Tairua Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got a long look at the Tairua Beach region. The next couple of weeks aren’t going to be a classic run, but there’s a window of average waves and a solid, bumpy end to watch.

The first few days are a write-off, with poor surf conditions and no real standouts. Thursday morning (July 9th) kicks off with some clouds, a cross-off SSW wind at 12 mph, and a weak 3ft easterly swell at 10 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (195), but the wave comment says it all – poor surf. That theme carries through Friday and Saturday, with small, ordinary waves and cross-off or cross winds. The water temperature is sitting at 60°, about average for the time of year. Sunday morning (July 12th) is flat with 2ft and low energy (95), and the wind stays cross. The start is a long gap of nothing worth paddling for.

We get a flicker on Tuesday, July 14th. The morning shows a 4ft northerly swell at a short 6 seconds, with a light WNW cross-off wind. The energy is moderate (133), and the waves are surfable but very ordinary. The afternoon gets glassy – a 3 mph westerly wind and 3ft waves (100 energy). It’s not firing, but it’s the best you’ll see for a while. The swell is under 5ft, still fine for beginners, but the short period means weak, fat waves.

The next patch of hope comes on Saturday, July 18th. The morning brings a 6ft ENE swell at 6 seconds, with a light S cross-off wind making it clean. The combined energy jumps to a solid 364 (moderate). It’s a bigger swell, almost at the 5ft mark, so it’s a bit punchy for absolute beginners but still okay for most. The afternoon is a letdown, with a cross wind and 6ft waves that are messy. This Saturday morning is the standout of the whole outlook – the cleanest, biggest wave you’ll get, but don’t expect perfection.

After that, it all goes sideways. Sunday, July 19th, sees an 8ft NE swell at 8 seconds, but the wind switches to a strong onshore (28 mph), ruining it. The energy is strong (819), but it’s messy. The following days (July 20th to 24th) are a nightmare of heavy rain, near gale-force winds, and huge, messy swell. The swell hits 13ft on Monday, July 20th, with a 11-second period and 3764 energy (very strong), but the cross-on wind is 28 mph, making it only for experts and even then, it’s blown out. The setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The final days are all cross-on and lumpy, with poor surf.

So, in short: a long, quiet start, a brief window of ordinary but glassy waves on Tuesday the 14th, a cleaner, bigger Saturday morning on the 18th, then a wild, windy finish that’s only for the die-hard or the kite crew. It’s not a promising run, but forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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