Desperation Point Surf Forecast

/ Taranaki (31 surf breaks) /

New Zealand (466 surf breaks) / Lat Long: (39.47° S 173.86° E)

Surf Forecasts:

Desperation Point surfForecast / Taranaki / New Zealand

48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 pm Friday 29 May 2026 NZST

Forecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent

Desperation Point surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.

Today's Desperation Point sea temperature is 16.3° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)

How big are the waves at Desperation Point today (30 May):

Morning surf: Morning surf (30 May, local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 13s period with SW swell.
Afternoon surf: Afternoon surf (30 May, local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 13s period with SW swell.
Evening surf: Evening surf (30 May, local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 13s period with SW swell.

The current surf forecast for Desperation Point at 3AM is: 1.1m 14s primary swell from a Southwest direction and 0.2m 12s secondary swell from a South direction (forecast issued at 11:00pm May 29). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore and the swell rating is 2.

Time (NZST) & Date	Wave Height	Wave Period
Morning (30 May)	3.5ft (1.0m)	13s
Afternoon (30 May)	3ft (0.9m)	13s
Evening (30 May)	2.5ft (0.8m)	13s

Table - waves today at Desperation Point. (Swell directed towards the surf break)

Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent

	Short Range Forecast Moderate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Sun night. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun morning, min 11°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNE on Fri night, fresh winds from the NNE by Sun morning).
		Saturday 30								Sunday 31								Monday 1
	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	9 AM	12 PM	3 PM	6 PM
Rating (10 max)	2	1	2	2	2	2	2	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Swell Height Map See all maps
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s)	SW 14	SW 14	SW 14	SW 14	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	WSW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	SW 12	SW 12	WSW 12	WSW 12	WSW 12
Wave Graph
kJ	469	463	450	431	352	342	249	245	199	167	132	104	74	38	39	39	40	42	42	40	38	57	57	56
Wind (km/h)	NNE	NNW	NNE	NE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy	cross-off	cross	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off
High Tide	8:44PM2.99m				8:58AM2.92m					9:19PM3.08m				9:35AM2.97m				9:53PM3.14m				10:11AM2.99m
Low Tide			2:54AM0.62m					3:09PM0.51m				3:30AM0.60m				3:45PM0.51m				4:05AM0.61m				4:21PM0.53m


	—	—	—	7:33	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	7:33	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	7:35	—	—	—	—
	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:09	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:08	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:08	—
mm	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1	1	3	3	1	1	1	1	1	1
Temp °C	12	12	11	11	12	15	16	15	15	15	14	15	16	17	17	17	16	16	16	17	17	17	17	17
Feels °C	11	11	9	9	11	13	14	12	12	11	10	11	11	11	12	12	11	11	12	14	14	14	13	14
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	SW 14	SW 14	SW 14	SW 14	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	WSW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	SW 12	SW 12	WSW 12	WSW 12	NNW 9
kJ	469	463	450	431	352	342	249	245	199	167	132	104	74	38	39	39	40	42	42	40	38	57	57	1312
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	S 12	S 12	S 12	SSE 12	S 12	S 11	S 11	S 11	S 11	S 10	S 10	S 10	S 10	S 10	WSW 12	WSW 13	WSW 13	SW 13	WSW 13	WSW 12	WSW 12	SW 12	SW 12	WSW 12
kJ	12	11	11	14	11	9	9	9	9	9	2	2	2	2	15	16	16	26	32	30	29	37	37	56
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	—	S 12	—	—	—	SSE 11	SSE 11	SSE 11	SSE 11	S 10	S 10	S 10	S 10	S 10	S 10	S 10	S 10	—	—	—	—	—	W 11	W 11
kJ	—	11	—	—	—	12	11	11	11	9	8	8	2	2	2	2	2	—	—	—	—	—	10	36
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s)	—	—	—	—	NNE 3	N 4	N 5	N 6	N 6	N 6	N 7	N 7	NNW 8	NNW 8	NNW 9	NNW 9	NNW 10	NNW 10	NNW 10	NNW 10	NNW 10	NNW 9	NNW 9	NE 3
kJ	—	—	—	—	4	8	29	64	104	173	297	427	607	939	1109	1640	1917	1923	1704	1529	1402	1223	1256	5
Nearest Offshore or Glassy	Desperation Point Taranaki	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Desperation Point Taranaki	Desperation Point Taranaki	Desperation Point Taranaki	Desperation Point Taranaki	Desperation Point Taranaki	Desperation Point Taranaki	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Mangahume Taranaki	The Point (nr Wainui) Wanganui-Manawatu	The Point (nr Wainui) Wanganui-Manawatu	The Point (nr Wainui) Wanganui-Manawatu	The Point (nr Wainui) Wanganui-Manawatu	Greenmeadows Taranaki	Mangahume Taranaki	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Mangahume Taranaki	The Point (nr Wainui) Wanganui-Manawatu	Mangahume Taranaki
Rating (10 max)	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Distance (km)	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	1	1	9	86	86	86	86	12	9	1	1	9	86	9
Best forecast wave conditions in Taranaki	Stent Road	Stent Road	Waiwakaiho	Waiwakaiho	Waiwakaiho	Back Beach	Back Beach	Back Beach	Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows					Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows		Greenmeadows
Rating (10 max)	3	3	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	1	1	1	1					1	1	1	1	1		1
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand	Diners Beach Gisborne and Mahia	Diners Beach Gisborne and Mahia	Diners Beach Gisborne and Mahia	Papatowai Catlins	Makorori Centre Gisborne and Mahia	Papatowai Catlins	Papatowai Catlins	Stewart Island - Saber Reef Southland	Blaketown Wedge West Coast South Island	Blaketown Wedge West Coast South Island	Blaketown Wedge West Coast South Island	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Makorori Centre Gisborne and Mahia	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Nine Mile West Coast South Island	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island
Rating (10 max)	5	4	4	4	3	4	3	3	2	2	3	3	3	4	1	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Header Global	Boneyards South Africa	El Olon de Ilo Peru	Lebu Chile	Aganoa Beach Samoa	Maraa French Polynesia	Haapiti French Polynesia	Fare Left French Polynesia	Fare Left French Polynesia	Fare Left French Polynesia	Fare Left French Polynesia	Maraa French Polynesia	Maraa French Polynesia	Haapiti French Polynesia	Haapiti French Polynesia	Haapiti French Polynesia	Haapiti French Polynesia	Cathedral Rock Australia	Cathedral Rock Australia	Cathedral Rock Australia	Easter Reef Australia	Fare Left French Polynesia	Fare Left French Polynesia	Fare Left French Polynesia	Fullers United States
Rating (10 max)	5	5	5	4	5	5	5	5	5	5	6	8	7	7	7	7	6	6	5	5	5	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)

Latest Updates

Ben Mondy

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Desperation Point Surf Forecast

Desperation Point surfForecast / Taranaki / New Zealand

How big are the waves at Desperation Point today (30 May):

Short Range Forecast

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