Surf Forecasts:
Tawharanui surf forecast from 2 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, 12AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 7s period, NNW swell with 375 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 1.9m 7s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) 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 0.8m 4s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (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 Powerful | 12AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tawharanui over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Imperial
Alright crew, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this outlook is a tough one. For the full 16 days, we are looking at a surf drought. The first recommendation kicks off on Wednesday the 2nd of September, and from there, it’s basically a flat spell all the way through. For a break that is usually fairly consistent, this is a quiet period, but it happens.
The only spot in the picture is Tawharanui (beach and reef). The water temp is 57°F, which is about average for the season, so nothing unusual there.
Let’s walk through the misery. Wednesday afternoon the 2nd gives us a 1ft swell from the NE, with a period of 8 seconds. The wind is a cross-off from the WSW at 15 mph, so it’s clean, but the energy is weak (14). There’s nothing to push a wave.
Thursday the 3rd is even smaller, barely 0.7ft, and that’s the story. Friday the 4th sees a bump to 3ft from the NNW, but the period is a terrible 5 seconds – that’s just wind slop. The energy (46) is still weak and the wind is cranking, so it’s a total write-off.
The weekend? Saturday the 5th is back to 0.7ft, and Sunday the 6th gets some height (3ft to 4ft), but it’s all short-period, crummy cross-onshore junk. Sunday afternoon the energy (102) is just barely moderate, but the wind is messy and onshore, making it choppy and ugly.
Monday the 7th has the strongest wind, 22 mph, with a 4ft swell from the N. The energy (136) is moderate, and the wind is a clean cross-off, so the surface might look okay. But the wave quality is poor. For a beach-and-reef setup with that much wind and poor surf, it’s looking more like a kite session than a paddle session.
The rest of the first week and the entire second week is a total loss. From Tuesday the 8th onward, we’re clinging to 2ft or less, with weak energy. The periods get longer (up to 15 seconds), but there’s no height. Thursday the 10th has a 14-second period but only 0.7ft, so it’s just a flat, long-period groundswell that won’t even show.
Even the offshore winds on the 13th and 14th of September can’t do a thing. The swell is a sad 0.7ft.
There is no standout here. The best you could do is find a tiny, clean ripple on one of the offshore days, but honestly, this is a board-off, sit-on-the-beach kind of fortnight. Forecasts can change, but right now, this is one of those blank runs we just have to take.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the W on Sat night, fresh winds from the WNW by Sun night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | ||||||||||||||
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 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | NNW 5 | NNW 5 | NNW 7 | ENE 10 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | NNW 4 | N 5 | NNW 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 6 | N 6 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 11 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 35 | 45 | 45 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 22 | 99 | 375 | 131 | 88 | 38 | 23 | 13 | 6 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off |
High Tide | 10:53PM2.55m | 11:17AM2.51m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:44PM0.63m | 5:15AM0.55m | 5:36PM0.69m | 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 | |||||||
 |  |  | |  | |  | | | | | | |  | | | |  | | | |
 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — |
 | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | NNW 4 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | N 5 | N 5 | ENE 10 | NE 9 | NE 9 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 6 | N 6 |
| kJ | 11 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 45 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 131 | 88 | 38 | 23 | 13 | 6 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 12 | N 11 | N 11 | ENE 10 | N 11 | N 11 | N 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | N 9 | — | NE 9 | E 9 | E 11 | E 9 | NE 16 | NE 8 | NE 10 |
| kJ | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 2 | — | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 4 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 11 | — | N 11 | — | — | — | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | — | — | — | — | NE 9 | — | — | NE 16 | E 6 | NW 4 |
| kJ | — | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 10 | 1 | 1 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 3 | W 3 | NW 3 | W 3 | NNW 5 | NNW 5 | NNW 5 | WSW 3 | SW 3 | — | WSW 2 | NNW 4 | N 5 | NNW 7 | WNW 4 | WSW 3 | SW 3 | W 3 | WSW 3 | SSW 4 |
| kJ | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 35 | 45 | 3 | 2 | — | 1 | 22 | 99 | 375 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 16 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 359 | 295 | 336 | 359 | 359 | 359 | 372 | 0 | 60 | 202 | 202 | 67 | 376 | 228 | 109 | 22 | 0 | 22 | 365 | 202 |
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.
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