Surf Forecasts:
Wainui Bay Chalet surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s period, S swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 11s period, S swell with 3,488 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Wainui Bay Chalet this week:
The surf forecast for Wainui Bay Chalet over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 2.2m and 11s. Another secondary swell of 1.6m and 9s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Wainui Bay Chalet in the next 16 days are 4.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Wainui Bay Chalet over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right from the get-go, Wainui Bay Chalet is looking like it’s going to take a beating before it gives us anything good. The water’s sitting at 56°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year – gotta break out the thicker rubber.
Wednesday the 19th is a write-off. We’ve got a solid 10ft of south-southeast groundswell, but that 25 mph cross-on wind from the southwest is going to make it an absolute washing machine. The energy is strong (2936), but it’s just messy, raw power. In the afternoon, it jumps to 12ft (4994 energy), but it’s still cross-shore and lumpy. Way too big for this place and blown out.
Thursday the 20th drops down to 6ft, but the wind is still all over the shop, coming cross and cross-on. Choppy and poor. Just not worth the paddle out.
Friday the 21st is where it starts to turn. The swell drops right away to a clean 2ft in the morning with a light, offshore northwest wind. There’s a long 16-second period on it, and the conditions are clean. It’s small, but glassy. The afternoon gets a bit more size at 3ft, but the wind turns cross-shore, so it’s not as good.
Over the weekend and into next week, it’s all small stuff. Saturday the 22nd has clean, offshore conditions but only 3ft of swell on offer. Sunday through Tuesday are the same story – small, clean, but very ordinary waves. The energy is weak, dropping below 100 at times. Tuesday the 25th afternoon is glassy with a 2ft south-southeast groundswell, but again, it’s not going to get the heart pumping.
The first week of this forecast is just not happening. There’s a stretch of days – from around the 23rd to the 27th – where there’s very little to recommend, just those tiny, clean but gutless waves. We’re looking at a real lull.
Now, here’s the glimmer. The one standout in this whole 16-day window is the morning of Thursday the 3rd of September. We’ve got a 4ft south-southeast groundswell with a 16-second period, and the conditions are set to be glassy with light winds. The energy is moderate (666), and it’s forecast to be very good. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. It’s a bit off, so you have to take it with a grain of salt, but that’s the one that has proper potential for clean, lined-up waves. The afternoon backs off a touch and gets a bit of cross-on breeze, so get in early.
For that main highlight, the waves are coming from the SSE, and it’s an exposed spot, so it should pick it up. It’s an intermediate wave, and while the winds look good, you’re not alone out there – crowds are sometimes a factor, so pick your peak.
So, the plan: sit tight for the next week and a half, maybe get some small, clean sessions in if you’re desperate, but save your energy for that Thursday the 3rd. That’s the one.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri morning, min 8°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Wed morning, light winds from the NE by Fri morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat afternoon, min 9°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NW on Sun morning, calm by Mon morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 11 | S 11 | SSW 14 | SE 8 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 14 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2513 | 2973 | 3434 | 534 | 493 | 157 | 151 | 534 | 322 | 164 | 115 | 78 | 39 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 90 | 228 | 201 | 186 | 213 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | off | off | cross | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-on | off | off | glassy | off |
High Tide | 10:47AM1.96m | 11:06PM1.95m | 11:32AM1.90m | 11:48PM1.87m | 12:17PM1.84m | 00:30AM1.79m | 1:01PM1.78m | 1:14AM1.71m | 1:46PM1.73m | 2:05AM1.65m | 2:36PM1.70m | 3:08AM1.63m | 3:41PM1.69m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:56PM0.58m | 5:24AM0.56m | 5:42PM0.65m | 6:09AM0.62m | 6:28PM0.72m | 6:53AM0.69m | 7:17PM0.77m | 7:38AM0.75m | 8:09PM0.81m | 8:27AM0.80m | 9:07PM0.83m | 9:27AM0.82m | 10:10PM0.83m | ||||||||
6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | |
— | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | |
mm | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 16 | 18 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 14 |
Feels °C | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 14 | 8 | 10 | 15 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SSE 11 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | ESE 8 | SSE 16 | SSE 14 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 |
373 | 1242 | 540 | 490 | 207 | 157 | 111 | 534 | 322 | 164 | 115 | 78 | 39 | 24 | 33 | 33 | 90 | 228 | 201 | 186 | 213 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 14 | ESE 9 | SSE 14 | SSE 14 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SSE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | ESE 12 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 |
50 | 355 | 911 | 189 | 180 | 124 | 79 | 170 | 85 | 33 | 17 | 32 | 34 | 33 | 9 | 16 | 25 | 26 | 15 | 16 | 13 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSE 16 | — | SE 12 | SSE 13 | SSE 17 | SSE 16 | S 16 | S 16 | E 15 | E 14 | ESE 8 | — | NE 4 | NE 4 | S 18 | SSE 12 | ESE 13 | NE 11 | SE 13 | NE 10 |
— | 424 | — | 51 | 98 | 57 | 151 | 243 | 127 | 4 | 4 | 6 | — | 1 | 1 | 6 | 46 | 33 | 5 | 44 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | S 11 | SSW 14 | SSW 8 | S 8 | — | — | — | NNE 3 | — | — | — | — | WNW 2 | — | — | — | NNE 11 | — | — | — |
2513 | 2973 | 3434 | 534 | 493 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 137 | 118 | 19 | 38 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Wainui Bay Chalet Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Wainui Bay Chalet provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Wainui Bay Chalet can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Wainui Bay Chalet 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 (Wainui Bay Chalet) 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 Wainui Bay Chalet 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.











