Tawharanui Surf Break

Lat Long: 36.37° S 174.84° E

Tawharanui Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 pm 13 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Tawharanui sea temperature is
15.1° C
0.1° 

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


Tawharanui surf forecast from 13 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 17 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 0.5ft (0.2m), 18s period, E swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 17 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 17s period, E swell with 95 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 17 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 0.5ft (0.2m), 18s 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 Friday (Jul 17) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.2m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Tawharanui in the next 16 days are 0.4m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 17) 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 0.5m 3s period and expected on Friday (Jul 17) at 9PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)12AM (Fri 17th Jul)0.5ft (0.2m) 18s
Best Surf12AM (Fri 17th Jul)0.5ft (0.2m) 18s
Most Powerful 6AM (Fri 17th Jul)1.5ft (0.4m) 17s

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


G’day, Rusty here with the imperial version. Let’s be straight: the next few weeks at Tawharanui are mostly a write-off. We’ve got a long, dry gap of nothing worth paddling out for from now until the morning of Friday, 17 July. That’s over a week of tiny, short-period slop, messy wind, and flat spells. The water temp is sitting at 59°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first real glimmer comes Friday, 17 July morning. The swell is tiny, only 1 ft from the east, but it’s got a long period of 17 seconds – proper groundswell. That long period means the waves will feel more energetic and have better shape, especially at a reefier part of the break, but the sets will be slow and spaced out. The wind is offshore from the WSW at 9 mph, keeping things clean. The combined energy is weak (99), so don’t expect much power. This is a beginner-friendly size, but the long period and offshore make it a session for someone who just wants to sit on a longboard and catch a few. It’s fairly consistent, and crowds are often, so you might have company.

The rest of the run into the second week is a whole lot of nothing. We get a glassy day on Sunday, 19 July morning, but the swell is a pathetic 0.7 ft. Not worth getting wet. From Monday, 20 July, the wind swings onshore and stays that way – strong, choppy, and messy. The swell picks up slightly but it’s short-period windswell, so the quality is poor. This stretch is really only something for kitesurfers if the wind gets strong enough.

Then, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Sunday, 26 July is the standout. Morning and afternoon both look good. Swell is a clean 3 ft from the east, period at 13 seconds – a solid, mid-period groundswell. The wind is cross-offshore from the SSE at 6-9 mph, so the waves will be clean and lined up. The combined energy is moderate (350), so there’s a bit of push. This is a great size for most surfers, not too big for beginners but with enough juice for a fun ride. The break is exposed to the east, and the optimum swell direction is NE, so this east swell is a little off-angle, but it’ll still wrap in nicely.

Monday, 27 July also has some promise. Morning is questionable, but the afternoon shows 3 ft from the east, 12-second period, light cross-off wind, and clean conditions. Energy is solid (309). It’s worth a look if you missed Sunday.

Overall, don’t hold your breath for the first week. The best bet is the Sunday, 26 July – that’s your session. The Monday after is a decent backup. Everything else is a skip.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue afternoon, min 13°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Mon
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.7
N
4
1
N
5
1.1
N
5
0.9
N
5
0.6
N
5
0.4
N
5
0.2
E
11
0.2
E
10
0.2
E
11
0.2
E
14
0.2
E
18
0.4
E
17
0.4
E
16
0.4
E
17
0.4
E
16
0.3
E
15
0.3
E
14
0.2
E
14
0.2
E
13
0.2
E
13
0.8
ENE
5
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
13
42
61
43
19
7
9
8
9
16
26
92
84
90
76
38
36
16
14
13
35
Wind (km/h)
25
N
25
NNW
20
NW
10
NW
10
W
10
WNW
10
NNW
5
NW
10
W
20
W
15
SW
15
WSW
20
SW
15
SW
15
SSW
20
WSW
15
SW
0
WSW
25
ESE
30
ESE
25
ESE
Wind State
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
glassy
cross
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
6:01PM2.59m
6:21AM2.53m
6:55PM2.70m
7:18AM2.60m
7:48PM2.77m
8:12AM2.65m
8:39PM2.81m
9:05AM2.67m
9:30PM2.81m
9:56AM2.66m
10:19PM2.77m
10:46AM2.62m
11:07PM2.71m
11:34AM2.56m
Low Tide
00:24AM0.58m
12:46PM0.38m
1:22AM0.49m
1:43PM0.31m
2:17AM0.42m
2:36PM0.26m
3:09AM0.39m
3:24PM0.27m
3:58AM0.40m
4:11PM0.33m
4:46AM0.43m
4:58PM0.44m
5:34AM0.49m
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
rain showers
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:30
7:28
7:28
7:28
7:28
7:26
7:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:22
5:22
5:22
5:23
5:24
5:24
5:25
5:27
 mm
1
1
2
1
Temp °C
14
14
16
17
14
15
16
14
15
17
13
15
14
14
14
14
13
13
13
12
12
Feels °C
9
10
14
15
13
14
14
13
13
14
11
12
10
11
10
10
8
12
7
5
6
  • 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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