
Surf Forecasts:
Tawharanui surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 26 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 11s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 6s period, NNW swell with 212 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 26 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 11s 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 Sunday (Jul 26) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 15s. 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 1.7m 6s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 1ft (0.3m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 1ft (0.3m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Fri 24th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tawharanui over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next couple of weeks at Tawharanui are a real grind. We’ve got a long, flat spell to start, and honestly, nothing in this 16-day window really gets the heart racing. The water temp is sitting at 58°F which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, nothing unusual there.
The first decent chance doesn’t roll in until the morning of Friday, July 31st. We’re looking at a 4ft swell from the north, with a short period of 7 seconds and a combined energy of (207). It’s clean with a cross-offshore wind, but the wave quality is marginal. It’s a beach and reef setup, so the short period won’t give it much shape. For the afternoon, the swell drops to 3ft from the north, still 7 seconds, with a clean offshore SSW wind at 16 mph. The energy is moderate (136), but it’s still nothing to write home about.
After that, we’re back into the doldrums for the first week of August. August 6th Thursday afternoon sees a small 2ft easterly swell with a 12-second period, giving a combined energy of (112). It’s clean with a light cross-offshore wind, and the conditions are described as surfable but very ordinary. That’s the best we’ve got in the second week, and it’s barely a ripple.
August 7th Friday morning has a clean 1ft easterly swell with a 10-second period, and a moderate offshore wind, but again, it’s just surfable, not good. The rest of the days are mostly poor with messy winds or no swell to speak of.
If you’re a kite surfer, those days with strong cross-shore winds and a bit of chop might look more interesting than paddle surfing. But for a wave rider, this is a tough period. The break is fairly consistent, so it tends not to stay this poor for long, and forecasts can change. For now, keep the board in the car and wait for a better window.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 8°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the WSW on Sat morning, light winds from the WSW by Sun morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Wed night, min 8°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NNW 3 | NNW 5 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 13 | E 12 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | N 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
6 | 45 | 187 | 93 | 41 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 55 | 48 | 52 | 53 | 55 | 83 | 88 | 85 | 84 | 82 | 48 | 47 | 106 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | off | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | off | glassy | on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 3:01PM2.21m | 3:13AM2.20m | 4:03PM2.19m | 4:11AM2.15m | 5:00PM2.21m | 5:06AM2.15m | 5:49PM2.26m | 5:55AM2.19m | 6:32PM2.33m | 6:40AM2.24m | 7:12PM2.40m | 7:22AM2.31m | 7:51PM2.47m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:21PM0.96m | 9:37AM0.92m | 10:15PM0.98m | 10:30AM0.95m | 11:09PM0.99m | 11:24AM0.94m | 00:00AM0.96m | 12:17PM0.88m | 00:48AM0.92m | 1:04PM0.80m | 1:32AM0.85m | 1:46PM0.72m | 2:13AM0.78m | ||||||||
7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | |
— | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 16 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 9 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | E 8 | ENE 11 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 13 | E 12 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | E 12 |
3 | 10 | 41 | 93 | 27 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 55 | 48 | 52 | 53 | 55 | 83 | 88 | 85 | 84 | 82 | 48 | 47 | 44 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | E 10 | ENE 11 | E 11 | E 11 | NNW 7 | SW 3 | E 15 | NNW 6 | ESE 5 | ESE 6 | E 5 | N 11 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | — | NE 12 | NE 11 |
2 | 18 | 25 | 38 | 41 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 6 | 5 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 10 | — | — | — | E 17 | N 7 | N 6 | — | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
1 | 2 | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 3 | NNW 5 | NNW 7 | W 5 | WSW 5 | SW 5 | SW 4 | — | S 3 | S 2 | S 3 | S 4 | S 3 | — | — | — | — | NNW 4 | N 4 | N 4 | N 6 |
6 | 45 | 187 | 60 | 147 | 66 | 7 | — | 6 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 7 | 17 | 106 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 337 | 359 | 8 | 118 | 336 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 7 | 27 | 61 | 27 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Northland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










