
Surf Forecasts:
Karekare surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 12 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 17s period, WSW swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 12 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 17s period, WSW swell with 15,129 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 9 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 12s 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 Wednesday (Sep 09) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 21s. 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 5.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Wed 9th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Sat 12th Sep) | 16ft (5.0m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Sat 12th Sep) | 16ft (5.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Karekare over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for Karekare over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a solid window of clean surf to kick things off. Wednesday the 9th of September is looking like the pick of the early period. We’ve got a 5ft swell rolling in from the WSW with a long 12-second period, and the combined energy is moderate at 843. The wind is a light cross-offshore breeze in the morning, and by the afternoon it goes absolutely glassy with 0 mph wind. That’s a recipe for clean, lined-up waves. Water temp is sitting at 59°, which is about average for this time of year.
Now, don’t get too comfortable because Thursday the 10th through to nearly the end of the second week turns into a real mess. The swell gets big, real big, hitting 16ft by Saturday the 12th, but the wind is onshore or cross-onshore and strong, with speeds up to 22 mph and 28 mph. The wave energy gets massive – we’re talking 9438 up to 18986 – but it’s all blown out and lumpy. This is not paddle-surfing conditions; for a beach setup like this, it’s going to look far more interesting for kite surfing than a traditional surfboard. The water will be a washing machine.
There is a long gap in any decent recommendations here. From Thursday the 10th right through to Monday the 21st of September, it’s just one poor forecast after another. The swell stays too big and the wind stays hostile.
Then, just when you might be losing hope, Tuesday the 22nd of September shows up. The morning looks like a proper standout. The swell has dropped to a much more manageable 7ft from the WSW with a 13-second period, and the combined energy is a solid 1780. But the real magic is the wind: glassy. Absolutely glassy from the NNE at just 3 mph. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The afternoon gets a bit bigger at 10ft, but the wind stays glassy. This is your best bet in the whole outlook, no question.
So, to wrap it up: jump on Wednesday the 9th and definitely Tuesday the 22nd of September. Everything in between is a write-off. Keep an eye on that Tuesday though – the models can shift, but if it holds, you’ll be in for a treat.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Wed afternoon, min 10°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed afternoon, strong winds from the SW by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun afternoon, min 12°C on Sat afternoon). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Sat night, light winds from the WSW by Mon morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | |||||||||||||||
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 18 | WSW 11 | SW 16 | WSW 19 | SW 18 | WSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
575 | 483 | 800 | 835 | 920 | 5996 | 6617 | 13468 | 13689 | 12528 | 13167 | 12474 | 10292 | 8674 | 6647 | 5069 | 4141 | 2881 | 2346 | 2155 | 921 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on |
High Tide | 8:49PM3.08m | 9:14AM3.02m | 9:37PM3.23m | 10:00AM3.16m | 10:20PM3.31m | 10:42AM3.22m | 11:00PM3.31m | 11:21AM3.22m | 11:36PM3.25m | 11:56AM3.14m | 00:10AM3.12m | 12:30PM3.02m | 00:41AM2.96m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:41PM0.40m | 3:13AM0.27m | 3:31PM0.24m | 3:58AM0.12m | 4:14PM0.15m | 4:39AM0.06m | 4:55PM0.14m | 5:17AM0.08m | 5:32PM0.21m | 5:54AM0.17m | 6:09PM0.33m | 6:28AM0.31m | 6:43PM0.50m | ||||||||
6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | |
— | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
Feels °C | 11 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 20 | WSW 19 | SW 18 | — | — | — | — | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 14 |
575 | 483 | 800 | 785 | 920 | 1567 | 6617 | 13468 | — | — | — | — | 10292 | 8674 | 6647 | 5069 | 4141 | 2881 | 2346 | 2155 | 921 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | WSW 21 | WSW 19 | WSW 18 | WSW 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
50 | 288 | 475 | 835 | 608 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 21 | NW 8 | NW 8 | WSW 25 | SW 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
218 | 17 | 15 | 59 | 259 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | WNW 7 | — | SW 16 | SW 10 | — | WSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 6 |
— | — | — | 5 | — | 5996 | 2821 | — | 13689 | 12528 | 13167 | 12474 | 8694 | 7126 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 136 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 16 | 90 | 86 | 86 | 126 | 123 | 90 | 168 | 217 | 144 | 306 | 343 | 222 | 185 | 132 | 236 | 132 | 132 | 132 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Auckland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.










