
Surf Forecasts:
Tawharanui surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 7s period, NNW swell with 417 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Tawharanui this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Tawharanui in the next 16 days are 2.0m 7s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 9PM. Winds are predicted to be 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 Friday (Sep 18) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Thu 17th Sep) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tawharanui over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on offer for our little stretch of coast at Tawharanui.
To be straight with you, the next sixteen days are looking pretty grim. I've scoured the charts, and honestly, there's nothing worth getting the wetsuit wet for. The first proper recommendation doesn't even show up for a while, and when it does, it's a sad little blip. We're talking a long, flat spell here.
The water temp is sitting around 59°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year, no nasty surprises there.
Let's run through the dates. Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th are completely flat, with tiny 0.7ft swell from the NNE and a weak energy reading of only 18. You'd be chasing whitewash. Wednesday the 16th is even worse, just 0.3ft. Forget it.
Thursday the 17th actually sees a bit of a pulse, with the swell jumping to 4ft in the morning and 6ft in the afternoon from the north. The energy picks up to 84, and then 244 in the arvo, which is moderate. But here's the kicker: the wind is howling from the NNW at 18 mph, with rain and a risk of storms, making it a lumpy, cross-onshore mess. The period is a short, crumbly 5 to 6 seconds. That's not surf, that's a washing machine. It might look interesting for the kite crew, but not for a paddle surfer.
After that brief tease, we’re back to near-flat conditions for days. From Friday the 18th right through to the end of the month, it's a desert. We're looking at swell heights of 0.3ft to 1ft for the most part, with wave energy dribbling between 3 and 35. The wind does swing offshore from the SW at times, which would make for a glassy ocean, but there's simply no swell to ride. It's clean, it's pretty, and it's useless. The period on many of these days is around 10 to 13 seconds, which would be lovely for a groundswell, but there's no height to it.
So, the bottom line: there is no standout, no hidden gem, nothing to get excited about. This is one of those blank runs that just happens in this area. The conditions are clean for long stretches, and forecasts can change, but based on what I'm seeing right now, you might as well give the board a wax and a rest.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSW on Tue morning, fresh winds from the N by Thu morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun morning, min 11°C on Thu night). Mainly strong winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | ||||||||||||||
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 | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NW 3 | N 5 | N 6 | N 7 | N 7 | NE 8 | NNE 8 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | NNW 7 | E 11 | E 11 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 73 | 235 | 121 | 15 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 9:19PM2.66m | 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 | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:17PM0.47m | 3:42AM0.46m | 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 | |||||||
— | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | |
6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:15 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 12 |
Feels °C | 11 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | NE 11 | NE 13 | NE 11 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | N 7 | N 7 | NE 8 | NNE 8 | NE 8 | NE 9 | NE 9 | NNW 7 | NW 7 | N 6 |
14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 121 | 15 | 17 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 13 | N 13 | N 12 | N 12 | NE 13 | NE 11 | NE 13 | NE 11 | E 13 | E 13 | NE 12 | NE 11 | NNW 7 | N 8 | N 7 | E 12 | E 12 | NNW 6 | E 11 | E 11 |
3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 8 | NE 14 | E 9 | N 12 | — | N 11 | N 11 | N 10 | — | E 12 | E 12 | NE 11 | NE 11 | E 13 | NE 11 | — | N 8 | N 8 | — |
1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 3 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | — | 1 | 1 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 3 | S 3 | — | SW 3 | — | — | NW 3 | N 5 | N 6 | SW 4 | SW 4 | SW 5 | SW 4 | SW 4 | WSW 4 | W 4 | WSW 4 | WSW 4 | SW 4 |
— | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | 5 | 73 | 235 | 39 | 52 | 54 | 58 | 42 | 32 | 44 | 38 | 18 | 24 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 78 | 73 | 72 | 202 | 202 | 202 | 359 | 102 | 359 | 168 | 22 | 187 | 148 | 259 | 272 | 359 | 359 | 272 | 259 | 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.










