Tairua Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming our way at Tairua Bar over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a tough start, but there’s a glimmer of hope later on if you’re patient.

Right now, we’re looking at a long, dry spell. We’ve got a solid 9-day gap with no surf worth paddling out for. From Friday the 11th right through to Saturday the 19th of September, the swell is tiny, barely nudging 1ft and mostly dropping to 0.3ft. The energy is weak, reading between 10 and 87 (combined energy of all swells directed here), and the conditions are just flat or offering poor surf. It’s a real bummer, but it happens.

The first real glimmer of something surfable shows up on Sunday the 20th of September. The morning brings a pulse of 6ft swell from the north, but it’s a short-period wind swell at 8 seconds, packing a punch with 477 combined energy. That’s moderate to strong energy, but the period is short, so it’ll be a bit lumpy. It’s only for experts if it’s over 8ft, and with a west-southwest cross-offshore wind around 12 mph, it’ll be clean. The afternoon drops to 3ft, still from the north, with a 12 mph offshore breeze. It’s surfable, but ordinary.

The standout here, if you can wait, is Monday the 21st of September. The morning session is the pick of the entire forecast. We’ve got clean 3ft swell from the southeast, with a tiny 5-second period, but the wind is dead calm and glassy. That’s a major positive – glassy conditions at Tairua Bar are a treat. The combined energy is 90 (weak), so it’s not a powerhouse, but it’ll be clean and fun for a cruise. Keep in mind it’s a beach/bar setup, so it can be a bit fickle, but you won’t find better conditions in this window.

After that, Tuesday the 22nd and Wednesday the 23rd are small and messy again. Then Thursday the 24th of September sees a bit more size, with 4ft from the east-northeast at 10 seconds, and 333 combined energy. The wind is a cross-offshore from the north-northwest at 12-16 mph, keeping it clean, but it’s only marginal surf. It’s worth a look if you’re desperate, but it’s not the top pick.

The rest of the run into the 25th and 26th of September is small and ordinary, with 2ft to 3ft of east-northeast swell. The wind stays light and cross-offshore, so it’s clean, but the energy is low and the waves are just average. It’s a pretty quiet period overall, so don’t hold your breath.

Rusty, signing off.

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