Wharariki Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 40.51° S 172.67° E

Wharariki Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 pm 05 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Wharariki Beach sea temperature is
14.1° C
0.9° 

Wharariki Beach surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Wharariki Beach surf forecast from 5 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 9 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, NNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 12 Aug, 9PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 13s period, WNW swell with 1,905 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 6 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 15s period with W swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Wharariki Beach this week:

The surf forecast for Wharariki Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 06) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 15s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Wharariki Beach in the next 16 days are 2.3m 13s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 12) 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 1.1m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 6AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)12AM (Thu 6th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 15s
Best Surf 3AM (Sun 9th Aug)10ft (3.0m) 10s
Most Powerful 9PM (Wed 12th Aug)7.5ft (2.3m) 13s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Wharariki Beach over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a mixed bag coming up for Wharariki Beach, so let’s get into it.

First up, the water is sitting at 57°, which is about 2° warmer than the long-term average for this time of year. Nothing wild, just a touch warmer than usual.

The forecast starts on Wednesday, August 5th, with a small 2ft west swell at 13 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (212). It’s clean with a light NNW breeze, but honestly, it’s marginal. Not much to get excited about.

Thursday, August 6th, the swell drops right off to 1ft. The morning is glassy as glass with a SE breeze, but it’s tiny. The afternoon turns cross-shore and messy. Surfable, but very ordinary.

Friday, August 7th, through to Sunday, August 9th, is a write-off. The wind is onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell gets lumpy and choppy. It’s poor. The energy builds from 106 to 942, but it’s not doing us any favors with the wind. By Sunday morning, the swell hits 7ft, but it’s still cross-onshore and choppy.

Monday, August 10th, brings a change. The wind goes cross-offshore from the ESE at 16 mph, and the swell is a clean 5ft from the NNW. The energy is still strong (888). It’s clean, but the score is only marginal. It’s a step in the right direction.

Tuesday, August 11th, the swell drops back to 2ft, and the wind is a fresh 22 mph cross-offshore. Clean, but tiny and windy.

Now, here’s the first real standout. Wednesday, August 12th, in the morning. Glassy as glass with a southerly breeze at 3 mph. The swell is 2ft from the west, but the period is a very long 16 seconds. The energy is solid (493). That long period will make for some nice, clean lines at the beach. The scores say “expect good surf conditions”. This is the best we’ve seen so far.

From Thursday, August 13th, through to the end of the first week, the wind turns cross-onshore and the swell gets bigger but choppier. It’s a bit of a mess.

Now, for the second week, we have a massive swell starting on Friday, August 14th. The swell is 8ft from the west, with a very long 18-second period. The energy is huge (3996). The wind is cross-offshore and clean. But, here’s the thing: the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. The score says it’s marginal. This is only for experts.

Saturday, August 15th, is even bigger: 13ft west swell, 19-second period, and the energy is absolutely pumping (12510). Again, the guidance says it’s too big for Wharariki. This is expert territory only, and honestly, with that much power and a 25 mph cross-offshore wind in the afternoon, it might be more interesting for the kite surfers than paddle surfers.

The swell drops back through the rest of the week. Sunday, August 16th, is 8ft, and by Monday, August 17th, it’s 5ft. The wind is light and variable, but the swell is still big.

The next real highlight is Wednesday, August 20th, in the morning. A 3ft west swell with a very long 19-second period. The wind is offshore from the SSE at 6 mph. The energy is solid (814). The scores say “expect very good surf conditions.” This is another standout. Clean, offshore, and a long-period groundswell. That’s the kind of morning you set the alarm for.

So, the best on offer? Wednesday, August 12th for a glassy, clean morning session on the small side, and Wednesday, August 20th for a clean, offshore morning with a long-period swell. Those are the ones to circle on the calendar.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Fri night. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat morning, min 8°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu morning, fresh winds from the NW by Fri night).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 36mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat afternoon, min 9°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NNW on Sat night, light winds from the NNE by Sun night).

Wed
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
Tuesday
11
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
3
2
2
1
0
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.7
W
13
0.6
W
15
0.4
WSW
14
0.4
WSW
13
0.2
W
19
0.6
WNW
9
1.2
WNW
10
2.1
NW
9
1.6
NW
8
1.6
NW
8
3
NNW
8
2.1
NW
9
1.6
NNW
9
0.7
W
16
1.5
NNW
10
1.5
NNW
10
0.8
W
14
0.7
W
13
0.6
W
19
0.6
W
18
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
166
155
66
58
29
62
251
671
333
316
1114
703
396
252
478
416
257
167
263
219
Wind (km/h)
10
NNW
10
S
5
SE
15
W
15
WSW
20
NW
25
NW
30
NW
20
NW
25
NNW
45
NNW
15
NW
25
NNW
10
ESE
20
SE
25
ESE
35
ESE
35
ESE
30
SE
5
SE
Wind State
on
off
glassy
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
2:40AM2.91m
3:13PM2.79m
3:38AM2.77m
4:18PM2.71m
4:50AM2.68m
5:35PM2.70m
6:09AM2.68m
6:51PM2.81m
7:24AM2.80m
7:59PM3.00m
8:28AM2.97m
8:56PM3.22m
Low Tide
8:31PM0.55m
9:01AM0.52m
9:28PM0.68m
10:02AM0.64m
10:37PM0.77m
11:14AM0.70m
11:56PM0.76m
12:31PM0.65m
1:12AM0.63m
1:40PM0.51m
2:17AM0.43m
2:40PM0.32m
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
light rain
heavy rain
light rain
light rain
heavy rain
light rain
light rain
part cloud
clear
part cloud
cloud
light rain
light rain
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:30
7:28
7:28
7:26
7:24
7:24
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:38
5:39
5:40
5:42
5:43
5:44
5:45
 mm
4
19
2
2
31
1
1
1
1
2
Temp °C
9
10
8
9
9
12
11
13
14
13
12
12
11
11
10
11
11
9
11
13
Feels °C
5
7
6
5
4
6
5
8
9
7
4
9
6
10
5
6
3
1
7
13
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Wharariki Beach Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Wharariki Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Wharariki Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Wharariki Beach 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 (Wharariki Beach) 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 Wharariki Beach 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 Nelson - West Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near Wharariki Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Nelson - West Coast, consider staying in Nelson which is 100 km (62 miles) away.

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