
Surf Forecasts:
Tawharanui surf forecast from 7 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 8s period, N swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 8s period, N swell with 145 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 8s period with N swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Tawharanui this week:
The surf forecast for Tawharanui over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tawharanui in the next 16 days are 1.1m 8s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 4s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tawharanui over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on the table for Tawharanui over the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, it’s a pretty grim start. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with hardly a wave worth paddling for. The first real chance of anything comes much later, so don’t get your hopes up for the next week or so.
We kick off Monday the 7th with a storm risk and a messy 4ft swell from the NNW, but it’s short-period at 7 seconds and a strong 19 mph cross-offshore wind makes it a write-off. The following days are flat and uninspiring. Tuesday the 8th has a tiny 2ft from the north with clean offshore winds, but the energy is very weak (72). It’s surfable, but barely. From Wednesday the 9th right through to the 17th, it’s a parade of tiny waves, mostly under 2ft, with poor conditions. We’re talking a solid 10-day gap with nothing to get excited about. The water temp is sitting at 58°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year.
Now, if you’ve got some patience, there’s a flicker of something on the horizon. Friday the 18th of September is the one standout in this whole forecast. The morning brings a solid 10ft swell from the north, with a moderate combined energy (1288). The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the WNW at 16 mph. That’s a lot of water, though – over 8ft – so this is strictly for the experienced crew. The period is short at 8 seconds, so it might be a bit bumpy, but the size and clean wind make it the best on offer. The afternoon holds similar 10ft north swell, even more energy (1652), and lighter winds from the WSW at 9 mph. Still big, still only for the experts.
After that, the swell drops off quickly. Saturday the 19th is blown out by a cross-onshore, and by Sunday the 20th we’re back to small, ordinary surf. The very end of the outlook, around Tuesday the 22nd, shows a distant chance of a 4ft to 4ft east swell with a longer period of 12 seconds and clean cross-offshore winds, but it’s marginal and the scores are low. That’s a long-range call, so treat it as a maybe.
So, bottom line: the first two weeks are a bust. The only real window is that big, powerful swell on the 18th, but it’s not for the faint-hearted.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon afternoon, min 10°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Mon afternoon, calm by Tue night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Thu night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 11°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Thu afternoon, strong winds from the SSW by Fri afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | ||||||||||||||
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) | NNW 7 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | N 6 | NE 15 | ENE 8 | NNE 14 | NE 14 | NE 14 | NE 9 | NE 8 | NE 12 | NNE 13 | NNE 12 | NNE 13 | NNE 13 | NNE 13 | NNE 13 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
191 | 145 | 60 | 27 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 31 | 30 | 22 | 18 | 24 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 3:21PM2.41m | 3:47AM2.37m | 4:28PM2.49m | 4:54AM2.43m | 5:26PM2.59m | 5:53AM2.53m | 6:18PM2.68m | 6:46AM2.61m | 7:06PM2.74m | 7:35AM2.66m | 7:51PM2.75m | 8:21AM2.69m | 8:36PM2.72m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:51PM0.78m | 10:15AM0.65m | 10:56PM0.71m | 11:19AM0.59m | 11:55PM0.62m | 12:17PM0.51m | 00:47AM0.53m | 1:07PM0.44m | 1:35AM0.47m | 1:53PM0.41m | 2:19AM0.43m | 2:36PM0.42m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | |
6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | |
mm | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 7 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | N 6 | N 6 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | NE 7 | NE 14 | NNW 5 | N 5 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | NNE 13 | NNE 13 | NNE 13 | NNE 13 |
191 | 145 | 60 | 27 | 15 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 30 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | SE 5 | NE 17 | NE 15 | NE 15 | NE 14 | NNE 14 | NE 14 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 8 | NNE 13 | NE 12 | NNE 12 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 8 |
2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 19 | 31 | 12 | 22 | 18 | 18 | 6 | 15 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 1 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NE 16 | NE 16 | E 10 | NE 10 | NE 8 | N 6 | N 18 | NE 16 | E 7 | NNE 14 | NNE 13 | NE 12 | NNE 13 | NE 13 | N 16 | N 14 | N 14 | N 14 |
— | — | 10 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 20 | 18 | 24 | 17 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 3 | — | SSW 4 | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | — | — | — | WSW 2 | — | N 4 | — | — | SSW 4 | SW 4 | SW 4 | SW 4 | SW 4 | WSW 4 | SW 4 |
3 | — | 11 | 8 | 5 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 10 | — | — | 35 | 23 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 12 | 10 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 38 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 64 | 60 | 60 | 107 | 22 | 86 | 22 | 13 | 92 | 13 | 33 | 22 | 22 | 78 | 78 | 295 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Northland | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Tawharanui Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Tawharanui provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Tawharanui can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Tawharanui 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 (Tawharanui) 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 Tawharanui 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.
Tawharanui is 48 km (30 miles) from the city of Northshore. If you plan a holiday in Northland, look for hotels and other accommodation in Northshore. Northshore has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










