
Surf Forecasts:
Karekare surf forecast from 27 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 1 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 13s period, WSW swell with onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 1 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 14s period, WSW swell with 8,188 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 28 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period with WSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Karekare this week:
The surf forecast for Karekare over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Karekare in the next 16 days are 4.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 01) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 02) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Sat 1st Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Sat 1st Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Karekare over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for Karekare.
Right now, we’ve got a bit of a slow start, but once we get past the first couple of days, this place is going to fire. The water is sitting at 58°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The first real action kicks off Tuesday morning, the 28th of July. We’re looking at a 5ft WSW swell, with a solid 12-second period (moderate energy at 866). The wind is a light SSE cross-off, so the surface is going to be clean. It’s not the biggest, but it’s a good, honest start.
Things get more interesting on Wednesday the 30th of July. The morning session is the standout for the first week. The swell is 7ft from the WSW, with a 14-second period. That’s a long-period groundswell, and it’s packing a good punch (combined energy of 1638). We’ve got a light NNE cross-off breeze, so it’s clean. This is a session for the experienced crew – that size and power will be too much for beginners. The long period means Karekare, being an exposed beach setup, might see those waves standing up a bit too straight, but with that offshore flow, there will be some gems.
The next few days are a write-off. Friday the 31st is a total mess with onshore wind and rain, and Saturday the 1st of August has a massive 13ft to 15ft swell. That’s a monster, and it’s simply too big for this break unless you’re on a gun and have a death wish.
We get a good lull, and then the real gold appears the following week. The morning of Monday the 3rd of August is a ripper for experienced surfers. A 5ft SW swell, but with a 20-second period – that’s a very long, powerful groundswell (2565 energy). The wind is a clean cross-off from the SE. This is where that long period really counts, offering deep, powerful lines. The same goes for Tuesday the 4th of August morning, with a similar 8ft SW swell, 16-second period, and light SE cross-off wind. These are the days you want to be organised for.
The following days hold some solid, consistent swell. The 5th of August morning brings a 7ft SW swell with a solid ENE offshore wind – that’s a clean, groomed setup. The 6th and 7th of August keep the theme going with offshore winds and solid SW swells in the 6ft to 8ft range. The 7th of August does have a shorter period (8-9 seconds), so those waves will be a bit more local and weaker, but still fun with the clean offshore wind.
The second week is a bit more of a mixed bag. The 8th of August morning is still good with a 5ft SW swell and a moderate offshore, but by the 9th and 10th, we’re hit with strong cross-off winds that will make it tricky. There’s a bit of a rebound on the 11th and 12th of August, with the 12th of August morning offering a 5ft SW swell and a gentle cross-off. It’s nothing special, but it’s worth a look if you’re keen.
The best on offer: The standout is the morning of Monday the 3rd of August – that 20-second period groundswell with clean wind is a rare treat. The morning of Tuesday the 4th of August runs a very close second. For the first week, the morning of the 30th of July is your best bet.
– Rusty
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Thu night. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed afternoon, min 9°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri morning, min 6°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Sat afternoon, fresh winds from the SSE by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 16 | WSW 12 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 10 | WSW 20 | SW 19 | WSW 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
669 | 807 | 458 | 450 | 389 | 1447 | 1603 | 1196 | 512 | 850 | 1684 | 2433 | 5511 | 6906 | 5774 | 2816 | 1723 | 1082 | 1773 | 2669 | 2964 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | on | on | on | on | cross | off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:07AM2.66m | 9:29PM2.86m | 9:47AM2.78m | 10:07PM2.96m | 10:26AM2.88m | 10:45PM3.03m | 11:04AM2.94m | 11:22PM3.06m | 11:42AM2.97m | 11:59PM3.06m | 12:20PM2.96m | 00:36AM3.02m | 12:59PM2.91m | 1:14AM2.95m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:25PM0.77m | 3:51AM0.70m | 4:04PM0.64m | 4:28AM0.58m | 4:41PM0.54m | 5:04AM0.48m | 5:18PM0.47m | 5:40AM0.41m | 5:55PM0.44m | 6:17AM0.39m | 6:33PM0.45m | 6:55AM0.40m | 7:12PM0.50m | ||||||||
7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | |
— | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 2 | — | 4 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 |
Feels °C | 8 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | — | — | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 10 | SW 9 | SW 19 | WSW 17 |
669 | 807 | 458 | 450 | 389 | 1447 | 1603 | 1196 | 394 | 850 | 1684 | 1484 | — | — | 5774 | 2816 | 1723 | 1082 | 664 | 2669 | 2964 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 7 | SW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 18 | WSW 16 | — | — | WSW 18 | WSW 16 | WSW 18 | — | — | — | — | — | SW 20 | SW 20 | SW 23 | WSW 20 | SW 9 | — |
184 | 11 | 26 | 31 | 171 | — | — | 126 | 512 | 326 | — | — | — | — | — | 101 | 98 | 549 | 1773 | 328 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 26 | SW 18 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | — |
13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | 49 | 128 | 166 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | N 3 | NNW 5 | NW 4 | WNW 6 | W 10 | W 8 | WSW 12 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | — | — | S 5 | S 6 | — | — | SW 8 |
— | — | — | — | — | 7 | 35 | 16 | 155 | 813 | 545 | 2433 | 5511 | 6906 | — | — | 74 | 206 | — | — | 205 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 128 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 90 | 6 | 6 | 48 | 147 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Auckland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Karekare Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Karekare provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Karekare can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Karekare 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 (Karekare) 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 Karekare 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.
Karekare is 14 km (9 miles) from the city of Auckland. If you plan a holiday in Auckland, look for hotels and other accommodation in Auckland. Auckland has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










