
Surf Forecasts:
Wainui Beach - Schools surf forecast from 29 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 1 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, SSW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 4 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 13s period, S swell with 6,735 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 30 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 12s period with ESE 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 (Jul 30) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 17s. 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 4.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 9PM. 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 Thursday (Jul 30) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Sat 1st Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 9PM (Tue 4th Aug) | 15ft (4.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Wainui Beach - Schools over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' on the coast.
Well, we’ve got a mixed bag on the way. The first few days are looking pretty good, but the back half of the forecast gets big and wild. We're looking at Wainui Beach - Schools, and it's a spot that knows how to handle a swell when conditions line up. Water temp is about what you'd expect for this time of year, nothing weird going on there.
We kick off on Thursday the 30th of July with some decent morning action. The swell is coming in at 4 ft from the ESE with a 12-second period, and that's pushing moderate wave energy (509) around. The wind is a light cross-off from the NNW at 6 mph, so it's gonna be clean. It’s very consistent here, but be prepared for a few others in the water—crowds are possible.
Friday the 31st of July is a bit smaller, but that NW wind stays offshore, so you’ll still get some fun ones. It’s dropping through the day: 3 ft in the morning, down to 2 ft by the afternoon. Not a standout, but a good longboard session.
Now, Saturday the 1st of August is a write-off. The wind swings to the SW and picks up, turning everything into a cross-chop. The swell jumps to over 8 ft, and with that kind of size and short period, this is expert territory or just a mess. Save your energy.
Sunday the 2nd of August is still lumpy with cross-shore winds and a dropping swell. Nothing to write home about.
The first real standout is Monday the 3rd of August. We’ve got a glassy morning with the wind going light offshore from the NW at 9 mph, then the afternoon turns even better—the wind drops to a 3 mph glass-off from the east. The swell is smaller, around 3 ft to 4 ft from the SSE, but combined energy is solid enough for a bit of push. That afternoon glass is the kind of session you remember.
We hit a massive spike on Tuesday the 4th of August. A very long-period groundswell from the S at 16 seconds pushes the waves over 8 ft, with combined energy shooting up to five thousand and more. That is too much for this break for the average punter. It’s a beast, and the cross-shore wind on the afternoon doesn’t help. Strictly for the brave in a jet ski crew.
That big energy hangs around for Wednesday and into Thursday the 6th of August. On Thursday morning we get a window of clean, offshore NW wind at just 3 mph, with 5 ft SE swell on a 12-second period. It’s a solid, powerful wave with moderate energy (1076) but still manageable for experienced surfers. This is another highlight—clean, power, and the crowd might be a bit thinner after the big days.
Friday the 7th of August morning stays clean with a lighter swell, and then Saturday the 8th of August morning is a gem: glassy conditions with a SSW swell at 5 ft and 10 seconds. That’s going to be clean, fun, and a good size. But by the afternoon the rain and onshore wind move in. Enjoy the morning.
After that, from Sunday the 9th of August all the way through to Wednesday the 12th of August, it’s big and blown out. Swells are mostly over 11 ft with strong, messy winds. The only saving grace might be Wednesday afternoon, when the wind swings offshore again, but the swell is still 8 ft from the ESE, which is pushing the limits.
Thursday the 13th of August morning looks clean with offshore winds and a 8 ft ESE swell. That’s a solid, big wave day for experts only, but the conditions are pristine. Finally, Friday the 14th of August morning gives us a nice drop back to 5 ft from the ESE, with light offshore NW winds and clean conditions. A great way to end the outlook.
If I had to pick the best of the lot, I’d be in the water for Monday the 3rd of August afternoon for that silky glass, and Thursday the 6th of August morning for some clean, powerful waves that have a bit of grunt without being terrifying.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu morning, min 8°C on Sat morning). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Mon afternoon, min 5°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | E 11 | E 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SSW 8 | SSW 10 | S 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 12 | S 16 | S 14 | SSE 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
614 | 422 | 314 | 251 | 198 | 126 | 95 | 525 | 1824 | 2863 | 1080 | 639 | 515 | 277 | 189 | 211 | 3756 | 6568 | 2130 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | off | off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross |
High Tide | 6:27AM1.71m | 7:03PM1.80m | 7:13AM1.77m | 7:44PM1.87m | 7:57AM1.82m | 8:24PM1.93m | 8:38AM1.87m | 9:03PM1.97m | 9:19AM1.89m | 9:43PM1.98m | 10:00AM1.91m | 10:23PM1.98m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:30AM0.80m | 12:36PM0.70m | 1:18AM0.75m | 1:20PM0.65m | 2:00AM0.69m | 2:02PM0.60m | 2:41AM0.63m | 2:43PM0.56m | 3:20AM0.58m | 3:24PM0.54m | 4:00AM0.54m | 4:05PM0.52m | |||||||
— | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 10 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
Feels °C | 6 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | E 11 | E 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | S 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 12 | SSE 16 | SSE 14 | SSE 13 |
614 | 422 | 314 | 251 | 198 | 126 | 95 | 233 | 980 | 1738 | 1080 | 639 | 515 | 277 | 189 | 211 | 1327 | 3500 | 2130 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 14 | SSE 16 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | S 16 | SE 15 | ESE 14 | E 11 | ESE 16 | E 10 | SE 14 | SE 7 | ENE 14 | SE 7 | SSE 12 | SSE 18 | SSE 6 | — | NE 12 |
16 | 87 | 42 | 37 | 19 | 9 | 18 | 62 | 25 | 8 | 66 | 52 | 20 | 12 | 103 | 32 | 101 | — | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | — | S 18 | — | SE 16 | S 14 | ESE 15 | SE 16 | ENE 17 | NE 16 | ENE 16 | ENE 15 | S 19 | S 22 | S 20 | S 22 | E 12 | — | — |
25 | — | 6 | — | 10 | 16 | 22 | 64 | 29 | 10 | 24 | 21 | 7 | 9 | 30 | 9 | 3 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 3 | N 3 | NNE 5 | NNE 6 | NNW 3 | — | — | SSW 8 | SSW 10 | S 12 | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 6 | S 16 | S 14 | — |
2 | 5 | 5 | 18 | 3 | — | — | 525 | 1824 | 2863 | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | 3756 | 6568 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 65 | 50 | 50 | 65 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 118 |
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.










