
Surf Forecasts:
Tawharanui surf forecast from 28 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 1 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 11s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 31 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 6s period, NNW swell with 139 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 1 Aug, 6AM (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 Saturday (Aug 01) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 6s. 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 1.4m 6s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 31) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 02) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Sat 1st Aug) | 1ft (0.3m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Sat 1st Aug) | 1ft (0.3m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Fri 31st Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 6s |
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 cookin’ for Tawharanui over the next couple of weeks.
Alright, mate, I’ll be straight with you – the next week and a half is a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a long stretch of weak, small surf and average conditions. The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t come until the 11th of August, so we’re talking about a solid 13-day gap of nothing worth paddling out for. The Tawharanui area is a beach and reef setup, and it’s mostly exposed to the NE, but the swell just isn’t cooperating.
For the first few days, from the 28th of July right through to the 10th of August, it’s all tiny dribble. You’ll see mostly 0.3 ft to 2 ft of swell, mostly from the east or north, with periods all over the shop. The wind is often cross or onshore, and the water temp is sitting about average for the time of year at 58°F. Honestly, the combined energy is laughable – we’re talking numbers like 55 to 24, so it’s weak as a flat day. The 31st of July sees a bump to 3 ft from the north, but with a short period of 6 seconds and a cross-off wind, it’s just poor quality. On the 9th of August, a bit of swell pops up to 4 ft from the NNE, with moderate energy (214 combined), but it’s still a write-off due to the conditions.
Now, the standouts. The only time you want to be looking at this spot is the morning of the 11th of August. That’s the real deal. Swell jumps to 4 ft from the ENE, with a solid 10-second period, delivering moderate energy (279 combined). The wind is offshore from the SSW, blowing at 9 mph, which will keep it glassy and clean. This is a good, solid wave for a surfer who knows what they’re doing. The 12th of August follows up nicely too, with 3 ft from the east, 10-second period, and light offshore winds. It’s consistent, and the reef will handle that longer-period groundswell better than the beach. Keep in mind, the 11th is a Tuesday, so it might be less crowded, but Tawharanui can get a crowd often, so keep an eye out.
For beginners, that 4 ft and 3 ft swell is manageable, but the longer period (10 seconds) means the sets will have a bit more punch and gaps between them. It’s not a day for a learner, but a good intermediate will have a ball. The offshore wind is the key – it’ll make the faces clean as a whistle.
So, to wrap it up: wait it out. The first week and a half is a bust. The 11th and 12th of August are your days. Mark it in the calendar.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu afternoon, min 9°C on Tue morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the E on Tue night, fresh winds from the NNW by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri afternoon, min 7°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | ESE 12 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | E 11 | N 6 | E 11 | E 11 | E 9 | E 6 | NNE 14 | ESE 6 | NE 16 | NE 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
53 | 54 | 88 | 84 | 83 | 76 | 72 | 47 | 88 | 75 | 51 | 21 | 12 | 21 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 8 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 6:32PM2.33m | 6:40AM2.24m | 7:12PM2.40m | 7:22AM2.31m | 7:51PM2.47m | 8:04AM2.37m | 8:30PM2.52m | 8:45AM2.41m | 9:09PM2.55m | 9:27AM2.44m | 9:49PM2.55m | 10:09AM2.45m | 10:31PM2.54m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:17PM0.88m | 00:48AM0.92m | 1:04PM0.80m | 1:32AM0.85m | 1:46PM0.72m | 2:13AM0.78m | 2:26PM0.66m | 2:53AM0.72m | 3:04PM0.62m | 3:33AM0.67m | 3:42PM0.62m | 4:13AM0.64m | 4:21PM0.64m | ||||||||
7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | |
— | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 |
Feels °C | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | ESE 12 | E 11 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | E 11 | ESE 6 | E 6 | E 5 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | E 6 |
53 | 54 | 88 | 84 | 83 | 76 | 72 | 47 | 40 | 75 | 51 | 19 | 12 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 3 | 3 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 11 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | — | — | NE 12 | NE 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | N 5 | E 9 | NE 14 | NNE 14 | NE 13 | NE 12 | NE 12 |
2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 6 | 5 | 39 | 41 | 21 | 9 | 21 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 18 | 7 | 6 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 19 | NE 18 | NE 18 | NE 17 | NE 16 | NE 16 | NE 15 | NE 15 | NE 10 | E 9 | N 16 | NE 16 | NE 15 |
— | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 8 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 3 | S 3 | — | — | NNE 3 | N 4 | N 4 | N 4 | N 6 | W 3 | W 4 | W 4 | W 3 | WSW 3 | SE 4 | S 4 | SSE 4 | S 3 | — | SW 2 | SW 3 |
5 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 9 | 6 | 22 | 88 | 6 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 20 | 18 | 22 | 6 | — | 1 | 8 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 13 | 48 | 61 | 65 | 7 | 27 | 27 | 65 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 33 | 44 | 22 | 60 | 131 |
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.










