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 Saturday 30 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 (31 May):

Morning surf: Morning surf (31 May, local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 12s period with SW swell.
Afternoon surf: Afternoon surf (31 May, local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 12s period with SW swell.
Evening surf: Evening surf (31 May, local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 13s period with SW swell.

The current surf forecast for Desperation Point at 8AM is: 0.5m 12s primary swell from a Southwest direction and 0.1m 10s secondary swell from a South direction (forecast issued at 11:00pm May 30). An open ocean swell of 2.2m 8s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore.

Time (NZST) & Date	Wave Height	Wave Period
Morning (31 May)	1.5ft (0.5m)	12s
Afternoon (31 May)	1.5ft (0.4m)	12s
Evening (31 May)	1.5ft (0.4m)	13s

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

Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent

	Short Range Forecast Heavy rain (total 39mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon morning, min 14°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNE on Sat night, fresh winds from the NNE by Mon night).
		Sunday 31								Monday 1								Tuesday 2
	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)	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	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 13	SW 13	SW 13	SW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	SW 12	SW 12	WSW 12	WSW 12	W 10	WSW 12	W 10	WSW 12	W 9	WNW 8	WSW 11	WSW 11
Wave Graph
kJ	199	170	132	77	74	38	39	39	41	42	42	40	39	37	57	57	56	56	55	54	50	48	48	51
Wind (km/h)	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NE	NNE	N	N	N	NNW	NNW	NNW
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy	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	cross	cross
High Tide		9:19PM3.08m				9:35AM2.97m				9:53PM3.14m				10:11AM2.99m				10:27PM3.16m				10:46AM2.99m
Low Tide				3:30AM0.60m				3:45PM0.51m				4:05AM0.61m				4:21PM0.53m				4:40AM0.65m				4:56PM0.58m


	—	—	—	7:33	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	7:35	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	7:35	—	—	—	—
	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:08	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:08	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:07	—
mm	—	—	—	—	—	—	1	1	2	—	2	1	2	1	—	1	4	7	15	1	1	—	—	—
Temp °C	14	15	14	15	15	16	16	17	16	16	16	17	17	18	18	18	17	18	17	17	17	17	17	15
Feels °C	11	11	10	11	10	11	10	12	11	12	12	13	13	15	14	14	14	13	13	14	15	15	15	12
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	SW 13	SW 13	SW 13	SW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 13	SW 13	NNW 10	NNW 10	SW 12	SW 12	WSW 12	NNW 10	W 10	WSW 12	W 10	NNW 10	W 9	WNW 8	W 8	W 8
kJ	199	170	132	77	74	38	39	39	41	42	1931	1739	39	37	57	1772	50	56	47	1666	40	42	35	35
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	S 11	S 10	S 10	S 10	S 10	S 10	WSW 12	WSW 13	WSW 13	WSW 13	SW 13	SW 13	WSW 12	SW 12	WNW 11	WSW 12	WSW 12	W 10	WSW 12	W 9	WSW 11	W 9	WSW 11	WSW 11
kJ	9	9	2	2	2	2	15	16	16	16	42	40	29	37	42	57	56	31	55	42	50	39	48	51
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	SSE 11	S 10	S 10	S 10	S 10	S 10	S 10	S 10	S 10	—	—	—	—	—	WNW 11	W 11	SW 12	SW 12	SW 12	WSW 12	WSW 11	WSW 11	WNW 8	WSW 16
kJ	11	9	8	8	8	2	2	2	2	—	—	—	—	—	25	37	36	35	35	54	50	48	26	25
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s)	N 6	N 6	N 7	N 7	N 8	N 8	NNW 9	NNW 9	NNW 9	NNW 10	NE 3	NE 3	NNW 10	NNW 10	NNW 10	NE 3	NNW 10	NNW 10	NNW 10	—	NNW 9	NNW 8	NNW 8	NNW 7
kJ	69	173	320	447	667	845	1109	1635	1597	1564	2	5	1962	1772	1773	2	1962	2049	1962	—	1016	521	395	312
Nearest Offshore or Glassy	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Opunake Beach Taranaki	The Point (nr Wainui) Wanganui-Manawatu	The Point (nr Wainui) Wanganui-Manawatu	The Point (nr Wainui) Wanganui-Manawatu	Kai-Iwi Wanganui-Manawatu	Opunake Beach Taranaki	The Point (nr Wainui) Wanganui-Manawatu	Karaka Street Wanganui-Manawatu	Mangahume Taranaki	Mangahume Taranaki	The Point (nr Wainui) Wanganui-Manawatu	Mangahume Taranaki	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Greenmeadows Taranaki	The Point (nr Wainui) Wanganui-Manawatu	The Point (nr Wainui) Wanganui-Manawatu	Sky Williams Taranaki	Greenmeadows Taranaki	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Nukumaru Rock Wanganui-Manawatu
Rating (10 max)	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Distance (km)	1	1	1	1	1	86	86	86	103	1	86	109	9	9	86	9	1	12	86	86	7	12	64	83
Best forecast wave conditions in Taranaki	Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows					Greenmeadows			Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows		Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows			Greenmeadows	Greenmeadows	Patea River Mouth	Marokopa
Rating (10 max)	2	1	1	1	1					1			1	1		1	1	1			1	1	1	1
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand	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	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Papatowai Catlins	Otago Peninsula - Papanui Beach Otago	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Little Wanganui 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	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Nine Mile West Coast South Island	Fairway Reef Northland	The Ledge Northland	The Ledge Northland	The Ledge Northland	Fairway Reef Northland	Fairway Reef Northland
Rating (10 max)	2	2	3	3	4	4	4	4	2	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	5	5	5	4	4
Header Global	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	Fare Left French Polynesia	Easter Reef Australia	Fare Left French Polynesia	Fare Left French Polynesia	Fare Left French Polynesia	Haapiti French Polynesia	Haapiti French Polynesia	Ahijedero Mexico	Taupo Bay New Zealand	Taupo Bay New Zealand	Taupo Bay New Zealand	Taupo Bay New Zealand	Taupo Bay New Zealand	Ahijedero Mexico
Rating (10 max)	5	5	6	8	7	7	7	7	7	6	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	4	5	5	5	5	5	4

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 (31 May):

Short Range Forecast

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