Desperation Point surfForecast / Taranaki / New Zealand

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 11 am Sunday 17 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
16.7° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)

How big are the waves at Desperation Point today?

The current surf forecast for Desperation Point at 7PM is: 1.3m 16s primary swell from a West-southwest direction (forecast issued at 11:00am May 17). An open ocean swell of 0.8m 4s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore.

Time (NZST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (17 May)3.5ft (1.1m)17s
Afternoon (17 May)3.5ft (1.1m)16s
Evening (17 May)4.5ft (1.3m)16s

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


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Sun afternoon, min 9°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Sun
17
Monday
18
Tuesday
19
Wed
20
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
3 AM
6 AM
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
2
2
1
2
2
2
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.1
WSW
17
1
WSW
16
1.1
WSW
16
1.3
WSW
16
1.3
WSW
16
1.1
WSW
15
1
WSW
14
1
WSW
14
1
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
13
0.8
WSW
13
0.8
WSW
13
0.9
SW
13
0.7
WSW
16
1
WSW
16
1
WSW
16
1
WSW
15
1
WSW
14
1
WSW
14
1
WSW
14
1
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
657
493
575
768
749
530
431
425
413
303
277
215
212
245
232
525
463
422
394
389
378
384
321
299
Wind (km/h)
20
ESE
20
ESE
20
SE
25
SE
20
ESE
20
ESE
20
ESE
15
ESE
15
ESE
15
SE
15
SE
10
ESE
10
ESE
10
ESE
10
E
5
E
5
E
5
SSW
10
SSW
5
SSW
0
W
5
N
5
NNW
10
N
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
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross-on
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross
cross-off
High Tide
9:37AM3.34m
10:06PM3.47m
10:27AM3.35m
10:53PM3.48m
11:17AM3.28m
11:43PM3.41m
Low Tide
3:54PM0.07m
4:20AM0.14m
4:42PM0.12m
5:10AM0.22m
5:32PM0.23m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:22
7:22
7:24
7:24
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:17
5:16
5:15
5:15
Temp °C
10
12
13
12
11
10
9
9
9
11
12
12
12
12
12
12
12
13
13
12
12
11
11
11
6
8
8
7
7
6
5
5
5
8
9
10
10
10
10
11
11
12
12
12
12
10
9
9
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.1
WSW
17
1
WSW
16
1.1
WSW
16
1.3
WSW
16
1.3
WSW
16
1.1
WSW
15
1
WSW
14
1
WSW
14
1
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
13
0.8
WSW
13
0.8
WSW
13
0.9
SW
13
0.7
SW
13
1
WSW
16
1
WSW
16
1
WSW
15
1
WSW
14
1
WSW
14
1
WSW
14
1
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
0.9
WSW
14
Energy kJ
657
493
575
768
749
530
431
425
413
303
277
215
212
245
172
525
463
422
394
389
378
384
321
299
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
WSW
12
0.8
WSW
12
0.7
SW
12
0.1
S
9
0.1
S
9
0.1
S
8
0.1
W
21
0.1
W
21
0.4
SSE
4
0.3
WSW
19
0.3
WSW
18
0.4
WSW
18
0.5
WSW
17
0.7
WSW
16
0.1
SE
10
0.1
SE
9
0.1
SE
9
0.1
SE
9
0.1
SE
9
0.1
W
21
0.1
W
21
0.1
W
21
0.3
WSW
4
Energy kJ
196
193
140
2
2
1
9
8
7
73
65
123
172
232
4
3
3
3
3
9
9
9
2
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
S
8
0.1
W
21
0.1
S
8
0.2
WSW
20
0.1
S
8
0.1
S
8
0.1
S
8
0.1
W
21
0.1
S
11
0.1
S
11
Energy kJ
1
9
1
37
1
1
1
9
2
2
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
SSE
5
0.8
SSE
5
0.7
SSE
5
0.8
SSE
4
0.8
SSE
4
0.7
SE
4
0.7
SE
4
0.7
SE
4
0.6
SSE
4
0.6
SE
4
0.3
SSE
4
0.3
SSE
4
0.3
SSE
3
0.3
SE
8
0.1
SE
8
Energy kJ
45
28
19
24
24
18
19
20
13
12
3
3
2
10
3
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
4
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
Distance (km)
10
7
31
28
28
12
28
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
35
0
0
0
1
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Taranaki
Rating
(10 max)
4
3
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
3
2
3
3
3
2
3
3
2
2
2
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
3
2
2
2
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
5
5
4
4
6
9
9
7
4
4
5
7
5
4
5
4
4
4
4
5
5
4
4
5
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder

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