Surf Forecasts:
Papa Tangaroa surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 13s period, SSW swell with 1,585 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period with SE 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 (Aug 21) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 15s. 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 2.2m 13s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 4.0m 8s period and expected on Monday (Aug 17) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (-06) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Fri 21st Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Fri 21st Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Papa Tangaroa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, looking at the 16-day window for Papeete and the reef at Papa Tangaroa. It’s a mixed bag, and honestly, we’re going to have to be patient. This spot really only fires when the wind and swell line up, and for a lot of this outlook, the wind’s going to be the problem.
Right from the start, it’s a bit of a wait. Saturday the 15th sees a 6-foot SW swell with a decent 13-second period, and the combined wave energy is a solid 1065 – that’s moderate to strong energy. The water’s sitting at 69°, about average for this time of year, so no real surprises there. The wind is NNE at 25 mph, which is offshore and clean, but it’s a strong breeze. It’s going to be a battle to paddle into, making it a grind for even the experienced crew. Not a standout.
Then we hit a big hole in the action. From Sunday the 16th all the way through to Thursday the 20th, the wind is either howling onshore or cranking cross-onshore, making the conditions pretty average. The swell pulses through, with a solid SSW groundswell in the mix on Monday the 17th (6 feet at 14 seconds, energy hitting 1459), but that NNW wind is cross-off, and while it’s clean, the quality is just marginal with questionable tides. Those days are more about exercise than good waves. Friday the 21st is the first real flicker of hope. The wind swings to a gentle cross-off from the NE at 9 mph, cleaner air. You’ve got a 6-foot SE swell at 10 seconds, and the energy is 1016. That combo is rated as excellent for experienced surfers – clean, pushy, and a good setup for the reef. It’s not the biggest swell, but it’s the best offer in the first week.
Moving into the second week, it gets tricky. Saturday the 22nd gives us a 6-foot SSE swell with offshore wind early, but the conditions are rated as only “very good” and the energy drops a bit to 768. The real looker is shaping up for Sunday the 30th. There’s a 7-foot SW swell with a solid 14-second period, and the wind is a gentle cross-off from the ENE at 9 mph. The energy is 1679 – strong wave energy there. It’s pegged as “marginal” but with a 3 out of 10 score, which is the best we see in the whole run. That’s your most promising long-range option. However, keep in mind the swell is over 5 feet, so it’s getting too big for beginners.
For the rest of the run, from the 23rd through the 29th, it’s a lot of onshore and cross-onshore slop. Swells get big – look at Monday the 25th: 10 feet SSW at 16 seconds, energy of 4415 (very strong) – but the SW cross-onshore wind is just going to make it lumpy and choppy. That kind of power with bad wind on a reef is more of a thrill for the kite crew than a smooth paddle session.
So overall, the best on offer is Friday the 21st for a clean, experienced session, and then Sunday the 30th for a promising but less certain bigger swell under good wind. The rest is a lot of waiting. If you’re willing to sit through the windy gaps, those two days could be worth it.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 57mm), heaviest during Mon morning. Warm (max 21°C on Sun morning, min 17°C on Mon afternoon). Winds decreasing (near gales from the N on Sun night, light winds from the WSW by Mon night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue afternoon, min 16°C on Wed morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSE on Wed morning, light winds from the E by Fri morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | ||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SE 10 | SE 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1037 | 437 | 393 | 355 | 647 | 834 | 1459 | 1327 | 1216 | 1585 | 751 | 491 | 427 | 808 | 702 | 865 | 844 | 612 | 569 | 689 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 10:04PM0.62m | 10:20AM0.64m | 11:13PM0.68m | 11:26AM0.64m | 00:06AM0.74m | 12:18PM0.63m | 00:49AM0.78m | 1:00PM0.63m | 1:25AM0.81m | 1:35PM0.61m | 1:57AM0.82m | 2:04PM0.60m | 2:25AM0.82m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:40PM0.24m | 4:10AM0.28m | 4:44PM0.21m | 5:28AM0.25m | 5:36PM0.19m | 6:27AM0.21m | 6:18PM0.17m | 7:14AM0.19m | 6:54PM0.16m | 7:52AM0.18m | 7:24PM0.16m | 8:26AM0.19m | 7:50PM0.16m | |||||||
— | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | |
6:55 | — | — | 6:57 | — | — | 6:57 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:59 | — | — | 6:59 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 4 | 30 | 13 | 10 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Feels °C | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WNW 10 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 8 | SE 8 | SE 10 | SE 10 |
1037 | 437 | 393 | 355 | 647 | 834 | 978 | 1327 | 1216 | 1585 | 751 | 491 | 400 | 808 | 702 | 865 | 191 | 304 | 569 | 689 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SW 16 | W 12 | SE 9 | SW 14 | WNW 9 | NW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SSW 11 | ESE 7 | SSW 10 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 |
18 | 22 | 20 | 94 | 538 | 3 | 1459 | 449 | 154 | 67 | 48 | 296 | 427 | 286 | 43 | 137 | 844 | 612 | 447 | 248 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | — | SW 18 | WSW 14 | ESE 9 | — | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | SW 20 | WNW 8 | SW 15 | ESE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 9 | ENE 8 | NE 7 |
10 | — | 12 | 41 | 7 | — | 311 | 146 | 79 | 57 | 137 | 20 | 75 | 105 | 41 | 62 | 203 | 154 | 37 | 27 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 5 | N 6 | N 7 | N 7 | N 8 | NW 10 | — | — | S 4 | SSE 5 | ESE 5 | SE 6 | SSE 6 | S 6 | S 6 | S 7 | SSW 9 | — | — | — |
105 | 357 | 687 | 846 | 1258 | 2599 | — | — | 12 | 44 | 92 | 239 | 330 | 170 | 307 | 236 | 262 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 3525 | 3525 | 3562 | 3525 | 3525 | 3541 | 3525 | 3525 | 3541 | 6 | 3525 | 3525 | 3525 | 3541 | 3541 | 3525 | 6 | 3541 | 0 | 0 |
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











