
Surf Forecasts:
Papa Tangaroa surf forecast from 1 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 2 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 12s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 3 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 16s period, S swell with 11,044 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 2 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 12s period with SSW 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 (Aug 02) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 1.5m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 4s is also forecast. 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 4.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Monday (Aug 03) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (-06) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Papa Tangaroa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s coming up for Papa Tangaroa. This is a reef break that’s exposed to the south, so we’re looking for a solid south swell to get things going. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The outlook starts off a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got swell on the first couple of days, but the wind is a problem. Saturday the 1st sees a strong 8ft to 8ft WSW swell, with a period of 11 seconds, and a cross-off wind. The combined energy is high (1612-1884), but the forecast says the tide might mess things up, so it’s not a total green light. Sunday the 2nd drops a bit to 5ft-6ft, but we get a rain shower and a cross-on wind, making it choppy. Not the best start.
Then we hit a real rough patch. From Monday the 3rd all the way through to Friday the 7th, it’s pretty much a write-off. The wind is howling onshore or cross-onshore, mostly from the ESE or S, hitting 25-37 mph. There’s still a lot of energy in the water (over 3000 at times), but with that wind, it’s going to be a mess. This is a solid week of poor surf conditions, so don’t bother.
We get a bit of a breather on Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th. The swell drops to 6ft-7ft from the ESE, and the wind turns cross-off. The energy is moderate (around 1200), and the conditions are clean. It’s still listed as marginal, but it’s a big step up from the week before.
Now, the real standout. Monday the 10th starts to show promise, with a 6ft SW groundswell and a period of 18 seconds. The energy is already ramping up to 3533. But the true gem is Tuesday the 11th. We get a 8ft SW groundswell with a 16-second period, and the wind goes light and offshore from the NNW. The combined energy is a massive 3928, and the forecast says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers.” This is the best of the bunch. That long period means it’s a proper groundswell, so it’ll be punching hard on the reef. Paddling out might be easier between sets, but the waves will be powerful. This is for the advanced crew only, as 8ft is expert territory.
Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th still look good, with 6ft-6ft SW swells, 13-14 second periods, and light offshore winds. The energy is a bit lower (around 1300), but the conditions are clean. The standout session is still the Tuesday.
The last few days of the run, from the 14th to the 16th, drop off a bit. The wind turns onshore again on Friday the 14th, and then we get a mix of cross and cross-off winds, with the swell hanging around 5ft-8ft. It’s not the cleanest, but it’s better than that first week.
So, overall, if you’re keen, the window to watch is from the 10th of August, but the absolute best day is Tuesday the 11th. That’s the one you want to plan for. It’s going to be heavy, so don’t be a hero if you’re not ready for it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 53mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 21°C on Sat morning, min 16°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Sat night, near gales from the S by Mon morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu afternoon, min 17°C on Wed night). Mainly near gales. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | W 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 14 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1390 | 1532 | 1459 | 847 | 648 | 515 | 1754 | 3668 | 3265 | 1977 | 1858 | 1594 | 1266 | 1228 | 1179 | 1220 | 999 | 765 | 540 | 891 | 737 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | off | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:01PM0.50m | 9:49AM0.61m | 11:01PM0.57m | 10:51AM0.60m | 11:46PM0.64m | 11:40AM0.60m | 00:24AM0.72m | 12:23PM0.60m | 1:01AM0.80m | 1:02PM0.61m | 1:38AM0.87m | 1:40PM0.61m | 2:17AM0.91m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:52PM0.31m | 3:23AM0.37m | 4:39PM0.29m | 4:51AM0.35m | 5:16PM0.26m | 5:54AM0.30m | 5:50PM0.22m | 6:44AM0.26m | 6:22PM0.17m | 7:27AM0.22m | 6:56PM0.13m | 8:08AM0.19m | 7:33PM0.09m | ||||||||
7:58 | — | — | 7:56 | — | — | 7:56 | — | — | 7:56 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | |
— | 6:49 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:51 | — | — | 6:51 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | |
mm | — | — | 11 | 3 | 4 | 25 | 3 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Temp °C | 21 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 21 |
Feels °C | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 12 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 9 |
98 | 236 | 936 | 847 | 648 | 303 | 1249 | 3668 | 3265 | 1977 | 1470 | 841 | 527 | 418 | 1179 | 1220 | 999 | 589 | 476 | 406 | 395 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 13 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SSW 12 | W 12 | SSW 14 | SW 17 | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | N 7 | NE 7 | S 13 | S 12 | SW 16 | NE 9 | NE 9 | ENE 9 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 16 |
14 | 116 | 110 | 816 | 480 | 515 | 1754 | 214 | 54 | 22 | 11 | 89 | 66 | 376 | 20 | 21 | 32 | 765 | 537 | 450 | 737 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 12 | N 14 | N 13 | SE 12 | SW 18 | WSW 11 | SE 7 | WSW 11 | N 10 | N 10 | NNW 6 | SW 18 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NNW 11 | SSW 22 | SW 20 | SW 21 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 11 |
124 | 14 | 13 | 130 | 155 | 164 | 200 | 23 | 17 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 25 | 18 | 12 | 45 | 104 | 218 | 540 | 891 | 177 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | W 12 | — | SE 11 | SE 6 | NNW 6 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | — | — | — | — |
1390 | 1532 | 1459 | — | 357 | 241 | 184 | 1797 | 1647 | 1672 | 1858 | 1594 | 1266 | 1228 | 910 | 745 | 668 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3651 | 3666 | 3610 | 6 | 3635 | 3577 | 3541 | 3525 | 3525 | 3541 | 3525 | 3525 | 3580 | 3638 | 3610 | 3675 | 3562 | 3562 | 3562 | 3541 | 3541 |
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











