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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 5 am Thursday 21 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
16.4° C
(Which is normal for this time of year)How big are the waves at Desperation Point today?
The current surf forecast for Desperation Point at 11AM is: 0.5m 12s primary swell from a West-southwest direction and 0.2m 19s secondary swell from a West-southwest direction (forecast issued at 05:00am May 21). An open ocean swell of 1.3m 6s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore.
| Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (21 May) | 2ft (0.6m) | 12s |
| Afternoon (21 May) | 1.5ft (0.4m) | 12s |
| Evening (21 May) | 1.5ft (0.4m) | 12s |
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 17°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 21 | Friday 22 | Saturday 23 | Sun 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 | |
Swell Height Map |    |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | W 14 | W 13 | W 12 | W 12 | W 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | |
145 | 140 | 99 | 83 | 56 | 56 | 38 | 148 | 225 | 305 | 411 | 364 | 356 | 392 | 320 | 331 | 292 | 585 | 421 | 429 | 689 | 630 | 555 | 504 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | |
High Tide | 00:37AM3.27m | 1:09PM2.99m | 1:36AM3.10m | 2:12PM2.83m | 2:40AM2.94m | 3:15PM2.71m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 7:00AM0.51m | 7:19PM0.58m | 8:00AM0.66m | 8:18PM0.74m | 9:02AM0.77m | 9:22PM0.86m | ||||||||||||||||||
 | |  | | | | | | | | | |  |  | |  | | |  | | | | | | |
 | — | 7:26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | — | — | — | 7:28 |
 | — | — | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:13 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 12 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 |
9 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | W 12 | W 12 | W 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 |
 kJ | 145 | 140 | 99 | 83 | 56 | 56 | 35 | 68 | 66 | 305 | 411 | 364 | 356 | 392 | 320 | 331 | 292 | 585 | 421 | 429 | 689 | 630 | 555 | 504 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 19 | SW 18 | WSW 19 | WSW 18 | W 15 | WNW 14 | W 15 | W 14 | W 13 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 9 | SW 15 | WSW 14 | NNW 8 | NNW 11 | NNW 11 | NNW 11 |
| kJ | 7 | 13 | 34 | 34 | 17 | 19 | 38 | 148 | 225 | 52 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 139 | 125 | 84 | 83 | 40 | 217 | 268 | 24 | 47 | 47 | 46 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 16 | W 15 | SW 18 | WSW 18 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SW 16 | SW 15 | WSW 17 | WSW 14 | NNW 6 | NW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 11 | N 6 | — | W 23 |
| kJ | — | — | 5 | 5 | 13 | 31 | 15 | 26 | 23 | 44 | 41 | 67 | 65 | 66 | 60 | 57 | 133 | 11 | 40 | 45 | 12 | 7 | — | 10 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 5 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 6 | — | — | — | SE 3 | SE 3 |
| kJ | 52 | 98 | 130 | 130 | 108 | 98 | 85 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | 2 | 5 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 9 | 12 | 12 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Taranaki | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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