
Surf Forecasts:
Lake Ferry surf forecast from 14 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 17 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 14s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 23s period, SSW swell with 2,504 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 16 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 17s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Lake Ferry this week:
The surf forecast for Lake Ferry over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 16) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 15s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Lake Ferry in the next 16 days are 1.6m 23s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 16) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Thu 16th Jul) | 1ft (0.3m) 17s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Fri 17th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 23s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Lake Ferry over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down the next 16 days for Lake Ferry. It starts quiet, but there’s some serious size coming down the line.
Right now, the first few days are a slow warm-up. From Wednesday the 15th through Thursday the 16th, the swell is tiny, barely 0.7ft to 1.0ft. The wind is cross-off from the NW, so the surface is clean, but the energy is just not there – the combined swell energy is a weak 30 to 76. It’s one of those stretches where you’re just waiting for something to happen.
The wait pays off. On Friday the 17th, a proper SSW groundswell rolls in, hitting 7ft in the morning and building to 7ft by the afternoon. The period is a long 13 to 14 seconds, so these are real groundswell lines with a lot of push. The combined energy jumps to 1919, which is a big number. The wind is perfect – calm in the morning, then glassy by the afternoon. This is clean, powerful surf, but it’s for advanced surfers only. The long period will make it wall up on the sandbar, and it’s going to be a handful. This is a lake, not the ocean, but the fetch is working.
The quality holds through the weekend. Saturday the 18th morning drops to 4ft with a shorter 10-second period, making it cleaner and more manageable. The wind is light from the N, keeping it clean. The afternoon gets weird with a very long 23-second period but only 2ft, and a cross-on wind, so it’s messy. Sunday the 19th has a bigger 6ft to 5ft swell, but the wind is cross-on from the SE, so the surface is textured. The combined energy is still strong at 1926 and 1305, but the wind puts a chop on it.
The absolute standout is Monday the 20th. The swell holds at 6ft in the morning and 6ft in the afternoon, with that clean 14-second period. The combined energy is a powerful 1445 to 1229. The wind is glassy all day – calm in the morning, then just a slight air in the afternoon. This is going to be lined up, powerful, and clean. It’s expert territory again, but if you’ve got the skills, this is the best session of the entire run.
Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd are good follow-up days. The swell drops to 5ft, then 4ft, and eventually 3ft, but the wind turns offshore from the NNE and NNW, keeping the faces clean. Glassy afternoons and clean conditions. The combined energy is moderate (630 to 292), so it’s fun, manageable surf.
Then the power drops off fast. From Thursday the 23rd through to the end of the month, the swell fades away to 0.7ft to 3ft. The wind is mostly cross-off from the NW or NNW, but the energy is gone (combined energy under 170). Late on Monday the 27th, there’s a small bump of 3ft with a 18-second period under glassy conditions, but it’s very ordinary. The final day, Wednesday the 30th, shows a late pulse of 8ft on the charts, but that’s a week and a half away, so we’ll keep an eye on it.
Overall, the clear winner is Monday the 20th at Lake Ferry. Big, clean, powerful SSW groundswell with glassy conditions. If you’re experienced, that’s your day. Friday the 17th is also a standout, but the period is a bit more raw. The rest of the run has some good clean days, but nothing matches that Monday punch.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Wed afternoon, min 8°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NW on Tue night, calm by Thu night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat morning, min 7°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tue 21 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | ESE 17 | ESE 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 23 | SSW 21 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
6 | 26 | 48 | 44 | 45 | 28 | 103 | 1773 | 1485 | 561 | 235 | 550 | 2430 | 1687 | 1239 | 1168 | 1408 | 1215 | 929 | 618 | 418 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | glassy | off | off | glassy |
High Tide | 4:49AM1.30m | 5:22PM1.50m | 5:47AM1.30m | 6:20PM1.48m | 6:46AM1.30m | 7:17PM1.45m | 7:44AM1.28m | 8:14PM1.40m | 8:42AM1.27m | 9:10PM1.34m | 9:39AM1.25m | 10:05PM1.28m | 10:34AM1.23m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:49PM0.00m | 11:02AM-0.04m | 11:48PM-0.01m | 12:01PM-0.05m | 00:47AM-0.01m | 1:01PM-0.04m | 1:44AM-0.01m | 2:00PM-0.02m | 2:39AM0.01m | 2:57PM0.02m | 3:32AM0.04m | 3:54PM0.07m | 4:24AM0.07m | 4:48PM0.12m | |||||||
— | 7:41 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | |
— | — | 5:08 | — | — | 5:08 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:13 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 11 |
Feels °C | 7 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 6 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 7 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 21 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 12 |
1 | 26 | 48 | 44 | 45 | 21 | 18 | 1773 | 1485 | 561 | 235 | 137 | 2430 | 1687 | 1239 | 1168 | 1408 | 1215 | 929 | 618 | 418 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 13 | ESE 15 | ESE 17 | ESE 16 | ESE 16 | ESE 16 | ESE 15 | ESE 15 | SSW 23 | ESE 14 | SE 13 | ESE 13 | S 20 | SE 12 | ESE 12 | SSW 18 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 |
3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 28 | 103 | 146 | 169 | 154 | 142 | 550 | 123 | 85 | 66 | 276 | 37 | 14 | 61 | 12 | 12 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | S 8 | S 20 | ESE 14 | E 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 14 | — | — | — | S 24 | ESE 14 | S 22 | SSW 22 | — | SE 12 | — | — | ESE 12 | — | NW 4 |
6 | 1 | 8 | 36 | 8 | 8 | 41 | — | — | — | 11 | 136 | 987 | 154 | — | 39 | — | — | 13 | — | 6 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 6 | NW 5 | NW 5 | NW 5 | NW 6 | NW 5 | — | — | — | — | NW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | — |
199 | 66 | 77 | 102 | 192 | 23 | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 82 | 27 | 82 | 82 | 94 | 23 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 25 | 64 | 47 | 64 | 47 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
Best forecast wave conditions in The Wairarapa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Lake Ferry Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Lake Ferry provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Lake Ferry can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Lake Ferry 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 (Lake Ferry) 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 Lake Ferry 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.
Lake Ferry is 28 km (17 miles) from Lower Hutt. If you plan a holiday in The Wairarapa, look for hotels and other accommodation in Lower Hutt. Lower Hutt has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











