Surf Forecasts:
Tawharanui surf forecast from 11 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 18 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 5s period, N swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 18 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 5s period, N swell with 34 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 18 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 5s period with N 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 18) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 5s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 12s. 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 0.8m 5s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 18) at 12AM. 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 Saturday (Sep 12) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 5s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 5s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tawharanui over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Imperial Version
Alright folks, Rusty here. Gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a paddle. We've got a long, flat spell ahead.
Over the next 16 days, Tawharanui (beach and reef) is the only spot on the cards, and it’s basically a write-off for the first week and a half. The combined swell energy is nothing but two-digit numbers, mostly in the teens to low 20s (e.g. 58, 21, 29), which is just weak. The swell is tiny, never getting above 2ft, and the period is all over the place from short 6 seconds to long 13 seconds, but with no size to back it up those long periods just mean long lulls between closeouts. It’s just poor surf conditions start to finish. Winds are offshore from the SW a lot of the time, which would be great if there was any swell to clean up, but there isn’t. The water temp is 59°, which is about average for this time of year.
Now, there’s a tiny flicker of hope right at the tail end. On Thursday the 24th of September, we finally see some glassy conditions in the morning with a little 3ft pulse from the NNW. The score is still a 1/10, and it’s "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions", so don't get your hopes up for anything epic. The energy climbs to 59, which is still weak but at least it's not the teens. Winds go glassy early, then a light cross-off in the arvo. That morning session might be your only chance to get wet with something that isn't totally flat, but it's only for beginners. After that, it’s back to nothing again.
Honestly, the whole setup is so weak for so long that if you’re after a thrill, this looks more interesting for a kite than a surfboard. Not much else to say. It’s a blank run, plain and simple. Forecasts can change, but right now, this is a long stretch of no surf.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun morning, min 11°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Sat morning, light winds from the WSW by Sun night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 12 | ENE 9 | NNE 12 | NNE 13 | NNE 13 | NNE 13 | NNE 13 | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 12 | NE 12 | ENE 12 | NE 12 | N 5 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 22 | 20 | 24 | 8 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 24 | 6 | 14 | 22 | 34 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:06PM2.74m | 7:35AM2.66m | 7:51PM2.75m | 8:21AM2.69m | 8:36PM2.72m | 9:06AM2.67m | 9:19PM2.66m | 9:49AM2.62m | 10:01PM2.57m | 10:31AM2.54m | 10:43PM2.46m | 11:12AM2.44m | 11:25PM2.36m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:07PM0.44m | 1:35AM0.47m | 1:53PM0.41m | 2:19AM0.43m | 2:36PM0.42m | 3:01AM0.43m | 3:17PM0.47m | 3:42AM0.46m | 3:59PM0.54m | 4:22AM0.52m | 4:42PM0.64m | 5:03AM0.61m | 5:27PM0.74m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | |  |  |  | |
 | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — |
 | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:12 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 |
Temp °C | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 14 |
Feels °C | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 9 | NE 9 | NE 9 | ENE 9 | NNE 12 | NNE 13 | NNE 13 | NNE 13 | NNE 13 | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | NNE 12 | S 3 | NE 13 | NE 12 | NE 11 | ENE 12 | NE 12 | N 5 |
| kJ | 22 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 24 | 4 | 14 | 22 | 34 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 14 | NNE 13 | NE 12 | NE 12 | ENE 9 | NE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | N 13 | N 13 | E 9 | N 12 | NE 13 | NE 11 | N 11 | NE 12 | N 11 | N 11 | NE 12 |
| kJ | 20 | 18 | 24 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 13 | NE 13 | NNE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | N 16 | N 14 | N 14 | N 14 | N 13 | E 8 | E 8 | N 12 | E 9 | NE 11 | N 11 | E 5 | — | N 10 | N 11 | N 10 |
| kJ | 16 | 7 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | SW 4 | SSW 5 | SSW 4 | SW 4 | SW 4 | SW 4 | SW 3 | SW 3 | SW 2 | SSW 3 | SW 3 | SSW 2 | WSW 3 | — | — | — | N 4 | N 3 | — |
| kJ | 13 | 37 | 37 | 52 | 38 | 24 | 23 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 13 | 105 | 22 | 107 | 48 | 78 | 22 | 78 | 183 | 202 | 78 | 202 | 66 | 78 | 107 | 107 | 370 | 64 | 64 | 102 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Northland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Tawharanui surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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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