Back Beach surf break

Back Beach surfForecast / Taranaki / New Zealand

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 am Wednesday 20 May 2026 NZST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Back Beach surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Back Beach sea temperature is
16.8° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)

How big are the waves at Back Beach today?

The current surf forecast for Back Beach at 8PM is: 0.8m 13s primary swell from a West-southwest direction (forecast issued at 11:00am May 20). An open ocean swell of 0.4m 4s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be offshore and the swell rating is 2.

Time (NZST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (20 May)3ft (0.9m)13s
Afternoon (20 May)2.5ft (0.8m)13s
Evening (20 May)2.5ft (0.7m)13s

Table - waves today at Back Beach. (Swell directed towards the surf break)


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 11°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light.

Wed
20
Thursday
21
Friday
22
Sat
23
9 AM
12 PM
3 PM
6 PM
9 PM
12 AM
3 AM
6 AM
9 AM
12 PM
3 PM
6 PM
9 PM
12 AM
3 AM
6 AM
9 AM
12 PM
3 PM
6 PM
9 PM
12 AM
3 AM
6 AM
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
2
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
2
Swell
Height Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
WSW
13
0.9
WSW
13
0.8
WSW
13
0.8
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.6
WSW
13
1.1
N
6
0.5
WSW
12
0.4
WSW
12
1.1
NNW
6
1.1
NNW
6
1.1
NNW
6
0.5
W
14
0.8
W
14
1
W
13
1.2
W
12
1.2
W
11
1.2
W
11
1.2
WSW
11
1.3
WSW
10
1.3
WSW
10
1.3
WSW
10
1.4
WSW
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
257
253
198
198
151
149
131
95
89
57
98
93
93
103
232
330
409
377
351
343
326
320
338
435
Wind (km/h)
10
E
10
NE
10
NE
5
ENE
10
ENE
20
NNE
20
NE
20
NE
20
NE
15
NE
20
NNE
10
NNE
15
NE
15
NE
10
ENE
10
E
10
E
10
ENE
5
N
5
SSW
5
SE
10
ESE
10
E
10
ESE
off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross
cross-on
glassy
off
off
off
High Tide
12:15PM3.33m
00:42AM3.45m
1:14PM3.17m
1:41AM3.28m
2:17PM3.00m
2:45AM3.11m
Low Tide
6:08AM0.44m
6:28PM0.48m
7:05AM0.60m
7:24PM0.67m
8:05AM0.75m
8:23PM0.84m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:24
7:24
7:24
7:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:15
5:15
5:15
5:14
Temp °C
11
13
14
13
13
14
12
11
12
14
15
15
15
14
13
13
13
16
16
14
14
13
12
12
9
11
12
12
11
10
8
7
8
11
12
14
13
13
12
12
11
14
15
13
13
11
10
10
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
WSW
13
0.9
WSW
13
0.8
WSW
13
0.8
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.6
WSW
13
0.5
WSW
13
0.5
WSW
12
0.4
WSW
12
0.4
WSW
12
1.1
NNW
6
1.1
NNW
6
0.9
NNW
6
0.9
NNW
6
1
W
13
1.2
W
12
1.2
W
11
1.2
W
11
1.2
WSW
11
1.3
WSW
10
1.3
WSW
10
1.3
WSW
10
1.4
WSW
10
Energy kJ
257
253
198
198
151
149
131
95
89
57
56
93
93
70
61
330
409
377
351
343
326
320
338
435
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
W
22
0.1
W
20
0.1
W
20
0.3
N
4
0.4
NNW
4
0.1
W
21
0.1
W
21
0.2
WSW
19
0.2
WSW
19
0.2
WSW
19
0.2
WSW
18
0.4
WSW
12
0.3
WSW
12
0.5
W
14
0.8
W
14
0.9
NNW
6
0.8
NNW
6
0.7
NNW
6
0.9
NW
10
0.8
NW
10
0.6
NW
9
0.6
NW
9
0.6
NW
9
0.5
NW
9
Energy kJ
9
8
7
3
6
8
8
35
35
35
33
56
27
103
232
48
38
31
163
130
65
64
62
36
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
W
20
0.1
W
20
0.1
W
15
0.1
W
15
0.2
WSW
18
0.2
WSW
18
0.3
WSW
12
0.3
WSW
18
0.4
WNW
11
0.4
WNW
11
0.6
WNW
10
0.3
WSW
16
0.3
WSW
16
0.5
NNW
6
0.4
WSW
15
0.4
WSW
15
Energy kJ
8
8
4
4
31
31
26
61
47
44
67
51
51
20
86
77
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
NNE
3
0.8
N
4
1.1
N
5
1.1
N
6
1.1
N
6
1.1
N
6
1.1
NNW
6
Energy kJ
2
22
67
80
91
89
98
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
3
3
2
2
2
2
Distance (km)
0
0
0
0
0
46
12
46
46
46
147
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Taranaki
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
2
1
1
2
2
3
2
1
1
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
3
4
3
5
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
4
5
5
5
5
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
5
7
7
7
7
5
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder

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