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Desperation Point Surf Forecast
/ Taranaki (31 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Desperation Point surfForecast / Taranaki / New Zealand
48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 pm Monday 18 May 2026 NZSTForecast 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
16.6° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)How big are the waves at Desperation Point today?
The current surf forecast for Desperation Point at 2AM is: 0.6m 17s primary swell from a West-southwest direction and 0.7m 13s secondary swell from a Southwest direction (forecast issued at 11:00pm May 18). An open ocean swell of 0.4m 3s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be offshore and the swell rating is 2.
| Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (19 May) | 3.5ft (1.0m) | 16s |
| Afternoon (19 May) | 3.5ft (1.0m) | 14s |
| Evening (19 May) | 3.5ft (1.0m) | 14s |
Table - waves today at Desperation Point. (Swell directed towards the surf break)
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 19 | Wednesday 20 | Thursday 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | |
Swell Height Map |  |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | |
212 | 215 | 232 | 525 | 506 | 422 | 394 | 389 | 378 | 384 | 321 | 299 | 336 | 307 | 219 | 219 | 192 | 189 | 145 | 142 | 99 | 98 | 56 | 56 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | |
High Tide | 10:53PM3.48m | 11:17AM3.28m | 11:43PM3.41m | 12:10PM3.15m | 00:37AM3.27m | 1:09PM2.99m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 5:10AM0.22m | 5:32PM0.23m | 6:03AM0.35m | 6:23PM0.39m | 7:00AM0.51m | |||||||||||||||||||
 | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  |  | | | | |
 | — | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | — | — |
 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:15 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 14 |
11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 |
 kJ | 212 | 215 | 172 | 525 | 506 | 422 | 394 | 389 | 378 | 384 | 321 | 299 | 336 | 307 | 219 | 219 | 192 | 189 | 145 | 142 | 99 | 98 | 56 | 56 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 18 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | W 21 | W 21 | W 21 | S 11 | S 8 | W 20 | W 20 | W 20 | W 20 | W 20 | W 19 | SW 18 | WSW 19 | WSW 18 | W 14 | W 14 |
| kJ | 123 | 172 | 232 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 34 | 34 | 16 | 37 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | SSE 4 | S 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 21 | S 11 | S 11 | — | W 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 15 | W 15 | WSW 18 | WSW 18 |
| kJ | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 2 | 2 | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | 31 | 30 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 4 | SE 3 | SE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | N 3 | N 4 | N 4 | N 4 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 |
| kJ | 6 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 9 | 11 | 18 | 42 | 77 | 97 | 113 | 117 | 100 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Taranaki | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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