Desperation Point 48 hour detailed Surf Forecast

Lat Long: 39.47° S 173.86° E

Issued: 5 pm 13 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 (13 Jul):

Afternoon surf: Afternoon surf (13 Jul, local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 14s period with WSW swell.
Evening surf: Evening surf (13 Jul, local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s period with SW swell.

The current surf forecast for Desperation Point at 9PM is: 0.7m 14s primary swell from a Southwest direction and 0.7m 7s secondary swell from a West-northwest direction (forecast issued at 05:00pm July 13). An open ocean swell of 2.1m 7s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore.

Time (NZST) & Date	Wave Height	Wave Period
Morning (13 Jul)	-	-
Afternoon (13 Jul)	3ft (0.9m)	14s
Evening (13 Jul)	2.5ft (0.7m)	14s

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

	Short Range Forecast Light rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 15°C on Wed morning, min 13°C on Mon afternoon). Mainly fresh winds.
	Mon 13			Tuesday 14								Wednesday 15								Thu 16
	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	3 AM	6 AM	9 AM	12 PM
Rating (10 max)	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	1	1	1	1	2	2	3	3	!	!	!	!	!	!	0	0	0
Swell Height Map See all maps
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s)	WSW 14	WSW 14	SW 14	NW 7	WNW 8	WNW 8	WNW 8	NW 8	NW 8	W 11	W 10	W 12	WSW 18	WSW 17	WSW 16	WSW 16	WSW 15	WSW 15	WSW 15	WSW 15	W 15	W 15	W 15	WSW 15
Wave Graph
kJ	323	236	189	671	550	432	361	346	267	375	298	869	713	3427	3855	4802	4386	4270	3887	3626	3475	3436	3238	2817
Wind (km/h)	N	N	N	NNW	NNW	NNW	N	NNW	NW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NW	NW	NW	W	W
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross	cross	cross	cross-off	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross-on	on	on
High Tide			8:54PM3.34m					9:18AM3.23m				9:44PM3.50m				10:09AM3.33m				10:33PM3.58m				10:57AM3.35m
Low Tide	2:40PM0.42m					3:09AM0.38m				3:32PM0.27m				3:59AM0.26m				4:20PM0.18m				4:48AM0.20m


	—	—	—	—	—	7:41	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	7:41	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	7:41	—	—
	5:17	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:17	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:19	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:20
mm	1	—	—	5	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1	—
Temp °C	14	13	13	14	13	13	13	14	14	13	13	14	14	14	14	15	15	14	14	14	14	14	13	13
Feels °C	8	7	7	9	9	10	10	10	10	9	9	10	11	11	11	12	11	11	10	10	9	8	9	8
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	WSW 14	WSW 14	WNW 7	WSW 14	WNW 8	WNW 8	WNW 8	NW 8	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	W 15	—	WSW 15
kJ	323	236	51	166	550	432	361	346	231	375	288	869	699	3427	3855	4802	4386	4270	3887	3626	3475	3436	—	2817
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	N 13	—	SW 14	W 23	N 7	WSW 13	WSW 13	WSW 12	WSW 13	WSW 13	WSW 13	WSW 18	WSW 18	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
kJ	3	—	189	11	93	116	140	169	120	139	298	368	713	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	—	—	—	—	WSW 14	SW 22	NNW 7	W 11	WSW 20	SW 18	WSW 18	—	WSW 13	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
kJ	—	—	—	—	121	18	21	58	76	84	180	—	336	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s)	N 5	N 6	N 7	NW 7	NNW 7	N 7	N 7	—	NW 8	NNW 7	NNW 7	NNW 7	NNW 7	NNW 7	NNW 7	NNW 7	—	—	NW 4	—	—	—	W 15	—
kJ	124	270	396	671	62	121	59	—	267	178	138	111	77	57	50	40	—	—	36	—	—	—	3238	—
Nearest Offshore or Glassy	Akito River Mouth and Reef Wairarapa	Akito River Mouth and Reef Wairarapa	Himatangi Beach Wanganui-Manawatu	Outer Cut Nelson - Tasman Bay	Wainui Reef Wanganui-Manawatu	Rocky Rights Taranaki	Opunake Beach Taranaki	Rocky Rights Taranaki	Wainui Reef Wanganui-Manawatu	Wainui Reef Wanganui-Manawatu	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Wainui Reef Wanganui-Manawatu	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Nukumaru Rock Wanganui-Manawatu	Nukumaru Rock Wanganui-Manawatu	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Patea River Mouth Taranaki	Wainui Reef Wanganui-Manawatu	Schnappers Point Nelson - Tasman Bay	Whatarangi Point and Bombora Wairarapa
Rating (10 max)	1	2	1	3	2	3	3	3	1	2	3	4	2	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	1	1
Distance (km)	252	252	155	205	90	31	1	31	90	90	64	64	90	64	64	64	83	83	64	64	64	90	198	250
Best forecast wave conditions in Taranaki						Rocky Rights	Stent Road	Rocky Rights		Marokopa	Patea River Mouth	Patea River Mouth		Patea River Mouth	Patea River Mouth	Patea River Mouth			Patea River Mouth	Patea River Mouth	Patea River Mouth
Rating (10 max)						3	3	3		2	3	4		3	4	4			4	4	4
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand	Papatowai Catlins	Little Wanganui West Coast South Island	Blaketown Wedge West Coast South Island	Blaketown Wedge West Coast South Island	Nine Mile West Coast South Island	Charleston West Coast South Island	Charleston West Coast South Island	Purakaunui Bay Catlins	Makorori Point Gisborne and Mahia	Papatowai Catlins	Papatowai Catlins	Punakaiki West Coast South Island	Nine Mile West Coast South Island	Nine Mile West Coast South Island	Papatowai Catlins	Dinner Plates Catlins	Dinner Plates Catlins	Purakaunui Bay Catlins	The Box Northland	Smoothwater Bay West Coast South Island	The Box Northland	Shipwrecks Bay-Peaks Northland	Shingles West Coast South Island	Makorori Centre Gisborne and Mahia
Rating (10 max)	2	2	4	4	3	3	3	3	1	5	5	6	6	6	5	4	4	4	6	5	5	4	4	2
Header Global	Benkunqut Indonesia	Benkunqut Indonesia	Benkunqut Indonesia	Cobblestones Australia	Bancoora Australia	Cobblestones Australia	Buchupureo Chile	Buchupureo Chile	Point Roadnight Australia	Point Roadnight Australia	Point Roadnight Australia	Cathedral Rock Australia	Spooky's New Zealand	Cathedral Rock Australia	Cathedral Rock Australia	Cathedral Rock Australia	Asu Indonesia	Asu Indonesia	Antiques Maldives	Barrancon Chile	Luna Park Australia	Shipstern Bluff Australia	Dolphin Point South Africa	Easter Reef Australia
Rating (10 max)	4	4	4	6	5	5	8	7	9	8	8	9	7	8	8	7	4	4	4	4	5	9	5	6

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 (13 Jul):

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