
Surf Forecasts:
Lake Ferry surf forecast from 2 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 7 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, SSW swell with onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, SSW swell with 2,976 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period with SSW 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 Monday (Sep 07) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 10s period. The wind is predicted to be onshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Lake Ferry in the next 16 days are 4.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 7s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 13ft (4.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Lake Ferry over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here.
First up, we’ve got Lake Ferry. This spot is a sandbar setup, and the 16-day window is a real mixed bag. For a stretch, there’s next to nothing worth paddling out for. The first real sniff of action comes late in the piece.
The opening days are grim. We’re looking at small, weak surf with strong cross-offshore winds in the 15 to 25 mph range, making any tiny waves a battle. The swell energy is low to moderate, with the highest early reading hitting 579 on the Thursday morning, but the wind just ruins it. It’s not until we get towards the end of the first week that things start to look interesting, but not in a good way. On the morning of Sunday the 7th, a big SSW swell rolls in at 13 ft with a 9-second period, and a combined energy of 2303. The wind is onshore from the SSW, and the forecast says it’s too big for this break. That’s a pass for paddle surfing; it’s one for the kite crew if you’re into it. The afternoon is similar at 12 ft with 2285 energy.
The next genuine standout window is a week out, on Thursday the 11th. The morning is glassy, with a clean 13 ft SSW swell, period of 9 seconds, and a combined energy of 2560. The wind is light from the NNE. Again, the forecast says it’s too big for this break. The afternoon session drops to 12 ft, still too big, but the wind shifts to a light cross-offshore from the NW.
Finally, a real highlight for the skilled surfer emerges on Saturday the 12th. The morning session is the one to aim for: glassy conditions with a light ESE breeze, a solid 6 ft SSW swell at 9 seconds, and a combined energy of 556. The forecast expects very good surf. This is your best bet in the whole window. The afternoon is smaller at 5 ft, with a light cross-shore SE wind, but the conditions are more marginal.
After that, it fades. We get a couple of OK sessions on Tuesday the 15th with clean 6 ft (morning) and 6 ft (afternoon) SSW swells, but the wind picks up. The very end of the forecast sees some long-period, weak swell on Wednesday the 16th (17 seconds) and Thursday the 17th (14 seconds), but it’s small and the wind is up again.
The water temperature is sitting at 54°, which is about average for the time of year here at Lake Ferry. The real takeaway is: the best surf is too big for the break, and when it is the right size, it’s often blown out or on the smaller side. If you’re an expert with a big-wave gun and you can handle a heavy shorebreak, the 11th is your day. For the rest of us, the glassy Saturday the 12th morning is the pick of the crop.
That’s the story. Keep your eyes on the ocean, not the forecast.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Fri morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 11°C on Fri night). Mainly strong winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Sun night. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat afternoon, min 8°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NW on Sun morning, calm by Mon night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 14 | S 13 | SSW 12 | S 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 7 | SSW 14 | SSW 8 | SSW 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 9 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | S 9 | S 8 | SSW 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
2890 | 1514 | 579 | 336 | 156 | 34 | 48 | 99 | 21 | 57 | 107 | 215 | 191 | 49 | 2303 | 2285 | 612 | 220 | 138 | 812 | |
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 | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | on | off | cross | on | off |
High Tide | 8:57PM1.20m | 9:23AM1.26m | 9:50PM1.20m | 10:17AM1.31m | 10:43PM1.21m | 11:11AM1.35m | 11:37PM1.23m | 12:06PM1.38m | 00:31AM1.24m | 1:01PM1.40m | 1:26AM1.25m | 1:56PM1.40m | 2:20AM1.25m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:12AM0.14m | 3:45PM0.12m | 4:02AM0.12m | 4:38PM0.10m | 4:54AM0.09m | 5:32PM0.09m | 5:46AM0.07m | 6:27PM0.07m | 6:40AM0.04m | 7:22PM0.06m | 7:35AM0.03m | 8:17PM0.06m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | |
5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 9 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 6 |
Feels °C | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 14 | S 13 | SSW 12 | S 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | S 9 | SSW 7 | SW 6 | SSW 8 | SSW 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | SSW 9 | S 9 | S 8 | SSW 8 |
2890 | 1514 | 579 | 336 | 156 | 34 | 15 | 99 | 11 | 57 | 107 | 215 | 191 | 49 | 14 | 8 | 612 | 220 | 138 | 812 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 12 | — | — | — | SE 11 | S 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | S 9 | NE 5 | SSW 11 | — | — | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | — |
6 | — | — | — | 5 | 30 | 48 | 21 | 21 | 38 | 69 | 2 | 1 | 22 | — | — | 20 | 7 | 7 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 15 | SSW 10 | S 9 | SSW 9 | N 15 | SE 10 | SE 9 | E 10 | ENE 6 | — | — | NNW 9 | — | SW 13 | S 22 |
— | — | — | — | — | 21 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 8 | — | — | 8 | — | 7 | 9 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 5 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 7 | NW 6 | WNW 6 | NW 5 | NW 5 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 7 | NW 6 | SSW 9 | SSW 10 | — | NW 6 | NW 6 | — |
78 | 209 | 183 | 363 | 185 | 540 | 216 | 171 | 98 | 111 | 123 | 331 | 246 | 175 | 2303 | 2285 | — | 278 | 104 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 31 | 84 | 91 | 82 | 82 | 130 | 94 | 91 | 31 | 34 | 94 | 82 | 138 | 27 | 143 | 64 | 9 | 34 | 305 | 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.










