Tawharanui Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight up – we’re looking at a pretty flat run for Tawharanui over the next couple of weeks. The forecast shows no good surf on the table for the whole 16-day window, so don’t get your hopes up for a proper session.

Right now, Sunday the 30th of August has a bit of a pulse at 3ft from the NNE with a short 8-second period, and there’s moderate combined swell energy (111), but the wind is hammering out of the WSW at 25 mph. It’s strong offshore and clean, but that’s going to make paddling into anything a real mission – the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Not one for a beginner either, with that wind strength.

Monday the 31st drops right off, with tiny 1-2ft leftovers from the NE and NNE, periods around 9-10 seconds, and weak energy (39 and 37). The wind stays cross-off and fresh, so the surface will be clean, but there’s just nothing to ride. Tuesday the 1st of September is more of the same: 1ft, 9-10 second period, fresh offshore wind, and energy in the low 30s. Clean but tiny.

Wednesday the 2nd through Friday the 4th stays flat with swell under 2ft and combined energy dropping to as low as 14. Friday the 4th does see a little spike to 5ft from the NNW early morning, with moderate energy (160), but the period is a short 6 seconds and the wind is cross-off. The waves will be messy and fat – still a no-go for a decent surf.

Saturday the 5th of September back to 1ft, and Sunday the 6th brings 3ft from the NNW again, but this time the wind swings cross-on at 19 mph, making it lumpy. By the afternoon, the swell bumps to 5ft with 6-second period and strong cross-shore wind at 25 mph – that’s messy cross-chop and honestly more of a kitesurfer’s playground.

From Monday the 7th right through to Sunday the 14th of September, the swell barely breaks 1ft. Combined energy sits in the single digits or low teens. Wind is mostly cross-off or offshore, so the water will look pretty, but there’s no wave to speak of. The 14th sees a long-period 15-second swell from the NE at 0.3ft – that’s just a tease. With that kind of period, it’d be best at a reef or point, but there’s no size to work with.

Water temp at Tawharanui is sitting at 58°, which is about average for this time of year – nothing unusual there. The break itself is a beach and reef setup, exposed to the NE, and it’s fairly consistent normally, but this stretch is a total blank. It’s one of those periods where the ocean just goes quiet. Forecasts can always change, but for now, leave the board in the shed.

Rusty.

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