Surf Forecasts:
Wainui Beach - Schools surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 21 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 16s period, SSE swell with 671 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 8s period with SSE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Wainui Beach - Schools this week:
The surf forecast for Wainui Beach - Schools over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Wainui Beach - Schools in the next 16 days are 1.2m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Fri 21st Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Wainui Beach - Schools over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at Wainui Beach – Schools over the next couple weeks. This is a beach and reef break, right out in the swell window. The water temp is about 55°F, which is a touch under the average—about 2°F cooler, so you’ll feel it.
First few days are rough. Thursday the 20th has a cross-shore wind and a lumpy 7ft swell from the south at 8 seconds, with high energy (1188). Not good. Through the rest of the week, Friday the 21st to Sunday the 23rd, we get clean offshore NW winds and small waves—2ft to 4ft, with some long-period groundswell (16 seconds) on Friday. The energy drops to moderate levels (448–246). The best of these is Friday and Saturday mornings, where it’s clean but tiny.
There’s a big lull from Sunday the 23rd through most of the next week. Wave heights drop to 1ft to 2ft for days, with combined energy falling below 100—weak. From Monday the 25th, we see a small bump to 3ft on a 13-second SSE swell with offshore wind, but it’s still small and inconsistent. That stretch from the 23rd to the 30th of August is a quiet period.
The real highlight arrives Monday the 31st of August. Morning brings a solid 5ft SSE swell with a very long 17-second period—real groundswell. Combined energy is strong at 1591. Light cross-off WNW wind, clean conditions. This is excellent for experienced surfers. The afternoon stays similar at 6ft, but wind turns onshore from the SE. Get out there early.
Tuesday the 1st of September keeps it going. Morning offers 7ft from the SSE, 13 seconds, offshore NNW breeze, and strong energy at 1386. Again, great for experienced surfers. Crowds can happen here, so expect a few.
Wednesday the 2nd of September shows 7ft SSE swell—very strong energy at 1657—but the break might be too big for it. Over 8ft is expert-only, and this is pushing that. Morning is clean with a cross-off N wind, but it’s a big call.
From the 3rd of September onward, the swell drops back to 4ft–5ft, with clean mornings. Still decent, but the best is undeniably the Monday the 31st and Tuesday the 1st. My pick is Monday morning—first light.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 8°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue afternoon, min 8°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 9 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | ESE 13 | S 7 | SSE 17 | SSE 13 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 15 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 539 | 505 | 160 | 211 | 671 | 242 | 210 | 153 | 79 | 55 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 59 | 482 | 249 | 175 | 78 | 85 | 44 | 40 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | off | off | cross | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross | off | off | off | off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 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 | 4:20AM1.65m | 4:58PM1.73m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 10:32AM0.78m | 11:11PM0.79m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | |  | | |
 | 6:48 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — |
 | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 12 | 18 | 20 | 16 |
Feels °C | 7 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 7 | 15 | 18 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | ESE 10 | SSE 16 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | ESE 13 | S 7 | S 6 | SSE 13 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 |
| kJ | 460 | 222 | 160 | 157 | 671 | 242 | 210 | 153 | 79 | 55 | 25 | 34 | 33 | 20 | 482 | 249 | 175 | 78 | 45 | 44 | 40 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 14 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | SSE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SSE 10 | ESE 13 | SSE 17 | ESE 12 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | SSE 15 | SSE 16 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 |
| kJ | 189 | 177 | 127 | 80 | 138 | 63 | 32 | 9 | 16 | 34 | 34 | 9 | 34 | 59 | 29 | 17 | 16 | 76 | 85 | 18 | 8 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSE 13 | SSE 17 | SSE 16 | — | SSE 16 | E 15 | E 14 | ESE 11 | NE 13 | — | NE 4 | S 18 | ESE 13 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NNE 4 | ESE 14 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 |
| kJ | — | 98 | 58 | 211 | — | 97 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 7 | — | 1 | 6 | 34 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 15 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 8 | S 8 | — | — | — | NNE 3 | NW 3 | — | — | — | NNW 2 | WNW 2 | — | N 5 | NNE 4 | NNE 4 | NE 4 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 539 | 505 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 39 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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 Beach - Schools Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Wainui Beach - Schools provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Wainui Beach - Schools can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Wainui Beach - Schools 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 Beach - Schools) 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 Beach - Schools 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Gisborne and Mahia? If you are looking for accommodation near Wainui Beach - Schools, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Gisborne and Mahia, consider staying in Gisborne which is 9 km (6 miles) away.
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