Desperation Point 48 hour detailed Surf Forecast

Lat Long: 39.47° S 173.86° E

Issued: 5 am 14 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in hr min

Today's Desperation Point sea temperature is

14.4° C

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

Surf Forecasts:

How big are the waves at Desperation Point today (14 Jul):

Morning surf: Morning surf (14 Jul, local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period with WNW swell.
Afternoon surf: Afternoon surf (14 Jul, local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 7s period with NW swell.
Evening surf: Evening surf (14 Jul, local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 10s period with W swell.

The current surf forecast for Desperation Point at 11AM is: 1.8m 8s primary swell from a Northwest direction and 0.8m 12s secondary swell from a West-southwest direction, 0.4m 11s secondary swell from a West direction (forecast issued at 05:00am July 14). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-shore.

Time (NZST) & Date	Wave Height	Wave Period
Morning (14 Jul)	5ft (1.6m)	8s
Afternoon (14 Jul)	5ft (1.6m)	7s
Evening (14 Jul)	4ft (1.2m)	10s

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

	Short Range Forecast Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Wed morning, min 12°C on Thu morning). Mainly fresh winds.
	Tuesday 14							Wednesday 15								Thursday 16								Fri 17
	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	9 PM	12 AM
Rating (10 max)	2	2	1	1	1	1	1	2	2	4	3	!	!	!	!	!	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Swell Height Map See all maps
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s)	NW 8	WNW 9	WNW 8	NW 8	NW 7	W 11	W 10	W 12	W 12	WSW 17	WSW 16	WSW 16	WSW 15	WSW 15	WSW 15	WSW 15	W 15	WSW 15	W 15	WSW 15	WSW 15	WSW 15	WSW 15	WSW 14
Wave Graph
kJ	878	464	323	373	260	375	298	883	792	3702	3855	4779	4386	3765	3691	3432	3243	2547	3428	3030	3093	2880	1275	1010
Wind (km/h)	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	N	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NW	NW	WNW	WSW	W	W	W	WSW
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross-off	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross-on	on	on	on	on	on
High Tide				9:18AM3.23m				9:44PM3.50m				10:09AM3.33m				10:33PM3.58m				10:57AM3.35m				11:20PM3.56m
Low Tide		3:09AM0.38m				3:32PM0.27m				3:59AM0.26m				4:20PM0.18m				4:48AM0.20m				5:07PM0.17m


	—	7:41	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	7:41	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	7:41	—	—	—	—	—	7:39
	—	—	—	—	5:17	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:19	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:20	—	—	5:21
mm	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	1	—	—	—	—
Temp °C	13	13	13	14	14	13	13	14	14	14	14	15	15	14	14	14	14	13	13	12	13	13	13	12
Feels °C	9	11	11	11	10	9	9	10	11	11	11	12	12	11	11	10	10	8	8	7	8	8	8	6
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	WSW 14	WNW 9	WNW 8	WSW 12	W 11	W 11	W 10	W 12	W 12	WSW 17	WSW 16	WSW 16	WSW 15	WSW 15	WSW 15	WSW 15	W 15	WSW 15	W 15	WSW 15	WSW 15	WSW 15	WSW 15	WSW 14
kJ	121	464	323	169	231	375	288	883	792	3702	3855	4779	4386	3765	3691	3432	3243	2547	3428	3030	1220	1091	1275	1010
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	W 23	NNW 8	WSW 13	W 11	WSW 13	WSW 13	WSW 13	WSW 18	WSW 18	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
kJ	10	54	140	37	120	139	298	368	705	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	—	WSW 13	NNW 7	WSW 20	WSW 20	SW 18	WSW 18	—	WSW 13	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
kJ	—	116	21	38	77	84	180	—	336	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s)	NW 8	N 7	N 7	NW 8	NW 7	NNW 7	NNW 7	NNW 7	NNW 7	NNW 7	NW 7	NNW 6	—	NW 4	—	—	NW 5	NW 6	—	—	WSW 15	WSW 15	WSW 7	WSW 7
kJ	878	91	76	373	260	178	138	131	91	59	65	44	—	16	—	—	103	120	—	—	3093	2880	346	572
Nearest Offshore or Glassy	Wainui Reef Wanganui-Manawatu	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Wainui Reef Wanganui-Manawatu	Outer Cut Nelson - Tasman Bay	Wainui Reef Wanganui-Manawatu	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Wainui Reef Wanganui-Manawatu	Anawhata Road (Oaonui) Taranaki	Wainui Reef Wanganui-Manawatu	Wainui Reef Wanganui-Manawatu	The Point (nr Wainui) Wanganui-Manawatu	Nukumaru Rock Wanganui-Manawatu	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Wainui Reef Wanganui-Manawatu	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Schnappers Point Nelson - Tasman Bay	The Island (Island Bay) Wellington	Lyall Bay Wellington	Lyall Bay Wellington	Peka Peka Wanganui-Manawatu
Rating (10 max)	2	3	2	1	1	2	2	4	2	5	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	4	1	1	1	1	2
Distance (km)	90	1	1	90	205	90	64	64	90	11	90	90	86	83	64	64	64	90	64	198	223	222	222	183
Best forecast wave conditions in Taranaki		Waiwakaiho	Waiwakaiho			Marokopa	Patea River Mouth	Patea River Mouth	Marokopa	Anawhata Road (Oaonui)				Marokopa	Patea River Mouth	Patea River Mouth	Patea River Mouth		Patea River Mouth
Rating (10 max)		3	2			2	2	4	4	5				6	4	4	4		4
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand	Nine Mile West Coast South Island	Fox River West Coast South Island	Westport Breakwater West Coast South Island	Wainui Beach - Whales Gisborne and Mahia	Makorori Centre Gisborne and Mahia	Papatowai Catlins	Papatowai Catlins	Shingles West Coast South Island	Fox River West Coast South Island	Nine Mile West Coast South Island	Papatowai Catlins	Dinner Plates Catlins	Papatowai Catlins	Papatowai Catlins	Smoothwater Bay West Coast South Island	Smoothwater Bay West Coast South Island	The Box Northland	Wainui Reef Wanganui-Manawatu	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Makorori Centre Gisborne and Mahia	Makorori Centre Gisborne and Mahia	Makorori Centre Gisborne and Mahia	Makorori Centre Gisborne and Mahia	Blaketown Wedge West Coast South Island
Rating (10 max)	3	3	3	1	1	5	5	6	6	6	5	4	4	4	6	5	5	3	4	2	2	3	3	4
Header Global	Bancoora Australia	Bullies Australia	Buchupureo Chile	Buchupureo Chile	Buchupureo Chile	Puertecillo Chile	Lebu Chile	Cathedral Rock Australia	Fox River New Zealand	Cathedral Rock Australia	Cathedral Rock Australia	Cathedral Rock Australia	Amanzimtoti South Africa	Bancoora Australia	Barrancon Chile	Bancoora Australia	Balnarring Point Australia	Shipstern Bluff Australia	Baboon Point South Africa	Fish Boma South Africa	Boneyards South Africa	Boneyards South Africa	Cobblestones Australia	Easter Reef Australia
Rating (10 max)	5	7	8	7	7	6	6	9	6	8	8	7	4	4	4	4	4	9	4	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 48 hour detailed Surf Forecast

How big are the waves at Desperation Point today (14 Jul):

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