Back Beach surf break

Back Beach surfForecast / Taranaki / New Zealand

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 am Monday 18 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
16.9° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)

How big are the waves at Back Beach today?

The current surf forecast for Back Beach at 4PM is: 0.8m 14s primary swell from a West-southwest direction and 0.3m 19s secondary swell from a West direction (forecast issued at 11:00am May 18). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-onshore.

Time (NZST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (18 May)3ft (0.9m)14s
Afternoon (18 May)3ft (0.9m)14s
Evening (18 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 14°C on Mon morning, min 10°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Mon
18
Tuesday
19
Wednesday
20
Thu
21
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
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
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
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.8
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.6
W
18
0.6
W
17
0.9
WSW
16
0.9
WSW
16
0.9
WSW
16
0.9
WSW
15
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
13
0.9
WSW
13
0.8
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.6
WSW
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
316
285
265
198
149
222
200
452
435
344
305
297
293
293
297
289
257
253
198
181
154
149
147
129
Wind (km/h)
5
SE
5
SW
10
WSW
10
SSW
10
SSE
10
ESE
10
ESE
5
ESE
5
SE
5
WNW
5
WSW
5
SW
5
S
5
ESE
10
E
5
E
10
E
10
NE
10
NNE
0
ENE
5
ENE
10
ENE
15
ENE
15
ENE
cross-off
glassy
on
cross-on
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
glassy
on
cross-on
cross
off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
10:32AM3.54m
10:58PM3.67m
11:22AM3.47m
11:48PM3.60m
12:15PM3.33m
00:42AM3.45m
Low Tide
4:47PM0.19m
5:15AM0.30m
5:37PM0.31m
6:08AM0.44m
6:28PM0.48m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:22
7:22
7:24
7:24
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:17
5:16
5:15
5:15
Temp °C
12
14
14
13
14
13
12
12
13
14
14
13
12
12
10
10
11
13
14
12
13
12
12
12
10
13
12
11
12
11
9
10
12
13
12
12
11
11
8
9
10
11
13
12
12
10
10
10
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.8
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.9
WSW
16
0.9
WSW
16
0.9
WSW
16
0.9
WSW
15
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
13
0.9
WSW
13
0.8
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.6
WSW
13
Energy kJ
316
285
265
198
149
149
151
452
435
344
305
297
293
293
297
289
257
253
198
181
154
149
147
129
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.2
W
21
0.2
W
20
0.3
W
19
0.4
WSW
19
0.4
WSW
18
0.6
W
18
0.6
W
17
0.1
W
22
0.1
W
21
0.1
W
21
0.1
W
21
0.1
W
22
0.1
W
20
0.1
W
20
0.1
W
20
0.2
N
3
0.1
W
21
0.1
W
21
0.2
WSW
19
Energy kJ
35
30
66
120
106
222
200
9
9
9
9
9
8
7
8
1
8
8
35
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
W
20
Energy kJ
8
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
N
4
0.6
N
4
0.9
N
5
Energy kJ
3
14
42
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
2
Distance (km)
0
0
17
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
69
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Taranaki
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
2
2
2
3
2
3
3
3
1
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
2
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
2
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
4
7
5
4
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
4
4
5
5
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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