Surf Break

Lat Long: 39.47° S 173.86° E

Desperation Point Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 12 am 27 Oct 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Desperation Point sea temperature is
15.0°C
0.7° 

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


Desperation Point surf forecast from 26 Oct 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 31 Oct, 1PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 12s period, WSW swell with cross-onshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 27 Oct, 4PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 12s period, W swell with 4,435 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 31 Oct, 1PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 12s period with WSW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Desperation Point this week:

The surf forecast for Desperation Point over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Oct 31) at 1PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be cross-onshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Desperation Point in the next 16 days are 4.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Oct 27) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 6s period and expected on Monday (Nov 02) at 7PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1PM (Sat 31st Oct)11ft (3.5m) 12s
Best Surf 1PM (Sat 31st Oct)11ft (3.5m) 12s
Most Powerful 4PM (Tue 27th Oct)13ft (4.0m) 12s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Desperation Point over the next 16 days.


Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon night, min 12°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NNW on Mon night, moderate winds from the WNW by Tue night).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri morning, min 10°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Thu night, calm by Sat night).

Tuesday
27
Wednesday
28
Thursday
29
Friday
30
Saturday
31
Sunday
1
Monday
2
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
!
4
2
0
1
1
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
4
W
10
4
W
12
3.5
WSW
11
1.7
WSW
10
1.6
WSW
11
2.5
W
8
3
W
8
3.5
W
9
4.5
WSW
10
3.5
WSW
10
3.5
W
11
4
WSW
10
4
WSW
11
3
WSW
13
2.5
WSW
13
2
WSW
13
1.9
WSW
12
1.4
WSW
12
1.1
WSW
12
1.5
NNW
6
1.6
NW
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
2780
4435
2603
661
563
694
1117
2130
3589
2903
2454
3063
3817
2981
2052
1227
1068
579
322
148
247
Wind (km/h)
30
WSW
35
WSW
30
WSW
25
WNW
35
NW
30
WNW
40
NW
35
W
40
WSW
35
W
35
W
30
W
30
WSW
15
S
5
NE
15
NW
25
NW
20
NNW
25
N
25
NNW
15
ESE
Wind State
on
on
on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
cross
glassy
cross
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-off
High Tide
11:02AM3.38m
11:17PM3.35m
11:42AM3.42m
00:01AM3.31m
12:26PM3.37m
00:48AM3.20m
1:15PM3.26m
1:42AM3.03m
2:12PM3.09m
2:47AM2.86m
3:20PM2.93m
4:00AM2.73m
4:34PM2.83m
Low Tide
4:51AM0.07m
5:13PM0.14m
5:33AM0.09m
5:57PM0.20m
6:18AM0.19m
6:44PM0.33m
7:06AM0.35m
7:38PM0.50m
7:58AM0.55m
8:38PM0.68m
8:58AM0.74m
9:44PM0.81m
10:07AM0.87m
10:54PM0.86m
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
heavy rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:22
—
—
6:20
—
—
6:18
—
—
6:18
—
—
6:16
—
—
6:15
—
—
6:13
—
—
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
—
7:54
—
—
7:55
—
—
7:57
—
—
7:58
—
—
7:59
—
—
8:00
—
—
8:01
—
 mm
7
—
—
—
1
1
3
3
3
1
2
2
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
18
Temp °C
14
14
12
14
14
13
14
13
13
14
14
14
13
13
11
14
14
14
18
19
16
Feels °C
9
7
5
8
7
6
7
6
5
7
7
9
6
9
9
9
9
10
14
15
15
  • 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
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Desperation Point:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Desperation Point surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


Information about the Desperation Point Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Desperation Point provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Desperation Point can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Desperation Point surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Desperation Point) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Desperation Point may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Are you planning a holiday in Taranaki? If you are looking for accommodation near Desperation Point, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Taranaki, consider staying in New Plymouth which is 52 km (32 miles) away.

Nearest locationNearest