
Surf Forecasts:
Papa Tangaroa surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 18s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 22 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 19s period, SW swell with 7,187 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s 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 Saturday (Jul 18) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Papa Tangaroa in the next 16 days are 3.0m 19s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 10s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (-06) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Sat 18th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Papa Tangaroa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Papa Tangaroa. This is a solid, exposed reef setup that needs a south swell to get going, and it's looking like a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks.
Right now, the ocean is a mess. We've got a 6ft swell from the WSW, but a strong cross-onshore wind is making it choppy and poor. You'll want to sit this one out. Friday is a write-off.
But hold onto your board shorts, because the real window opens on Saturday, 18 July. It's not the biggest swell, coming in at 5ft from the SW, but the real story is the glassy conditions on the Saturday morning. The wind is set to swing light and variable, offering up that elusive, clean, mirror-like surface. The wave energy is moderate (605), and the period is a middling 9 seconds, so it won't be a freight train, but the quality of the ride will be all about the lack of wind. If you can get out for the early session, you'll be rewarded with clean, lined-up waves. The afternoon stays clean with a light cross-offshore breeze.
The Sunday is a bit of a dud with onshore winds, so we'll skip that. Monday, 20 July is another pick of the week. The swell drops to 4ft from the WSW, but it's still clean. The morning session is looking good with light cross-off winds, and the afternoon is a real treat. The swell drops further to 3ft, but the period jumps to a very long 16 seconds, and the wind goes full offshore from the north. This is a 655 (moderate energy) groundswell with clean conditions. For a reef like this, those long-period waves will be your best friend, offering up steep, powerful lines.
Now, things get interesting and a bit dicey. From Tuesday, 21 July, the swell balloons. The energy readings go through the roof, hitting 2877 and then over 5000 by Wednesday and Thursday. The surf is going to be huge, well over 8ft and up to 10ft, with a very long period of 15-24 seconds. This is powerful, expert-level territory. The wind is mostly cross-on or onshore, which will make these big sets lumpy and tricky. While the raw power is there, the conditions are only marginal at best. This is strictly for the big-wave chargers, and even then, it's going to be a battle. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing too unusual there.
The second week of the forecast is a bit of a letdown after that pump. The swell stays waist to head-high for most of the week, but the wind is often cross-onshore, keeping the quality down. There is a standout moment to keep an eye on, though. Wednesday, 29 July, the afternoon is looking excellent. The swell comes back up to 10ft from the WSW, but the wind is forecast to be light offshore from the north-northeast. The energy is strong (3224) and the period is a solid 13 seconds. The finder is calling it "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers," and with that combo of size and clean wind, that's a promising call for the experienced crew. After that, it drops back down into a messy, windy pattern for the rest of the month.
So, to sum it up: the best clean waves for the average surfer are on Saturday morning, 18 July, and Monday, 20 July. For the fearless experts, the windows of clean, big swell on 29 July are the real target, but everything else is a bit of a gamble with the wind.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Fri afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Thu night, min 18°C on Fri afternoon). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the W on Thu night, calm by Sat morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 21°C on Mon night, min 17°C on Wed afternoon). Winds increasing (light winds from the E on Sun night, fresh winds from the WNW by Tue afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 11 | W 11 | SW 9 | SW 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | SW 16 | WSW 10 | SW 24 | SW 22 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
514 | 419 | 1126 | 332 | 446 | 433 | 510 | 541 | 541 | 550 | 387 | 302 | 195 | 1083 | 2438 | 3059 | 4178 | 6370 | 6573 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 9:12AM0.78m | 10:18PM0.61m | 10:24AM0.74m | 11:27PM0.67m | 11:29AM0.71m | 00:24AM0.73m | 12:25PM0.69m | 1:13AM0.77m | 1:14PM0.66m | 1:55AM0.80m | 1:55PM0.63m | 2:31AM0.81m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:32AM0.26m | 4:06PM0.18m | 4:02AM0.27m | 5:05PM0.16m | 5:22AM0.26m | 5:57PM0.15m | 6:30AM0.24m | 6:41PM0.14m | 7:27AM0.23m | 7:20PM0.15m | 8:16AM0.23m | 7:53PM0.16m | |||||||
— | 8:04 | — | — | 8:04 | — | — | 8:03 | — | — | 8:03 | — | — | 8:03 | — | — | 8:03 | — | — | |
— | — | 6:42 | — | — | 6:42 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:44 | — | — | 6:44 | — | |
mm | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Feels °C | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SW 9 | SW 9 | SW 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | W 10 | SW 22 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 |
451 | 304 | 247 | 328 | 446 | 433 | 510 | 541 | 541 | 550 | 387 | 292 | 195 | 379 | 2438 | 3059 | 4178 | 6370 | 6573 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 15 | W 11 | SE 11 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | S 11 | S 11 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 24 | W 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 |
341 | 228 | 104 | 332 | 119 | 69 | 47 | 65 | 58 | 190 | 203 | 302 | 169 | 1083 | 312 | 500 | 328 | 121 | 112 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | N 10 | SE 11 | WSW 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SE 9 | SW 17 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | SW 14 | SW 14 | NW 6 | WSW 13 | — | SW 24 |
240 | 183 | 2 | 126 | 40 | 45 | 70 | 22 | 100 | 50 | 47 | 61 | 60 | 167 | 127 | 64 | 534 | — | 197 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
514 | 419 | 1126 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3525 | 3525 | 3525 | 3562 | 0 | 0 | 3525 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3610 | 3684 | 3677 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 6 |
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










