Tairua Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s coming up for us over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we've got a bit of a slow start. Wednesday morning is looking pretty marginal, with only about 1.0 to 2 feet of surf and some dodgy tide conditions. It's not really worth paddling out for. The first real window of opportunity shows up Wednesday afternoon. We’ll see a clean 5-foot east swell with a 10-second period rolling into Tairua Beach. The wind will be offshore from the SSW, so it should be pretty clean. The combined wave energy is moderate at 583 – not massive, but it’s a solid start. Water temp is sitting at 60°F, which is just about average for this time of year, so nothing to worry about.

Thursday morning looks a bit choppier with stronger winds, so the quality drops right off. That trend of poor conditions continues through Friday and into Saturday morning, with increasing onshore winds messing things up.

Now, Saturday morning is where it gets interesting. On July 11th, we’ve got a nice 4-foot swell from the ESE, period around 10 seconds. The combined energy is a solid 525 (moderate energy). It’s a bit of a cross-off wind from the south, but the waves will be clean and should offer some fun lines at Tairua Beach. If you can get out, this is a standout window before the conditions fade again.

Sunday the 12th is glassy in the afternoon – dead calm wind from the ESE, with 2-foot surf. It’s small, but that glassy surface is a real treat for a longboard. Energy is a bit weak at 65, but if you want a quiet paddle and some little peelers, this is your time.

We then hit a flat patch from Monday morning through Tuesday. Monday has a horrible cross-on wind and tiny waves. Tuesday afternoon sees a bit more size – 5 feet from the north – but it’s short-period (7 seconds) and only mediocre energy at 262. It’s surfable but nothing special.

Wednesday the 15th is a genuine standout. We’ve got a clean 5-foot NE swell, period of 7 seconds, with a perfect offshore wind from the WSW in the morning. Combined energy is 295 (moderate). This is your best day of the whole outlook – good shape, clean faces, and Tairua Beach will be working nicely. The wind stays light and glassy in the afternoon too, though the swell drops a touch.

The following week gets a bit messy. By Thursday the 16th, we have a very long-period groundswell rolling in – 13 to 14 seconds from the ESE, but it's only 2 to 3 feet. That long period will make it better at a point or reef than a beach, but with glassy conditions it’s worth a look for the patient surfer. Energy is moderate at 309–376.

From Friday the 17th through to the end of the outlook, conditions go downhill with persistent onshore winds from the ENE, building to 25 mph gusts and rain. Swell pushes up to 6 feet, but it’s onshore, lumpy, and choppy. Combined energy gets high – up to 937 on the 22nd – but with those winds, it’s more of a kite-surfing scenario than a paddle session. Unless you want to battle the onshores.

So, overall, we have a few windows to work with. The standout is definitely Wednesday the 15th – clean, offshore, decent waves on offer. The early part of next week (the 11th) is also solid. Otherwise, it’s a mixed bag with some quiet days and a lot of wind. Stay patient, and keep an eye on the forecasts – they can change.

Rusty.

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