Surf Forecasts:
Tawharanui surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 7s period, E swell with 131 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Tawharanui this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Tawharanui in the next 16 days are 1.2m 7s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tawharanui over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s be real – Tawharanui is in a bit of a snooze for the next week and a half.
Starting Sunday the 19th through to Saturday the 26th of July, it’s flat to tiny. We’re talking ankle-snappers, with swell heights from 0.2ft to 0.6ft at best. The combined energy is weak, running from 7 to 68 – that’s barely a ripple. Water temp is about 15°, which is just 0.3° cooler than average, so nothing unusual, just your standard winter chill.
A few mornings have clean, glassy conditions, like Thursday the 23rd with glassy winds and a 0.3ft E swell, but there’s no size. Friday the 24th brings a bit of a bump with 30 km/h NW cross-shore winds and a lumpy 4ft – 4ft NW swell, but the period is short (5-6 seconds) and it’s choppy. Not worth it.
The only real standout is Saturday the 1st of August. The morning starts with a clean 4ft NW swell and gentle offshore winds (15 km/h SW). The energy is moderate at 118. But the afternoon is the winner: swell jumps to 7ft from the NNW, with a 7-second period, and energy cranks up to 465 – that’s strong. Wind is SW at 20 km/h, blowing offshore and keeping it clean. This is a solid winter swell, but at 7ft it’s getting into “watch out if you’re a beginner” territory. The direction is nearly perfect for Tawharanui, and the offshore wind is a major plus. This is the best on offer, no question.
Before that, Monday the 27th of July has a 5ft NW swell with 216 energy and clean cross-offshore winds, but it’s marginal and short-period (7 seconds). Passable, but not a standout.
After Saturday, Sunday the 2nd of August drops off fast. The morning is clean but tiny (0.9ft), and the afternoon gets a messy 4ft N swell with cross-onshore wind. The rest of the 3rd is onshore junk.
So, don’t bother for the next 10 days. Mark your calendar for Saturday the 1st of August afternoon. That’s the one. Clean, 7ft, offshore wind, and strong energy. Not a classic, but the only real window in this 16-day outlook.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the E on Mon night, calm by Tue afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed morning, min 11°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (calm on Thu morning, fresh winds from the NNW by Fri morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 7 | E 6 | E 6 | ENE 5 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | E 10 | E 10 | E 7 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | N 7 | NNW 6 | NNW 5 | NNW 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 16 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 131 | 47 | 23 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 54 | 103 | 47 | 14 | 40 | 10 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | off | cross-off | off | off | glassy | on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:46AM2.62m | 11:07PM2.71m | 11:34AM2.56m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:58PM0.44m | 5:34AM0.49m | 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 | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | | | | | |  | |  | | |  | | | |  | |
 | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — |
 | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | 2 | 1 |
Temp °C | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 |
Feels °C | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | NNE 5 | E 6 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | E 5 | N 7 | N 7 | N 6 | E 7 | E 7 | NNW 6 | N 7 | NNW 6 | NNW 5 | NNW 7 |
| kJ | 16 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 23 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 103 | 47 | 14 | 40 | 10 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | E 11 | E 11 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | — | — | E 7 | N 6 | E 11 | E 7 | E 9 | E 9 | E 11 | E 10 |
| kJ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 4 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 6 | 20 | 8 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 8 | N 7 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | — | E 10 | N 9 | SSW 4 | N 8 | E 16 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 3 | SW 3 | SW 2 | — | E 4 | E 7 | E 6 | — | — | — | SSW 2 | SW 3 | — | — | — | NNW 5 | W 3 | SW 4 | W 4 | W 4 | SW 5 |
| kJ | 5 | 6 | 1 | — | 4 | 131 | 47 | — | — | — | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | 54 | 8 | 14 | 13 | 36 | 70 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 22 | 22 | 22 | 59 | 59 | 64 | 13 | 44 | 60 | 107 | 202 | 115 | 64 | 370 | 208 | 359 | 86 | 22 | 38 | 61 | 22 |
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.
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