
Surf Forecasts:
Tawharanui surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 26 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 11s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 29 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 14s period, E swell with 129 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 26 Jul, 3PM (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 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 7s. 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 0.6m 14s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 1ft (0.3m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 1ft (0.3m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Wed 29th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tawharanui over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m gonna be straight with you – for the next couple of weeks, Tawharanui is mostly a write-off. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, weak surf and ordinary conditions, before a serious spike in size right at the end that’s likely too much for this break. Let’s run through it.
The first week is a tough watch. From Saturday the 25th of July through to Saturday the 1st of August, we’re looking at swell heights mostly between 1 ft and 3 ft, with a short period of just 6 seconds at the start. The combined energy is weak, sitting between 25 and 127 (that’s low energy). Winds are a mixed bag of cross-off and cross, with a couple of glassy moments on the morning of Wednesday the 29th. That morning, we’ve got 2 ft of 13-second easterly groundswell, and the water is about average for the time of year. The wind is dead glass, so it’ll be clean, but the waves are tiny and weak. It’s surfable if you’re desperate, but nothing to write home about. The rest of the week is mostly poor surf with strong breezes or lumpy conditions.
Then we hit a real gap. From Sunday the 2nd of August through to Thursday the 6th of August, the swell drops to just 0.3 ft, with periods up to 16 seconds. The energy is negligible – readings of 9 to 19. Winds are offshore or cross-off, clean, but with zero swell to ride. That’s a solid five-day stretch of nothing. The forecast confidence is high for this period, so it’s dry.
Friday the 7th of August sees a bit of a pulse, with 4 ft of short-period swell (5-6 seconds) from the NE and ENE. The energy jumps to moderate (104-181), but the wind is a moderate cross-shore, creating a cross-chop. It’s poor surf, messy and not worth the paddle.
Now, the standout – and it’s a big one. Saturday the 8th of August afternoon, the model is showing a monster 13 ft ENE swell with an 8-second period, and energy readings of 2272 (very strong). The wind is light cross-onshore, but the forecast explicitly says it’s too big for this break. The next morning, Sunday the 9th of August, it’s a similar story: 13 ft ENE swell, 10-second period, energy of 3188, with light cross-off winds and clean conditions. Again, the forecast says it’s too big for Tawharanui. This is expert-only territory, and even then, a beach-and-reef setup like this is going to be dangerous and unsurfable. For the average surfer, it’s a no-go. If you’re a kite surfer, the setup might look interesting, but for paddle surfing, it’s a pass.
So, bottom line: the best on offer is that tiny glassy morning on Wednesday the 29th of July, but it’s barely a ripple. The big swell at the end is impressive but not for this spot. We’ve got a long dry spell in between. Stay patient, forecasts can change, but right now, it’s quiet.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri night, min 8°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Sat morning, light winds from the SE by Sun morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 8°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | ||||||||||||||
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 7 | NNW 6 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 13 | E 12 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | N 5 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
157 | 72 | 41 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 55 | 48 | 54 | 54 | 55 | 55 | 129 | 125 | 84 | 80 | 75 | 72 | 54 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | off | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 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 | ||||||
— | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | |
mm | 2 | 2 | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 14 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 10 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 11 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 13 | E 12 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | ESE 11 |
41 | 72 | 26 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 55 | 48 | 54 | 54 | 55 | 55 | 129 | 125 | 84 | 80 | 75 | 72 | 41 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 11 | E 11 | E 11 | NNW 7 | WSW 3 | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | ESE 5 | ESE 6 | E 5 | N 11 | SE 5 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | — | E 12 | NE 11 |
25 | 38 | 41 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 3 | 5 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | E 17 | N 7 | E 15 | — | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | — | N 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 19 |
— | — | — | 6 | 4 | 17 | — | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 7 | W 5 | WSW 5 | SW 5 | — | — | S 3 | S 2 | SSW 3 | S 4 | S 3 | — | — | — | — | N 2 | NNW 3 | N 4 | N 5 |
157 | 74 | 127 | 58 | — | — | 5 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 6 | 54 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 8 | 92 | 359 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 7 | 27 | 64 | 359 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Northland | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.










