
Surf Forecasts:
Ocean Beach surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 28 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 12s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 12s period, SSE swell with 4,815 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 16s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Ocean Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Ocean Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Ocean Beach in the next 16 days are 4.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ocean Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let's talk about what's on the table for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we've got a solid pulse of swell hitting Ocean Beach on Tuesday morning, July 21st. It's a clean, clear morning with a light offshore breeze from the WNW. The swell is a solid 6 ft out of the south, with a long 16-second period – that's pure groundswell energy. The combined energy is a hefty 1850, so there's plenty of power in the water. This is quality stuff, but it's not for everyone. At that size, it's geared towards experienced surfers, and with that long period, it might be a bit too straight for a beach break. Still, if you've got the chops, Tuesday morning is the standout of the whole run.
The surf backs off quickly after that. Wednesday the 22nd has a smaller 4 ft south swell with a 12-second period, but the wind is good. The rest of the week and into the weekend is pretty flat and messy, with weak energy readings dropping to 40 on Friday the 24th. It's a quiet stretch.
We get a little bump back around Sunday afternoon, July 26th. The swell picks up to 3 ft with a 14-second period from the ESE, and the combined energy is 742. The wind swings light offshore, and the conditions look clean. It's a small window of tidy surf, but it's not a standout.
Now, the real show starts again on Monday morning, July 27th. The swell jumps to 7 ft from the ESE, with a 13-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 2234. The wind is cross-off from the WNW, and the call is for excellent conditions for experienced surfers. This is a major step up. Monday afternoon gets even bigger, with a 7 ft swell and a fresh offshore wind, but it loses a bit of quality.
Tuesday, July 28th, is a monster. The swell is forecast to be 12 ft from the SE, with a 13-second period and a combined energy of 3808. That's a lot of water. The wind is favorable, but it's simply too big for this break. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it's a serious call. Wednesday the 29th drops back to 7 ft but stays clean.
Looking further out, the first week of August has some real size again. Saturday, August 1st, is small and clean, but the next big pulse is on Sunday, August 2nd. The morning looks glassy, with a 5 ft south swell and a 12-second period, and the combined energy is 952. That's a beautiful setup. The wind is glassy, making for some of the cleanest conditions you'll see. This is a solid option for a session.
The forecast for August 3rd and 4th is for huge swell – 16 ft and 20 ft waves. The combined energy readings are 11327 and 17899, respectively. That's extreme. The wind is cross-onshore, making it choppy and messy. At these sizes, it's a closed-out, dangerous mess for a paddle board. This setup honestly looks more interesting for the kite surfers than anyone on a surfboard. It's a write-off for us.
So, to wrap it up: the best of the best is Tuesday morning, July 21st, for the experienced crew. After that, the next real standout is the glassy, clean surf on Sunday morning, August 2nd. The big stuff in between is for experts only, and the early August mega-swell is a kite-surfing show.
Stay safe out there.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 11°C on Wed morning, min 6°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri afternoon, min 7°C on Sat night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | ||||||||||||||
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 18 | S 16 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 13 | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSE 10 | S 10 | NNE 4 | NE 5 | NE 7 | SE 17 | SSW 8 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | S 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
3637 | 1743 | 1162 | 673 | 409 | 147 | 127 | 71 | 56 | 20 | 17 | 43 | 82 | 28 | 143 | 392 | 264 | 318 | 617 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | off | on | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:35PM1.52m | 11:05AM1.44m | 11:27PM1.45m | 11:57AM1.40m | 00:17AM1.38m | 12:47PM1.38m | 1:06AM1.33m | 1:35PM1.36m | 1:54AM1.30m | 2:22PM1.35m | 2:42AM1.28m | 3:09PM1.36m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:57AM0.10m | 5:18PM0.17m | 5:46AM0.16m | 6:09PM0.23m | 6:33AM0.22m | 6:59PM0.28m | 7:19AM0.26m | 7:48PM0.32m | 8:05AM0.30m | 8:36PM0.34m | 8:51AM0.31m | 9:23PM0.35m | |||||||
— | 7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 5:14 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 8 | 12 |
Temp °C | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 6 |
Feels °C | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | -2 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | S 16 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | SSW 13 | S 12 | SSW 12 | ENE 4 | NE 5 | S 9 | ESE 11 | NE 7 | SE 17 | SE 16 | S 8 | ESE 14 | E 15 |
3637 | 1743 | 1162 | 673 | 409 | 116 | 127 | 71 | 56 | 8 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 28 | 143 | 248 | 159 | 318 | 544 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SSW 12 | S 10 | SSW 12 | SSE 11 | SSW 9 | S 10 | ESE 11 | S 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 13 | E 11 | ESE 14 | E 12 | SE 13 |
113 | 107 | 82 | 46 | 44 | 147 | 71 | 58 | 40 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 6 | 12 | 32 | 88 | 264 | 141 | 180 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SSE 10 | ESE 10 | SW 9 | S 19 | SE 13 | NE 8 | SSW 16 | E 10 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 |
— | — | — | — | — | 28 | 20 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 11 | 3 | 7 | 27 | 15 | 26 | 76 | 21 | 31 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | — | — | NNW 3 | NNE 4 | NE 5 | NW 4 | SW 5 | SSW 8 | — | S 7 | S 8 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 7 | 43 | 82 | 13 | 80 | 392 | — | 262 | 617 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 54 | 103 | 103 | 185 | 67 | 67 | 191 | 0 | 48 | 0 | 6 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Hawkes Bay | |||||||||||||||||||
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 Ocean Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Ocean Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Ocean Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Ocean Beach 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 (Ocean Beach) 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 Ocean Beach 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.
Ocean Beach is 20 km (12 miles) from the city of Hastings. If you plan a holiday in Hawkes Bay, look for hotels and other accommodation in Hastings. Hastings has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










