Mount Maunganui Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s shaping up for the Mount.

Look, I’ve gotta be straight with you – the next sixteen days are a real mixed bag, and for the most part, it’s looking pretty flat and quiet. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, weak waves and poor conditions, so don’t get your hopes up for any kind of epic run. The first proper surfable pulse doesn’t show up until the afternoon of Friday the 4th of September, and even that’s a bit of a late call for the long weekend.

Before that, from now through the 3rd of September, it’s basically a write-off. The swell is tiny, most days under 2 ft, with periods below 8 seconds – that’s just wind chop. The combined energy is weak, barely cracking 50 (152 at its best on the 29th of August, which is still weak). Winds are mostly cross-off or cross, but with such small waves, it’s just not worth paddling out for any of it.

The first sign of life comes on the afternoon of Friday the 4th of September. We get a bump from the NNW at 5 ft, but with a short period of 7 seconds, it’s a bit of a messy, wind-driven swell. The combined energy jumps to 307 (moderate), and the wind is cross-off from the W at 12 mph, keeping it reasonably clean. This is a marginal call, but it might be the best we see for a while. It’s still a beach break, so don’t expect perfection.

The next interesting window is the afternoon of Wednesday the 9th of September. Wind is cross-off from the WSW at 16 mph, and the swell is from the N at 5 ft with a 6-second period. The combined energy is 170 (moderate). It’s not great, but it’s clean. This pattern holds into Thursday the 10th of September, with a similar 5 ft NNW swell, 7-second period, 271 energy (moderate), and a clean cross-off. The best of the bunch might be Thursday the 10th afternoon when the wind goes offshore from the SW at 16 mph, with a 5 ft NNE swell and an 8-second period, giving us 240 energy (moderate). The condition is “surfable waves but very ordinary,” so it’s not a standout, but it’s the only time we get a proper offshore breeze.

The standouts are few and far between. If I had to pick one, it’s the afternoon of Thursday the 10th of September at Mount Maunganui. The swell is 5 ft from the NNE with an 8-second period, which isn’t huge, but that offshore SW wind at 16 mph will make for clean, lined-up waves. The combined energy is 240 (moderate), so there’s enough push. The break is fairly consistent, but it can get crowded – crowds are “sometimes” an issue, so keep an eye out. The water temp is 58° with a tiny anomaly of -0.3°, so it’s about average for the time of year – a bit chilly, but nothing unusual.

After the 11th of September, it drops right off again. By the 12th and 13th, we’re back to 1.0 ft to 1 ft swells from the NE, with periods creeping up to 11 seconds, but the energy is weak (26 to 35). The swell is tiny, and despite a couple of glassy mornings on the 13th with offshore SW wind, it’s just not enough to ride.

So, there you have it. A long dry spell, followed by a few days of moderate, clean but ordinary surf around the 9th and 10th of September, then flat again. The best bet is Thursday the 10th afternoon when the offshore wind kicks in. Keep your expectations low, and you might snag a few fun ones.

Rusty.

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