Tawharanui Surf Break

Lat Long: 36.37° S 174.84° E

Tawharanui Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 03 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Tawharanui sea temperature is
14.2°C
0.3° 

Tawharanui surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Tawharanui surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 4 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 7s period, NNW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 8s period, NNW swell with 245 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 4 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 7s period with NNW 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 04) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m 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 1.4m 8s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 4s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 6AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Fri 4th Sep)2.5ft (0.8m) 7s
Best Surf 9PM (Fri 4th Sep)2.5ft (0.8m) 7s
Most Powerful12PM (Mon 7th Sep)4.5ft (1.4m) 8s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tawharanui over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m gonna level with you – the next 16 days are a proper grind. We’ve got a long, slow stretch of barely-there swell and only a few moments that might get you a little wet. The first real surfable day isn’t until Monday the 7th, and even then, it’s more about getting out than scoring.

Let’s start with the only spot we’ve got on the cards: Tawharanui. It’s a beach and reef setup, fairly consistent, and it needs a NE swell to work its magic. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no shock to the system there.

The first few days are a bust. Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th are tiny, weak, and messy. We’re talking ankle-snappers with poor energy. Sunday the 6th is just as grim, with a cross-shore breeze making it choppy.

Monday the 7th is where things finally wake up. We’ve got a moderate pulse of energy coming in (149) with a 4ft to 4ft swell from the north. The period is short, around 7 to 8 seconds, so it’s windswell, not groundswell, but it’s something. The wind is cross-off from the west, so it’ll be clean. Still, the surf report calls it ‘poor surf conditions’, so don’t expect perfection. It’s a session for the keen.

Tuesday the 8th is actually the pick of the whole run. The morning sees a clean 3ft from the north with a moderate offshore breeze from the southwest (25 km/h). The energy is moderate (101). The afternoon drops to 2ft but the wind stays clean offshore. It’s surfable, and the conditions are about as good as we’re going to get. This is your window.

Then it goes quiet again. From Wednesday the 9th all the way through to Tuesday the 15th, the swell is tiny, the energy is weak, and the wind is either howling offshore or just wrong. There’s a period of near gale-force winds on Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th that makes paddling out a joke – the swell is a pathetic 0.7ft, so it’s not worth a second look.

The next glimmer is on Wednesday the 16th. The morning brings a 6ft pulse from the NNW with a period of 7 seconds and moderate energy (302). The wind is a gentle cross-off from the west, so it’ll be clean. But the call is ‘marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions’. That’s a big caveat. For a beginner, 6ft might be a bit much, and for the rest of us, the short period means it’ll be a bit lumpy. It’s a maybe, not a goer.

The final days, Thursday the 17th and Friday the 18th, are back to small and weak. Saturday the 19th is a light cross-on breeze with a 3ft north swell, but it’s poor.

Honestly, if you’re after a paddle, Tuesday the 8th is your best bet. It’s not a classic, but it’s the most consistent, cleanest option we’ve got. The rest of the fortnight is a lesson in patience. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a quiet stretch.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Fri night. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Mon morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun night, min 11°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NNW on Sun night, calm by Wed afternoon).

Friday
4
Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.2
ENE
10
0.9
NNW
5
0.7
NNW
5
0.7
N
7
0.3
NNW
6
0.2
ENE
11
0.2
ENE
10
0.4
NW
3
0.7
N
4
1.2
NNW
6
1.2
N
7
1.3
N
8
1.1
N
8
0.9
N
8
0.7
N
7
0.4
NE
6
0.3
N
6
0.1
NE
15
0.4
NE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
10
41
30
45
6
11
10
4
16
91
146
196
137
89
51
12
9
9
15
Wind (km/h)
20
NW
25
NW
30
WNW
20
WSW
15
WSW
25
WSW
15
W
15
NW
15
N
25
NNW
25
NW
25
W
15
SW
25
SW
25
SW
20
SSW
5
SSW
5
E
10
WSW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
11:41PM2.49m
12:07PM2.47m
00:34AM2.43m
1:04PM2.42m
1:32AM2.37m
2:09PM2.39m
2:37AM2.34m
3:21PM2.41m
3:47AM2.37m
4:28PM2.49m
4:54AM2.43m
5:26PM2.59m
Low Tide
6:05AM0.58m
6:35PM0.76m
7:00AM0.62m
7:39PM0.80m
8:01AM0.66m
8:45PM0.81m
9:06AM0.68m
9:51PM0.78m
10:15AM0.65m
10:56PM0.71m
11:19AM0.59m
11:55PM0.62m
clear
part cloud
cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
rain showers
cloud
rain showers
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:37
6:35
6:33
6:33
6:31
6:30
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:01
6:02
6:04
6:04
6:05
6:06
 mm
1
1
5
4
Temp °C
14
16
17
13
15
15
13
14
16
16
16
16
12
15
14
13
13
13
12
Feels °C
11
11
12
9
11
10
9
10
13
12
12
11
10
10
9
9
11
11
10
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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