Wharariki Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Wharariki Beach. It’s a consistent, exposed beach break that really needs a good NW swell and offshore from the south to line up.

First thing to note, the water temp is sitting at 57°, which is about 1° above the long-term average, so pretty normal for this time of year.

We’re starting off on Wednesday the 19th with a bit of a wait. The swell is there, 4ft from the west with a very long 16-second period, and the combined energy is moderate at 822. But the wind is a cross-onshore from the NW, making it choppy and messy. Not worth paddling out for.

The window of opportunity opens up on Thursday morning, the 20th. The swell drops to 3ft from the west, 14-second period, and the wind goes glassy from the SW. That’s the cleanest we’ll see for a while – weak energy at 411, but the conditions will be super smooth. This is the best session on offer in the near term.

After that, things get blown out. From Thursday afternoon the 20th right through to Sunday the 23rd, the wind is strong and cross-shore or cross-onshore, smashing up the waves. The swell sticks around, hitting 8ft on Sunday morning, but the wind is a strong cross-shore from the west at 28 mph, so it’s just a mess. The energy is moderate to strong (995), but it’s not rideable for a surfer.

Monday the 24th sees a big jump in energy – 8ft west swell with a 16-second period, and the combined energy hits 2573, which is strong. The wind is cross-off from the WSW at 28 mph, so the waves will be clean. But the comment says marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions, and the size is getting into the expert-only range with that strong breeze. Tuesday the 25th is similar, with a strong cross-shore wind making it messy.

The pattern is pretty grim until we get into the second week. There’s a gap of several days with no real recommendations.

The next real standout is a long way off, but it’s worth noting. On Wednesday the 2nd of September, the afternoon session looks magic. The swell is 5ft from the NW, 10-second period, and the wind is calm and glassy from the NE. The combined energy is moderate at 549, but clean, glassy conditions at a beach break like this are rare. That’s a promising session, but it’s over a week away, so treat it with cautious optimism.

Thursday the 3rd of September morning also has clean conditions with a glassy NNE wind, but the swell is only 2ft to 2ft, so it’s small.

Honestly, for the next week or so, the wind is just too strong. The one real bright spot is Thursday morning the 20th. If you can get out then, do it. The August 31st swell is huge, over 15ft, and the wind is good, but it’s a monster. Only for the most experienced, and the comment says it’s predicted to be too big for this break. Maybe a better day for the kite gear.

Rusty

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