
Surf Forecasts:
Papa Tangaroa surf forecast from 26 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 26 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 12s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 1 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with 2,775 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 26 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 12s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Papa Tangaroa this week:
The surf forecast for Papa Tangaroa over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Papa Tangaroa in the next 16 days are 3.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 01) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Monday (Jul 27) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (-06) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Sat 1st Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Papa Tangaroa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab your wettie, let’s talk about what we’ve got. The only real game in town for the foreseeable future is Papa Tangaroa, a heavy reef setup that’s strictly for the experienced crew. This isn't a learner's spot. The coming days offer a run of solid, powerful surf, but the conditions are going to dictate who gets the good ones. Water temps are sitting at 69°, which is right on the money for this time of year.
We kick off on Sunday the 26th of July with a bang. The morning is looking prime: glassy conditions with a light northerly breeze and a clean 10ft swell rolling in from the south-west. The combined energy is massive (2434), and with that 12-second period, it’s proper deep-water groundswell packing a punch. This is a standout window for the experts. The afternoon cleans up even more, dropping slightly to 8ft but staying clean under a light offshore.
Monday the 27th still has plenty of size, around 6ft, but the wind is cranking from the NNW at 19 mph. It’s offshore, so it’ll be clean, but it’s gonna be a battle. Things start to go downhill from Tuesday the 28th through the rest of the week as onshore winds move in. The swell sticks around, but the quality is poor. We’ve got a solid run of waves, but the wind and chop are going to make it frustrating. The energy remains moderate to strong, with values mostly between 760 and 1593, but the onshore flow just ruins the surface.
We get another chance on Saturday the 1st of August. The swell is back up to 8ft from the SW with a solid 13-second period and 2705 combined energy. The wind is cross-off from the northwest, so the surf will be clean and powerful. This is a strong option for the advanced crew, but be warned: the size and power will be too much for anyone without experience. It stays clean and big through Sunday the 2nd, with 8ft waves, but the wind does get a little stronger.
Then the wheels fall off. Starting Monday the 3rd of August, a strong southeasterly wind rips through, pinning the swell. We’re looking at huge, messy, blown-out surf for the rest of the outlook period. The swell size actually increases again to 10ft on the 3rd and 4th, but with onshore winds over 25 mph, it’s going to be a washing machine. Combined energy spikes over 4800 but it’s all just a big, lumpy mess. There is a small window of cleaner, smaller (4ft) waves around Monday the 10th of August, but the period is short and the energy is weak. Honestly, that week from the 3rd onwards is a write-off for any kind of quality surf at this break. The setup might be more interesting for kite surfers than paddle surfers for a lot of that time. Keep an eye on the long-range forecasts, but right now, the first weekend is your best bet.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 21°C on Mon afternoon, min 18°C on Sun morning). Winds increasing (calm on Sun morning, strong winds from the WNW by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Thu night, min 18°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Thu night, light winds from the W by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | 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) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 9 | WSW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2418 | 2044 | 1736 | 976 | 711 | 1314 | 584 | 449 | 573 | 651 | 1042 | 597 | 488 | 361 | 311 | 517 | 1148 | 2345 | 2419 | 2174 | 2201 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:55PM0.52m | 4:33AM0.79m | 4:25PM0.50m | 5:06AM0.77m | 5:01PM0.48m | 5:44AM0.73m | 5:49PM0.46m | 6:30AM0.70m | 6:58PM0.45m | 7:28AM0.66m | 8:33PM0.46m | 8:38AM0.63m | 10:01PM0.50m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:43AM0.27m | 9:36PM0.21m | 11:18AM0.29m | 10:03PM0.23m | 11:59AM0.30m | 10:34PM0.26m | 12:47PM0.32m | 11:14PM0.29m | 1:46PM0.33m | 00:08AM0.33m | 2:52PM0.32m | 1:34AM0.37m | 3:52PM0.31m | ||||||||
8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | |
— | 6:45 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:49 | — | — | 6:49 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 |
Feels °C | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SE 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 |
2418 | 2044 | 1736 | 976 | 711 | 1314 | 584 | 449 | 573 | 651 | 1042 | 597 | 488 | 361 | 311 | 91 | 87 | 2345 | 2419 | 2174 | 2201 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 10 | WSW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SSW 16 | SE 12 |
16 | 24 | 21 | 21 | 31 | 73 | 355 | 282 | 300 | 439 | 494 | 572 | 454 | 297 | 149 | 102 | 76 | 228 | 286 | 654 | 203 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 14 | NW 9 | SSE 12 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SE 9 | SE 9 | NNW 11 | NNW 11 | SE 12 | N 13 |
8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 3 | 94 | 196 | 387 | 56 | 57 | 132 | 95 | 245 | 106 | 20 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 281 | 14 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NNW 4 | NW 5 | S 4 | — | — | — | WSW 10 | — | — | — | — | W 5 | WSW 9 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 11 | 56 | 9 | — | — | — | 248 | — | — | — | — | 45 | 517 | 1148 | 598 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3610 | 3602 | 3541 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 3610 | 3577 | 3635 | 3635 | 3610 | 2 | 2 | 3610 | 3673 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Easter Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Chile | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Papa Tangaroa Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Papa Tangaroa provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Papa Tangaroa can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Papa Tangaroa 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 (Papa Tangaroa) 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 Papa Tangaroa 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Easter Island? If you are looking for accommodation near Tanga Roa, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Easter Island, consider staying in Caleton which is 7 km (4 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Easter Island which is 11 km (7 miles) away










