
Surf Forecasts:
Karekare surf forecast from 6 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 11 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 19s period, SW swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 11 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 18s period, WSW swell with 17,675 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 14s 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 Monday (Sep 07) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.4m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 2.0m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Karekare in the next 16 days are 5.5m 18s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 11) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 8s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 8ft (2.4m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Fri 11th Sep) | 15ft (4.5m) 19s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Fri 11th Sep) | 18ft (5.5m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Karekare over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Karekare over the next couple of weeks.
Right now, we're in a bit of a flat spell to kick things off. The surf is pretty ordinary from Monday through to Wednesday morning, with onshore winds and choppy conditions making it a write-off. Monday morning has a 10ft WSW swell at 16 seconds but with a NNW cross-on wind at 16 mph, it's a messy affair. The energy is massive though – over 4900 – but that doesn't help with the wind. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no real surprises there.
Things start to look a little more promising from Wednesday afternoon. On Wednesday afternoon, the wind swings to a light onshore WSW at 9 mph, and we've got a 5ft WSW swell at 12 seconds. It's only marginal, but the energy is down to 814, so it's not powerful. Still, it's a start.
Thursday is a write-off again with strong cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions. The swell is 7ft at 11 seconds, but the wind is 16-19 mph from the WNW – no good.
Now, here's the standout period: Friday the 11th of September. We've got a massive 16ft SW swell at 18 seconds rolling in. The energy is absolutely pumping at 18985. But here's the thing – this swell is too big for Karekare. It's an exposed beach break and with a 16ft swell, it's only for experts. The wind is cross-onshore SW at 22 mph, so it's lumpy. The wave comment says wind and tide are favorable, but the swell is just too big. If you're a seasoned charger, this might be your window, but for most of us, it's a no-go. This size continues into Saturday morning with an 18ft SW swell at 16 seconds and 15052 energy, but the wind is up to 25 mph from the SW – strong and messy.
After that, we've got a few days of poor surf through to the middle of the following week. The swell stays in the 10ft to 15ft range, but the wind is consistently cross-onshore from the SW, making it choppy. The energy drops off, but it's still moderate to strong. On Tuesday the 15th, we get a brief window of onshore wind at 12 mph from the WSW with a 8ft SW swell at 14 seconds – marginal, but the energy is still 2356. Not great.
The second week is a bit of a mixed bag. The swell stays between 6ft and 13ft, but the wind is always cross-onshore or onshore, with fresh to strong breezes. The energy is moderate to strong, but the conditions are consistently messy. There's no real standout here.
Overall, the best bet is Friday the 11th of September if you're an expert and can handle a big, powerful swell. But for everyone else, we're looking at a pretty poor run. The break is fairly consistent, so it's not a total blank, but the wind is going to be the main issue. It might be worth checking back as forecasts can change.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun night, min 11°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Tue morning, light winds from the SW by Wed morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Thu night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 10°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Wed night, strong winds from the SW by Thu afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | ||||||||||||||
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 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 16 | SW 18 | WSW 18 | WSW 18 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
4819 | 4084 | 3130 | 1484 | 1556 | 1226 | 1177 | 671 | 509 | 625 | 1121 | 980 | 2178 | 15334 | 16192 | 15378 | 15052 | 7062 | 10412 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 6:01AM2.48m | 6:45PM2.71m | 7:17AM2.63m | 7:53PM2.89m | 8:21AM2.83m | 8:49PM3.08m | 9:14AM3.02m | 9:37PM3.23m | 10:00AM3.16m | 10:20PM3.31m | 10:42AM3.22m | 11:00PM3.31m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:54PM0.86m | 12:23PM0.75m | 1:15AM0.72m | 1:40PM0.60m | 2:20AM0.49m | 2:41PM0.40m | 3:13AM0.27m | 3:31PM0.24m | 3:58AM0.12m | 4:14PM0.15m | 4:39AM0.06m | 4:55PM0.14m | |||||||
— | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | |
— | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:08 | — | |
mm | 1 | 4 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 7 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 13 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WNW 9 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 19 | WSW 18 | WSW 11 | WSW 16 | WSW 18 | — | — | — | WSW 16 | — |
4819 | 4084 | 3130 | 761 | 1556 | 1226 | 1177 | 671 | 509 | 475 | 651 | 980 | 2178 | 3651 | — | — | — | 2821 | — | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | WNW 8 | WSW 14 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WSW 21 | WNW 8 | WSW 24 | SW 17 | WSW 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 653 | 1484 | 203 | 101 | 62 | 26 | 288 | 12 | 57 | 671 | 1281 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SSW 10 | — | — | WSW 22 | SW 21 | NW 8 | — | SW 15 | SW 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 98 | — | — | 47 | 218 | 17 | — | 33 | 255 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 7 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | — | SSW 7 | SSW 6 | S 6 | — | — | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | NW 6 | WSW 8 | SW 18 | WSW 18 | WSW 18 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 15 |
332 | 882 | 268 | — | 128 | 155 | 41 | — | — | 625 | 1121 | 98 | 791 | 15334 | 16192 | 15378 | 15052 | 7062 | 10412 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 135 | 83 | 83 | 0 | 77 | 86 | 6 | 35 | 90 | 123 | 90 | 332 | 90 | 126 | 234 | 90 | 95 | 217 | 144 |
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.










