 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm, combines slack water at low tide, light wind and weak current, though with some swell. Also worth a look from 11:00 am to 12:10 pm, with slack water at high tide, light wind and the sun high, though with some swell and current.
Slack water comes from the tide: in inlets, channels and between islands the water can keep running for an hour or two after. Ask the local dive shop.
Never dive alone and check with the local dive shop: this rating is a guide, not a substitute for a professional.
Dive sites, wrecks and dive shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
Within 12 mi. Some may be missing or closed; marine reserves usually need a permit. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Sites: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Weather in Hat Head
Now in Hat Head
- Low / high
- 54 / 73 °F
- Rain
- 0.00 in · 1%
- Clouds
- 0%
- Humidity
- 49%
- Dew pointDew point
- 51 °F
- Visibility
- 15 mi
- UV indexUV
- 3 · low
- Air qualityAir
- Fair · 34
- Saharan dust
- No
Pressure and fishing
- ↗ RisingRising Anglers say fish bite less for a while
- → SteadySteady Anglers expect normal activity
- ↘ FallingFalling · now Anglers say fish feed more before the change
Falling now (−0.03 inHg in 3 hours). Over the next 48 hours: −0.18 inHg. Falling pressure: anglers say fish feed more before the change. Fast changes, either way, tend to affect fishing.
Today, hour by hourHour by hour
Bars: mean wind. Dashed line: gusts. Arrows point where the wind blows to.
| Time | 12:00 am | 3:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 9:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky | Clear | Clear | Clear sky | Clear sky | Clear sky | Clear sky | Clear sky | Clear |
| Temperature | 59° | 55° | 56° | 66° | 73° | 71° | 68° | 62° |
| Wind (mph) | 4 SW | 5 W | 3 W | 3 W | 4 SE | 10 ESE | 6 ESE | 1 WSW |
| Gusts | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 14 | 6 |
| Waves | 3.4 ft | 3.7 ft | 3.7 ft | 3.6 ft | 3.5 ft | 3.6 ft | 4.1 ft | 4.7 ft |
| Rain | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in |
- 6:00 pm 68° 6 ESE 4.1 ft
- 9:00 pm 62° 1 WSW 4.7 ft
- 12:00 am 58° 5 W 4.9 ft
- 3:00 am 54° 4 W 4.9 ft
- 6:00 am 55° 4 W 4.9 ft
- 9:00 am 66° 3 W 4.7 ft
- 12:00 pm 73° 5 ESE 4.7 ft
- 3:00 pm 72° 10 E 4.7 ft
Next 14 daysComing days
| Day | Sky | Low / high | Max wind | Max wave | High tides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today · 29 | 54 / 73 °F | 10 mph S | 4.9 ft | 11:33 am · 11:59 pm | |
| Fri 30 | 53 / 73 °F | 10 mph ENE | 5.0 ft | 12:26 pm | |
| Sat 31 | 61 / 74 °F | 17 mph NNE | 5.4 ft | 12:58 am · 1:23 pm | |
| Sun 1 | 64 / 74 °F | 13 mph NNE | 5.2 ft | 2:07 am · 2:27 pm | |
| Mon 2 | 63 / 73 °F | 10 mph SSE | 3.5 ft | 3:25 am · 3:35 pm | |
| Tue 3 | 64 / 76 °F | 12 mph N | 3.2 ft | 4:40 am · 4:42 pm | |
| Wed 4 | 63 / 76 °F | 9 mph NNE | 3.0 ft | 5:42 am · 5:43 pm | |
| Thu 5 | 62 / 84 °F | 8 mph NNW | 4.3 ft | 6:33 am · 6:36 pm | |
| Fri 6 | 60 / 76 °F | 15 mph SW | 5.5 ft | 7:17 am · 7:23 pm | |
| Sat 7 | 60 / 76 °F | 12 mph NE | 6.0 ft | 7:57 am · 8:06 pm | |
| Sun 8 | 61 / 75 °F | 17 mph S | 8.2 ft | 8:36 am · 8:46 pm | |
| Mon 9 | 61 / 71 °F | 12 mph SE | 8.1 ft | 9:13 am · 9:25 pm | |
| Tue 10 | 58 / 75 °F | 13 mph NNE | 5.6 ft | 9:49 am · 10:04 pm | |
| Wed 11 | 63 / 75 °F | 18 mph NNE | 7.4 ft | 10:26 am · 10:42 pm |
- Fri 30 Overcast 53° / 73° 5.0 ft
- Sat 31 Overcast 61° / 74° 5.4 ft
- Sun 1 Thunderstorm 64° / 74° 5.2 ft
- Mon 2 Light drizzle 63° / 73° 3.5 ft
- Tue 3 Light drizzle 64° / 76° 3.2 ft
- Wed 4 Overcast 63° / 76° 3.0 ft
- Thu 5 Light drizzle 62° / 84° 4.3 ft
Each day comes from the best model covering this spot: regional ones first (HRRR and NBM in the U.S., AROME, ICON-EU), then ECMWF; day 16, NOAA GFS. Waves: Météo-France up to day 10, then ECMWF WAM, coarser and further offshore. High tides: our own tide calculation.
- The models Partly agree · medium confidence: unsure about rain on Sunday 1. See the models →
- Outlook The next few weeks look normal for the time of year. See the outlook →
- Normal Today, cooler than normal for late October (−2.0 °F; normal high: 75 °F). Climate by month →
Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 4:14 pm (local time).
