Surf Forecasts:
Tawharanui surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 17 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 8s period, E swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 17 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 8s period, E swell with 50 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 8s 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 Monday (Aug 17) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tawharanui in the next 16 days are 0.6m 8s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 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 1.4m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tawharanui over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, Rusty here, and I've gotta be straight with you – it's a tough stretch ahead for Tawharanui. We're looking at a long, long run of days with pretty much nothing worth paddling out for, so you might wanna find something else to do for a while. The first proper chance of a wave doesn't pop up until the very end of the run, and even that comes with serious warnings.
From now, through the rest of August and into the first couple of days of September, it's a grim picture. The swell is tiny, often below 2 ft, and the wind is mostly cross or cross-off, which would be okay if there was any energy, but the combined swell energy barely scrapes into double figures. We're looking at combined energy figures like 41 or 28 all the way through the 22nd and 23rd, just weak, weak stuff. The water temp is about 58°, which is pretty average for this time of year, nothing wild there.
There's a brief moment on the afternoon of the 24th of August where it goes glassy and we get a tiny 2 ft pulse from the NNW with a period of just 5 seconds, but the combined energy is only 30, so it's gonna be weak and wobbly. Not worth getting excited about.
The real interest, if you can call it that, shows up on Sunday, the 30th of August. We get a jump in swell from the north, hitting 8 ft, but the period is a short 7 to 8 seconds. The combined energy is strong, reading 653 on the morning and blowing out to 962 on the afternoon. That's a lot of water moving. But here's the problem: it's coming straight onshore with a north-northeasterly wind, 16 mph and building, and it's gonna be a choppy, lumpy mess. Tawharanui is a beach and reef, and with that kind of onshore wind and short-period swell, it's gonna be ugly. 8 ft is also into the 'experts only' territory, and with the conditions, this is honestly looking more like a kite-surfing day than a day for a paddle board. Monday the 31st drops back to a messy 5 ft with more onshore wind and combined energy still at 293, but it's all cross-onshore chop.
So yeah, there's no standout here. No hidden gem, no clean offshore groundswell. The forecast confidence is high on the near-term being rubbish, and the long-range swell at the end is promising in size but let down by the direction and wind. It's a dry spell, plain and simple.
Stay patient, keep an eye on the charts, things can always change. This is Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Tue afternoon, min 8°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 10°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 9 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 11 | ESE 7 | E 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | N 16 | NE 14 | NE 14 | NW 4 | N 5 | NNW 5 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
153 | 50 | 39 | 24 | 13 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 24 | 26 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 24 | 18 | 37 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | off |
High Tide | 10:35PM2.67m | 11:04AM2.57m | 11:18PM2.56m | 11:48AM2.47m | 00:02AM2.44m | 12:32PM2.36m | 00:47AM2.32m | 1:20PM2.25m | 1:35AM2.21m | 2:15PM2.16m | 2:28AM2.13m | 3:21PM2.13m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:28PM0.49m | 4:58AM0.50m | 5:14PM0.61m | 5:42AM0.59m | 6:02PM0.73m | 6:26AM0.70m | 6:53PM0.84m | 7:13AM0.81m | 7:47PM0.93m | 8:03AM0.90m | 8:42PM0.99m | 8:56AM0.96m | 9:38PM1.03m | |||||||
— | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | |
5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 8 |
Temp °C | 11 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 14 |
Feels °C | 6 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | NE 14 | NE 13 | N 5 | NE 11 |
153 | 50 | 39 | 24 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 26 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 18 | 4 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 11 | NE 11 | NE 10 | NE 10 | E 11 | E 12 | E 9 | — | — | — | — | — | E 10 | — | NE 14 | — | E 13 | NE 13 | E 12 |
— | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 8 | — | 3 | 7 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | NE 10 | N 10 | — | E 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 16 | — | E 9 | — | E 13 | N 13 |
— | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | 2 | — | 3 | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | SSW 4 | S 4 | S 3 | SSW 4 | S 5 | S 4 | S 3 | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 3 | WNW 3 | W 3 | WNW 3 | NW 4 | WNW 3 | NNW 5 |
14 | 29 | 10 | 6 | 20 | 70 | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 24 | 3 | 37 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 48 | 66 | 202 | 44 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 60 | 60 | 66 | 66 | 359 | 359 | 359 | 371 | 370 | 0 |
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.











