Surf Forecasts:
Waihau Bay surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 18 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, NNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 18 Sep, 12PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, NNW swell with 2,473 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 18 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period with N swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Waihau Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Waihau Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 18) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 1.4m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Waihau Bay in the next 16 days are 3.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 18) 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 2.5m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 20) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Fri 18th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Fri 18th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Waihau Bay over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue morning, min 10°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 26mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 8°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Sat morning, strong winds from the W by Sat night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | |||||||||||||||
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 12 | NE 12 | NE 11 | NE 13 | NNE 12 | NE 13 | ENE 12 | NE 12 | W 5 | NW 4 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | N 8 | NW 10 | NW 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 9 | NE 9 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 23 | 22 | 20 | 7 | 14 | 25 | 15 | 23 | 71 | 34 | 69 | 300 | 887 | 1363 | 120 | 34 | 32 | 19 | 485 | 528 | 234 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy |
High Tide | 8:54PM1.78m | 9:22AM1.75m | 9:38PM1.72m | 10:06AM1.70m | 10:21PM1.65m | 10:50AM1.64m | 11:04PM1.57m | 11:35AM1.58m | 11:50PM1.50m | 12:23PM1.52m | 00:39AM1.44m | 1:15PM1.47m | 1:31AM1.39m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:48PM0.15m | 3:12AM0.10m | 3:33PM0.20m | 3:54AM0.15m | 4:17PM0.26m | 4:37AM0.22m | 5:01PM0.33m | 5:20AM0.29m | 5:47PM0.41m | 6:05AM0.36m | 6:35PM0.47m | 6:54AM0.41m | 7:26PM0.51m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | |  |  | | |  | |  |  |  | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — |
 | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — |
mm | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 16 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 9 |
Feels °C | 11 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 11 | NE 13 | ESE 11 | NE 13 | ESE 10 | NE 12 | NE 12 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | N 8 | NW 10 | NW 8 | W 6 | NNE 9 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | WNW 7 |
| kJ | 23 | 22 | 20 | 7 | 11 | 25 | 9 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 9 | 8 | 887 | 1363 | 120 | 27 | 32 | 31 | 12 | 11 | 234 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 4 | ESE 5 | N 13 | NNE 3 | NE 13 | ESE 10 | ENE 12 | ESE 10 | ESE 12 | NE 12 | NE 11 | NE 11 | NW 9 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | SE 11 | NE 9 | NNE 9 | NE 9 | ESE 11 |
| kJ | 1 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 15 | 9 | 15 | 21 | 20 | 5 | 300 | 249 | 91 | 34 | 33 | 19 | 8 | 3 | 12 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 5 | N 13 | SE 10 | NE 11 | NNE 12 | N 12 | N 3 | NNE 11 | ESE 10 | N 11 | N 11 | ESE 12 | SE 13 | SE 12 | SE 13 | SE 12 | NW 7 | NE 11 | E 11 | E 11 | NE 11 |
| kJ | 3 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 44 | 38 | 42 | 35 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NNW 4 | NE 3 | — | — | NNW 3 | W 3 | W 4 | W 5 | NW 4 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | — | — | WSW 5 | — | W 4 | W 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | SE 4 |
| kJ | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | 2 | 3 | 14 | 71 | 34 | 69 | 300 | — | — | 42 | — | 10 | 417 | 485 | 528 | 14 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 51 | 9 | 51 | 32 | 32 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 32 | 51 | 76 | 110 | 0 | 32 | 32 | 9 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 40 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in East Cape | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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 Waihau Bay 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 Waihau Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Waihau Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Waihau Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Waihau Bay 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 (Waihau Bay) 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 Waihau Bay 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.
Waihau Bay is 92 km (57 miles) from Whakatane. If you plan a holiday in East Cape, look for hotels and other accommodation in Whakatane. Whakatane has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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