The sun in Hat Head
Sunrise and sunset
- First light 4:59 am
- Full dark 8:04 pm
- Civil dawn 5:29 am
- Civil dusk 7:34 pm
- Solar noon 12:32 pm (72° high)
- Daylight 13 h 14 min (+2 min)
- Evening golden hour 6:36 pm
- Full dark 8:04 pm
Golden hour and the day-night map
Today the sun is 92,345,850 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.
The moon in Hat Head
Moon phase and position
Today the moon is 226,459 mi away and looks 32′ 47″ across.
Solunar periods
Today's activity: medium- 1:46–3:46 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
- 2:18–4:18 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
- 7:16–8:16 am Minor · moonset · medium activity
- 10:22–11:22 pm Minor · moonrise · medium activity
According to solunar theory, fish feed more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 h) and when it rises or sets (minor periods, 1 h). It works best around new and full moon.
Upcoming moon phases
2026 moon calendar →- Last quarter Mon, Nov 2 · 7:29 amNov 2 in 4 days
- New moon Mon, Nov 9 · 6:03 pmNov 9 in 11 days
- First quarter Tue, Nov 17 · 10:48 pmNov 17 in 19 days
- Full moon Wed, Nov 25 · 1:54 amNov 25 in 27 days
Perigee on October 29, 226,426 mi away, coinciding with the spring tides from October 27 to 29: they will be stronger than usual.
Where to fish in Hat Head
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Hat Head Boat Ramp Facilities: Shallow at times · 2 lanes · 11–20 trailer spaces · restrooms · fish-cleaning table · lighting · free 0.5 mi
- Kinchela Boat Ramp Facilities: 1 lane · free · in poor condition 5.6 mi
- Summer Island Boat Ramp Facilities: 1 lane · up to 2 trailer spaces · free · in poor condition 6.4 mi
- Smithtown Boat Ramp Facilities: 1 lane · up to 10 trailer spaces · restrooms · fish-cleaning table · lighting · free 6.5 mi
- Jerseyville Boat Ramp Facilities: 1 lane · up to 10 trailer spaces · restrooms · free 9.0 mi
Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps. Boat ramp facilities: Transport for NSW (CC BY 4.0).
Water depth
Gentle slopeThe bottom slopes gently: 16 ft deep 0.35 mi from shore and 33 ft at 0.45 mi. It reaches 164 ft at 1.3 mi.
From the shoreline (0.9 mi from Hat Head) out to sea, heading east.
How far from shore
- 16 ft deep0.35 mi
- 33 ft deep0.45 mi
- 66 ft deep0.6 mi
- 164 ft deep1.3 mi
For fishing, swimming and diving
- Shore fishing. Shallow, gradual bottom (16 ft at 0.35 mi): cast far from the beach and fish the high tide, when there is more water close in.
- Swimming. A very gentle way in with plenty of shallow water, good for kids. At low tide the water can be far out.
- Diving. Shore diving works here: 33 ft at 0.45 mi and 66 ft at 0.6 mi from shore.
Rough estimate: here the data comes in cells of about 0.3 mi and misses details near shore (rocks, sandbars, small coves).
Source: NOAA ETOPO 2022 (CC0), cells of about 0.3 mi; depth below mean sea level. For reference only: not for navigation or anchoring.
Tides near Hat HeadTides nearby
- Kinchela5.4 mi
- Smithtown6.7 mi
- Jerseyville9.6 mi
- Crescent Head10 mi
- Frederickton10 mi
- Arakoon12 mi
- South West Rocks12 mi
- Kempsey13 mi
- Green Hill15 mi
- Aldavilla17 mi
Hat Head at a glance
- Town or city of about 374 people. Coordinates: 31.056° S, 153.047° E.
- It is 222 mi northeast of Sydney, the main place in New South Wales. The sun rises 3 min earlier and sets 11 min earlier than in Sydney.
- The nearest tide station, Port Macquarie, is 27 mi to the south.
- Its coast faces east.
- Beaches and harbors nearby: Connors Beach (0.5 mi), Gap Beach (0.5 mi), O’Connors Beach (0.5 mi), Little Beach (1.0 mi).
Questions about Hat HeadQuestions
What time is high tide today in Hat Head?
Today in Hat Head there are high tides at 11:33 am (5.0 ft) and 11:59 pm (3.1 ft) and low tides at 4:50 am and 6:13 pm. Tide coefficient 85.
What time is sunset today in Hat Head?
At 7:09 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 7:34 pm.
What time is sunrise tomorrow in Hat Head?
At 5:54 am. First light comes at 4:58 am.
What phase is the moon today?
Waning gibbous, 89% illuminated. New moon on Mon, Nov 9 · 6:03 pm.
When are the next spring tides?
From October 27 to 29, together with the lunar perigee: they will be stronger than usual.
What are today's solunar periods?
Major 1:46–3:46 am, Minor 7:16–8:16 am, Major 2:18–4:18 pm, Minor 10:22–11:22 pm. Today's activity is medium.
What's the weather like today in Hat Head?
Clear sky, from 54 °F to 73 °F, with a gentle breeze from the east-southeast (9 mph) and a 1% chance of rain.
How is the sea today in Hat Head?
Slight (Douglas 3): 3.8 ft waves with a period of 8.6 s from the south-southeast. The water is 68.4 °F.
When is the best time to visit Hat Head?
The best time to visit Hat Head is from September to October: highs of 71 °F to 74 °F, about 7 rainy days a month and 8 hours of sunshine a day.
Can I use this data for navigation?
No. These are predictions for fishing and leisure; for navigation, use the official publications.
Where this data comes from
Tide: Port Macquarie station, with constants from TICON-4 (Hart-Davis, Dettmering and Seitz, 2025, SEANOE), licensed CC BY 4.0, via Slackwater database (changes). Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).