Surf Forecasts:
Tawharanui surf forecast from 15 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 18 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 7s period, N swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 7s period, N swell with 226 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 18 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 7s 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 Friday (Sep 18) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tawharanui in the next 16 days are 1.6m 7s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 5s period and expected on Friday (Sep 18) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Thu 17th Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tawharanui over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here again. Let’s break it down in feet and knots for Tawharanui.
Honestly, it’s a pretty flat outlook for the whole 16-day stretch. Tawharanui is a mix of beach and reef, exposed to the NE, and there’s just nothing happening for most of it. The biggest combined energy reading you’ll see is a weak 223 (moderate) but that’s attached to some messy windswell. Most days the energy is in the low teens or single digits (24, 17, 13 etc.), which is barely a bump. There’s a huge gap from Tuesday the 15th right through to Sunday the 27th of September where there’s no decent surf at all – over a week and a half of nothing.
The one small spike is on Thursday the 17th of September. In the afternoon, the swell bumps up to around 6ft from the N, but with a short 6-second period. The combined energy hits 223 (moderate), but the wind is a moderate cross-shore breeze from the NW at 25 km/h, so it’s choppy and poor. That’s a messy, onshore windswell – not one to get excited about. For an exposed beach and reef, that’s more of a kite-surf day.
The only other little window is on Thursday afternoon the 24th of September, with about 2ft from the ESE at 8 seconds and a combined energy of 74 (weak). The south to south-southwest winds will be clean and cross-offshore, so the small clean waves might be worth a look if you’re a beginner on a log. But it’s tiny.
For the rest, it’s offshore winds from the SW or WSW, which are clean, but the swell is flat – 0.3ft to 0.7ft. You’d be floating more than surfing.
No break stands out as a winner. There is no standout session. If you’re desperate, the 2ft on the 24th with clean winds is the best you get, but keep expectations on the deck. Forecasts can change, but right now Tawharanui is in a proper dead spell.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 10°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Sat morning, min 12°C on Fri morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Fri afternoon, light winds from the SW by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 12 | NNW 4 | N 6 | N 7 | N 7 | NE 8 | NE 11 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | E 11 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 14 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 24 | 214 | 74 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:49AM2.62m | 10:01PM2.57m | 10:31AM2.54m | 10:43PM2.46m | 11:12AM2.44m | 11:25PM2.36m | 11:54AM2.33m | 00:08AM2.26m | 12:39PM2.23m | 00:54AM2.17m | 1:31PM2.15m | 1:44AM2.10m | 2:33PM2.12m | 2:41AM2.07m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:59PM0.54m | 4:22AM0.52m | 4:42PM0.64m | 5:03AM0.61m | 5:27PM0.74m | 5:45AM0.71m | 6:16PM0.84m | 6:31AM0.81m | 7:09PM0.93m | 7:20AM0.90m | 8:04PM0.99m | 8:15AM0.96m | 9:00PM1.01m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  | |  | |  | | | | |  |  | | | | | | |
 | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — |
 | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 15 |
Feels °C | 11 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | NE 11 | NE 13 | NE 11 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | N 7 | N 7 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | NE 9 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | N 6 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 |
| kJ | 14 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 74 | 21 | 16 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 12 | N 12 | NE 13 | NE 11 | NE 13 | NE 11 | N 11 | E 13 | NE 12 | NE 11 | N 7 | N 6 | NE 11 | E 12 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | N 6 | N 10 | — |
| kJ | 3 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 14 | SE 5 | N 12 | N 11 | N 11 | N 11 | N 10 | — | E 12 | E 12 | NE 11 | NE 11 | E 13 | N 7 | — | N 8 | E 11 | — | — | N 6 | N 10 |
| kJ | 7 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSW 3 | SSW 2 | — | — | NNW 4 | N 6 | SSW 4 | SW 4 | SSW 5 | SW 5 | WSW 4 | WSW 4 | W 4 | WSW 4 | SW 4 | SW 4 | SW 4 | SW 4 | WSW 4 |
| kJ | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 24 | 214 | 49 | 28 | 74 | 63 | 40 | 34 | 44 | 40 | 65 | 26 | 13 | 15 | 16 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 72 | 202 | 202 | 211 | 359 | 102 | 359 | 8 | 0 | 60 | 336 | 264 | 259 | 359 | 359 | 122 | 259 | 295 | 336 | 359 | 202 |
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.
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