Surf Forecasts:
Papa Tangaroa surf forecast from 6 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 11 Sep, 1PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 17s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 11 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SW swell with 5,085 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 11 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 17s 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 Friday (Sep 11) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 17s period. 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 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 11) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 7s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (-06) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Fri 11th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 17s |
| Best Surf | 1PM (Fri 11th Sep) | 8ft (2.4m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Fri 11th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Papa Tangaroa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let's have a proper look at what's coming our way for the next couple of weeks.
Alright, we’re looking at a bit of a mixed bag to kick things off. There’s no surf worth talking about right now, so we’ve got a bit of a wait on our hands. The first few days are a write-off, but hang tight, because things get interesting later on.
The first real action we see is on Friday the 11th of September. The morning is still a bit iffy, but the afternoon looks like the standout of the whole forecast. Papa Tangaroa is an exposed reef break that doesn't break all that often, but when it does, it can be special. Friday afternoon we’ve got a solid 12 ft swell rolling in from the southwest, with a very long period of 16 seconds. That's proper groundswell, lots of energy behind it, and with a slight air and clean conditions, this is going to be an exceptional session. The water temperature is sitting at 69°F, which is about normal for this time of year. But this is an advanced wave, and with that size, it's strictly for the experts. Crowds are rare here, which is a bonus.
The next notable window is the following week. Wednesday the 16th of September through to Friday the 18th sees a drop in size, but the quality looks good. Swells will be in the 4 ft to 4 ft range, still from the southwest, but with a long period of 15 to 19 seconds. The wind turns offshore from the north and northwest, keeping the waves clean. This is excellent for experienced surfers, with moderate offshore winds and clean faces. There’s plenty of energy behind them for the size.
After that, the swell fades, and conditions get messy again. There’s a few more days of offshore winds on the 19th and 20th of September, but the swell drops to 3 ft to 4 ft and the wind gets strong, making it hard to paddle into. The last few days of the forecast are pretty poor with onshore winds and small, weak swell.
So, to sum it up: the first week is a write-off, but mark your calendar for Friday the 11th of September afternoon for the big one. The following week, from the 16th to the 18th, offers some clean, long-period waves for the more experienced crew. After that, it’s pretty much done.
Stay safe out there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun morning, min 17°C on Sun afternoon). Winds increasing (light winds from the E on Mon afternoon, fresh winds from the NE by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 18°C on Thu morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NNW on Thu morning, calm by Fri morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | |||||||||||||||
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 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 3214 | 3058 | 2390 | 1838 | 1665 | 1228 | 940 | 718 | 450 | 303 | 174 | 299 | 520 | 442 | 881 | 1839 | 5085 | 4084 | 2232 | 1787 | 1006 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | off | cross-on |
High Tide | 3:08PM0.63m | 3:36AM0.91m | 3:47PM0.63m | 4:17AM0.87m | 4:29PM0.62m | 5:01AM0.81m | 5:18PM0.61m | 5:51AM0.73m | 6:17PM0.59m | 6:52AM0.65m | 7:37PM0.57m | 8:16AM0.58m | 9:18PM0.59m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:57PM0.06m | 10:07AM0.12m | 9:39PM0.08m | 10:46AM0.15m | 10:24PM0.11m | 11:30AM0.18m | 11:16PM0.17m | 12:20PM0.22m | 00:20AM0.23m | 1:23PM0.26m | 1:52AM0.29m | 2:44PM0.28m | 3:49AM0.29m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | |  |  | |  |  |  | | | |  | |  |  | |
 | 8:25 | — | — | 8:23 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:18 | — | — |
 | — | 8:06 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:08 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 9 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 10 |
Temp °C | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
Feels °C | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 15 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 19 | SW 18 | WNW 9 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
| kJ | 3214 | 3058 | 2390 | 1838 | 1665 | 1228 | 940 | 718 | 450 | 303 | 174 | 94 | 520 | 442 | 749 | 1839 | 5085 | 4084 | 2232 | 1787 | 1006 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | E 7 | SE 9 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | E 8 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 19 | E 7 | SW 15 | SW 18 | WNW 8 | NNW 14 | NNE 6 | NNW 13 | S 26 | SW 24 |
| kJ | 17 | 38 | 27 | 26 | 18 | 16 | 42 | 42 | 96 | 127 | 143 | 299 | 28 | 171 | 881 | 284 | 18 | 60 | 64 | 13 | 23 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | NNE 10 | NNW 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 8 | SW 18 | SW 18 | NNW 12 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | W 11 | ESE 8 | NE 7 | NNE 7 | — | NNW 13 | WNW 7 | — | SW 24 |
| kJ | 6 | 20 | 10 | 38 | 37 | 12 | 113 | 154 | 14 | 39 | 33 | 33 | 39 | 11 | 102 | 153 | — | 34 | 9 | — | 23 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 9 | NE 6 | NE 7 | NNE 7 | N 7 | NNW 7 | — | — | — | — | NNE 6 | N 6 | N 7 |
| kJ | 20 | 35 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | 173 | 163 | 391 | 374 | 724 | 896 | — | — | — | — | 95 | 220 | 581 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 6 | 3525 | 3515 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 3525 | 3525 | 3541 | 3525 | 3525 | 3541 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3525 | 3525 | 3525 |
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.
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