Back Beach surf break

Back Beach surfForecast / Taranaki / New Zealand

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 am Saturday 16 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
17.1° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)

How big are the waves at Back Beach today?

The current surf forecast for Back Beach at 3PM is: 0.6m 21s primary swell from a West direction and 0.9m 12s secondary swell from a West-southwest direction (forecast issued at 11:00am May 16). The wind direction is predicted to be glassy and the swell rating is 3.

Time (NZST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (16 May)3ft (0.9m)12s
Afternoon (16 May)2ft (0.6m)21s
Evening (16 May)3ft (0.9m)19s

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 Sat afternoon, min 9°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Sat
16
Sunday
17
Monday
18
Tue
19
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
3
3
3
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
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
12
0.6
W
21
0.6
W
21
0.8
W
20
0.9
WSW
19
0.8
WSW
18
0.9
WSW
18
1.1
WSW
18
1.1
WSW
17
1.3
WSW
16
1
WSW
16
1.2
WSW
16
1.2
WSW
16
1.1
WSW
15
1
WSW
14
1
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.8
WSW
14
0.8
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.6
W
18
0.6
W
17
0.9
WSW
16
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
273
332
323
485
627
456
522
790
772
834
547
679
706
566
400
394
316
312
210
198
149
222
200
452
Wind (km/h)
10
SE
5
SE
5
SSW
15
SSE
15
SSE
20
SE
15
SE
15
SE
10
SE
0
E
10
WSW
10
SW
10
SSE
10
ESE
10
ESE
10
ESE
10
ESE
0
WSW
10
WSW
10
SSW
5
SSE
5
ESE
5
ESE
5
SE
cross-off
glassy
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
8:53AM3.44m
9:25PM3.56m
9:42AM3.53m
10:11PM3.66m
10:32AM3.54m
10:58PM3.67m
Low Tide
3:12PM0.18m
3:37AM0.23m
3:59PM0.15m
4:25AM0.22m
4:47PM0.19m
5:15AM0.30m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:20
7:20
7:22
7:22
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:19
5:17
5:17
5:16
Temp °C
11
13
14
11
11
10
9
9
10
12
13
12
12
11
11
10
11
13
14
13
13
13
12
12
8
11
13
8
7
5
5
5
7
11
11
10
9
8
8
7
9
12
12
11
11
11
10
10
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
WSW
12
0.9
WSW
12
0.9
WSW
12
0.9
WSW
12
0.9
WSW
19
0.9
WSW
12
0.9
WSW
18
1.1
WSW
18
1.1
WSW
17
1.3
WSW
16
1
WSW
16
1.2
WSW
16
1.2
WSW
16
1.1
WSW
15
1
WSW
14
1
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.8
WSW
14
0.8
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.7
WSW
13
0.9
WSW
16
Energy kJ
273
264
233
264
627
237
522
790
772
834
547
679
706
566
400
394
316
312
210
198
149
149
151
452
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
W
22
0.6
W
21
0.6
W
21
0.8
W
20
0.8
WSW
12
0.8
WSW
18
0.9
SW
12
0.8
SW
12
0.7
SW
12
0.7
WSW
12
0.1
W
22
0.1
W
21
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
Energy kJ
156
332
323
485
193
456
252
169
142
119
9
9
35
30
66
120
106
222
200
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.2
S
6
0.2
W
16
Energy kJ
2
20
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
S
6
0.3
S
6
0.4
SSE
2
Energy kJ
7
6
2
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Distance (km)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
17
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Taranaki
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
3
2
3
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
3
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
5
5
5
5
4
5
6
6
5
4
5
4
7
9
9
4
4
4
4
5
4
4
4
4
  • 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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