
Surf Forecasts:
Tawharanui surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 21 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 6s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 7s period, NNW swell with 181 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 6s period with E 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 (Jul 21) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 11s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 8s is also forecast. 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 1.3m 7s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 6s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Fri 24th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tawharanui over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, Rusty here, lookin' at what's on the cards for Tawharanui.
Alright folks, let's be straight with each other. I've had a good look at the charts for Tawharanui over the next 16 days, and I've got to be honest with you – it's a bit of a tough stretch. The entire period is filled with small, weak surf, and the ocean is just not giving us much to work with. The first decent-looking window we're talking about is the afternoon of Tuesday the 28th of July, a full 8 days away. Up until then, it's a write-off. The swell is tiny, the energy is non-existent, and the wave comments are all "poor surf conditions." It's a long, flat gap to sit through.
Now, even when we get to that Tuesday afternoon, the surf is still very ordinary. We're looking at a 2ft swell from the east with a long period of 13 seconds. The combined energy of all swells directed here is only 92, which tells you there's just not much power in the water. The wind is a gentle offshore from the southwest, which is a nice touch, so the surface will be clean. It's surfable, but it's not going to get any awards. The water temperature is sitting at 59°, which is about average for this time of year.
The best of the whole outlook, and I'm using that term lightly, is the morning of Thursday the 30th of July. The swell is a bit bigger, reaching 3ft from the north, but the period is a short 5 seconds, so it's going to be weak and a bit lumpy. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the west-northwest, keeping things clean. The combined energy is 90, still very weak. The afternoon of that same day sees a jump in energy to 150 with a 5ft swell from the north-northwest, but the wind picks up to a moderate breeze and the wave comment flips back to "poor surf conditions." It's not the day to get excited about.
Honestly, the whole period is a struggle. The waves are too small and weak to do anything with, and the few moments that look slightly better are still mediocre. For a beginner, it's a total write-off. For a more experienced surfer, there's just no energy to play with. If you're desperate for a paddle in clean conditions, the Tuesday afternoon the 28th is your best bet, but keep the expectations on the floor. It's a bleak run, but that's the way it goes sometimes. The standout, if you can call it that, is the morning of Thursday the 30th of July for the slightly bigger 3ft swell, but it's still a very ordinary day.
Stay patient, and check back in with me later.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Mon afternoon, min 11°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 10°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the W on Thu night, strong winds from the WSW by Fri night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 12 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | N 7 | NNE 7 | E 10 | E 6 | E 6 | NNW 4 | NNW 5 | N 8 | NNW 7 | E 11 | E 11 | NNW 7 | E 15 | E 13 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
11 | 120 | 56 | 22 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 103 | 142 | 26 | 21 | 21 | 35 | 17 | 32 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 11:53PM2.61m | 12:22PM2.48m | 00:40AM2.50m | 1:11PM2.38m | 1:27AM2.39m | 2:02PM2.28m | 2:18AM2.28m | 3:01PM2.21m | 3:13AM2.20m | 4:03PM2.19m | 4:11AM2.15m | 5:00PM2.21m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:46PM0.58m | 6:21AM0.57m | 6:38PM0.71m | 7:09AM0.67m | 7:32PM0.82m | 7:57AM0.76m | 8:27PM0.90m | 8:46AM0.85m | 9:21PM0.96m | 9:37AM0.92m | 10:15PM0.98m | 10:30AM0.95m | 11:09PM0.99m | |||||||
— | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | |
5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | — | — | 5 | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 |
Feels °C | 11 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 2 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 12 | E 12 | E 11 | E 6 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | NNE 7 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | N 8 | NNW 7 | E 11 | E 11 | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | E 13 |
11 | 11 | 10 | 22 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 142 | 26 | 21 | 21 | 35 | 4 | 32 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | E 11 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | E 5 | NE 7 | N 7 | NE 8 | NE 8 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 | NNW 7 | NE 8 | E 11 | E 11 | NW 6 |
1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 21 | 9 | 1 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 6 | — | N 8 | N 7 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | NE 8 | E 11 | E 11 | — | E 11 | E 12 | S 5 | E 18 | E 16 | E 15 | W 5 |
1 | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 4 | E 6 | E 6 | — | S 3 | SSW 3 | SSW 2 | SSW 3 | SW 3 | WSW 2 | WNW 2 | NNW 4 | NNW 5 | W 4 | SW 4 | WSW 4 | NW 4 | SW 4 | WSW 4 | SSW 4 |
6 | 120 | 56 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 103 | 38 | 51 | 20 | 52 | 23 | 29 | 18 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 64 | 64 | 64 | 33 | 22 | 66 | 202 | 161 | 115 | 369 | 256 | 359 | 359 | 7 | 272 | 162 | 86 | 22 | 22 | 115 |
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.










