Surf Forecasts:
Napier - Hardings Road surf forecast from 6 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 12 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 5s period, ENE swell with 46 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Napier - Hardings Road this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Napier - Hardings Road in the next 16 days are 1.0m 5s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 10s period and expected on Friday (Aug 07) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Wed 12th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Napier - Hardings Road over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll level with ya – this stretch of coast is going through a flat spell. Napier’s Hardings Road is a sheltered little point, and it’s set up for a beginner, but it’s inconsistent and can get a bit of a crowd. The water is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, sitting at 12° – that’s about 2° cooler than usual, so you’ll want a good steamer.
We’re looking at a long, dry run here. From Thursday the 6th of August right through to Saturday the 15th, the surf is basically non-existent. There’s barely a ripple. On the 6th, you’ve got a tiny 0.3ft easterly swell with a long 18-second period, but combined energy is a measly (6) – it’s just not enough to break. The wind is light and cross-offshore, so the water’s clean, but there’s nothing to ride. The 7th and 8th are flat, with more clean mornings and light cross-onshore afternoons. The 9th and 10th stay tiny, with a bit of chop from the onshore breeze. Tuesday the 11th has a glassy morning, but still only 0.7ft – no go. Wednesday the 12th gives us a glimmer with 2ft and glassy conditions in the morning, but the period is a short 5 seconds and energy is still weak (13). It’s not surfable, just a tiny bump.
Then on Saturday the 15th, we finally see a pulse. Combined energy jumps to (101) – that’s moderate – with a 3ft easterly swell. But the wind is a moderate cross-onshore from the NNE at 12 mph, making it choppy. The period is a short 5 seconds, so it’s going to be a messy, weak closeout. This is not a day for a paddle board; with that wind and swell, the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Sunday the 16th offers a cleaner cross-shore breeze, but the swell drops back to 1ft.
From the 18th through to the 21st, it’s flat again. Clean offshore winds on the 18th, 19th, and 20th, and a glassy morning on the 21st, but no swell. This is a tough run. For a spot that’s inconsistent, a blank spell like this is more normal for the area. Stay optimistic – it tends not to stay poor for long, and forecasts can change. But for now, leave the board at home.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun morning, min 4°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun afternoon, min 8°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 18 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SE 12 | E 15 | SSE 16 | E 14 | NE 3 | E 13 | NE 4 | ENE 4 | ENE 7 | E 12 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | NE 4 | ENE 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 46 | 11 | 13 | 14 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:36PM1.65m | 11:59AM1.68m | 00:28AM1.65m | 12:56PM1.72m | 1:24AM1.65m | 1:55PM1.75m | 2:24AM1.66m | 2:54PM1.79m | 3:24AM1.67m | 3:52PM1.82m | 4:23AM1.68m | 4:51PM1.84m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:24PM0.29m | 5:49AM0.26m | 6:18PM0.29m | 6:41AM0.25m | 7:17PM0.27m | 7:36AM0.23m | 8:17PM0.22m | 8:36AM0.20m | 9:16PM0.17m | 9:38AM0.14m | 10:15PM0.13m | 10:38AM0.08m | 11:13PM0.09m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  | |  |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — |
 | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 10 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 12 |
Feels °C | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 11 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SSE 16 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 12 | SE 11 | ENE 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 |
| kJ | 240 | 173 | 134 | 164 | 94 | 169 | 84 | 58 | 56 | 37 | 13 | 26 | 25 | 13 | 48 | 43 | 22 | 11 | 13 | 14 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | SE 13 | SSE 17 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SE 12 | SSE 15 | ENE 3 | SSE 14 | NE 4 | ENE 4 | ENE 7 | ENE 5 | SE 12 | NE 6 | S 8 | SE 11 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 |
| kJ | 311 | 84 | 117 | 137 | 97 | 35 | 22 | 1 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 24 | 1 | 41 | 40 | 41 | 25 | 15 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 18 | S 20 | SE 13 | SE 12 | E 15 | SE 12 | E 14 | SE 15 | E 13 | SE 13 | SSE 12 | E 12 | E 12 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | S 16 | S 16 | E 10 | ESE 7 | E 7 |
| kJ | 6 | 8 | 45 | 141 | 4 | 39 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 46 | 15 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 19 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 3 | NE 4 | N 3 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | ENE 5 | — | — | NW 2 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 46 | — | — | 1 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 89 | 1 | 1 | 42 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 23 | 20 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 90 | 2 | 1 | 37 | 20 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Hawkes Bay | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Napier - Hardings Road Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Napier - Hardings Road provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Napier - Hardings Road can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Napier - Hardings Road 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 (Napier - Hardings Road) 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 Napier - Hardings Road 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.
Napier - Hardings Road is 6 km (4 miles) from the city of Napier. If you plan a holiday in Hawkes Bay, look for hotels and other accommodation in Napier. Napier has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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