Wharariki Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, let’s take a look at what’s cookin’. Wharariki Beach is the only break on the radar for this 16-day run, and it’s a consistent, exposed, intermediate-level spot that’s gonna see a real mixed bag of conditions. The water temp is sitting at 58°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The real standout, the one that’s got my heart pumping, is Sunday the 26th. We’ve got a solid 7 ft swell from the west, with a period of 14 seconds – that’s proper groundswell, full of energy (1686). The wind is ESE at 9 mph, which is a clean cross-off breeze. Conditions are excellent for experienced surfers, but that 7 ft is gettin’ up there, so it’s a bit much for beginners. The swell direction is a perfect match for the optimum NW. This is the best on offer.

Monday the 27th holds up nicely too. The morning drops a little to 5 ft west swell, 12-second period, with a light SE cross-off (741 energy). Then the afternoon turns glassy with a 4 ft west swell and a NE breeze at 3 mph. That’s clean, silky, and great for a cruiser session.

Tuesday the 28th starts to fade. The morning has 3 ft west swell with a 11-second period, clean with SE cross-off, but it’s small. The afternoon turns cross-on with a 3 ft swell and a NE breeze – not worth paddling out for.

From Wednesday the 29th through to Friday the 31st, it gets pretty ugly. Wednesday brings a choppy cross-shore wind, and by Thursday we’ve got a 25 mph NNW onshore wind and a 6 ft swell with a pathetic 6-second period. That’s more kite-surfing conditions than paddle surfing. Then Friday the 31st is a write-off: 25 mph WNW cross-winds, a 13 ft monster swell with a 15-second period (7168 energy), but it’s so messy and blown out it’s a total no-go unless you’re a masochist.

Saturday the 1st of August is a bit of a consolation prize. The morning has a 7 ft west swell, 13-second period, with a 22 mph ESE cross-off (1345 energy). It’s clean, but the wind is strong, making it marginal. The afternoon lightens up a bit but still marginal.

Sunday the 2nd of August has a nice little window. The morning is clean with a 3 ft west swell and a 12 mph offshore SSE breeze (257 energy). The afternoon turns glassy with a 3 ft west swell and a 3 mph SE breeze. Small but clean.

Monday the 3rd of August has a tiny 2 ft west swell with an 18-second period (251 energy) and clean ESE wind in the morning – that’s a long-period groundswell, but it’s tiny. The afternoon gets a 3 ft west swell with a 16-second period, but the wind goes onshore.

Tuesday the 4th of August is a highlight for the second week. The morning has a 4 ft west swell, 17-second period (962 energy), with a clean ESE cross-off. That’s a very long period swell, which is gonna be a bit tricky here at a beach break – it might break a bit straight, but the energy is there and it’s clean. The afternoon goes onshore, so get in early.

After that, the rest of the forecast runs into poor conditions with cross-shore winds and chop, apart from Thursday the 6th of August afternoon, which has a 4 ft west swell, 18-second period (783 energy) and a clean offshore SSW wind. That’s a nice surprise for a Thursday arvo.

So, bottom line: Sunday the 26th is the absolute standout. Monday the 27th is a close second. Tuesday the 4th of August morning is a promising long-range call, but a bit less certain. The rest is mostly small, windy, or messy.

Rusty.

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