Wainuiomata Reefs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s coming up for Wainuiomata Reefs.

Alright, the outlook is a bit of a mixed bag, with a long stretch of nothing too exciting before a big pulse of energy shows up. We’re starting off with a decent-sized but messy swell. On Wednesday the 5th of August, a solid 13ft southerly swell rolls in, but it’s got a brutal 25 mph southerly wind blowing straight onshore, so it’s a write-off – just clean your board instead. That energy is massive though, with combined swell energy hitting 4530 (strong to very strong). Thursday the 6th looks a bit better. The swell drops to 6ft from the SSE, and by the afternoon we get a lighter NNW breeze going cross-off, making for some clean, surfable waves. It’s not huge, but it’s a chance to get wet.

Then we hit a dry spell. From Friday the 7th through to roughly the 16th of August, the surf is either too small, too windy, or just plain messy. There are a few mornings with clean conditions and small swell, like the 9th with a fresh offshore N wind and 4ft SSE swell, but the energy is weak (273). It’s really just a paddling session. The real action is a long way off.

Mark your calendars for Monday the 17th of August. That’s the standout. The forecast is showing a massive 18ft to 20ft south swell, with the combined energy getting up to 10192 (very strong). That’s a serious groundswell with a 12 second period – it’ll have plenty of push. The wind is looking light and offshore or cross-off through the morning and afternoon. Now, this is a reef break, so that long-period swell is going to be a proper beast. With waves over 8ft, this is for experts only. The water temperature is about 55°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so suit up.

Tuesday the 18th of August is still pumping, with 12ft to 10ft surf from the south, clean conditions, and light winds. That’s another solid day for experienced surfers, but the energy is still high at 2816. The week after that settles back into smaller, more manageable 3ft to 7ft swells, but the winds are mostly cross-off or light, so you can get some fun ones in if you’re keen.

The big call is that Monday the 17th. It’s a long way out, so we’ll keep an eye on it, but if it comes together, Wainuiomata Reefs is going to be a proper cauldron. Don’t be a hero if you’re not ready for it.

Rusty.

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