Surf Forecasts:
Wharariki Beach surf forecast from 11 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 11 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 16s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 15 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 16s period, WNW swell with 2,996 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 11 Jul, 9PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 16s 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 Saturday (Jul 11) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 16s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Wharariki Beach in the next 16 days are 2.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 12PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Friday (Jul 17) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9PM (Sat 11th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 9PM (Sat 11th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 12PM (Wed 15th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Wharariki Beach over the next 16 days.
Hey everyone, Rusty here. Let’s break down the outlook for Wharariki Beach for the next couple of weeks. It’s got some good moments if you know when to look.
The water temp is about 59°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. Always a bonus.
We start off a little slow. This Saturday morning, there’s a small 3ft west swell with a long 18-second period. The energy is moderate at 585, but that cross-shore wind makes it a bit ordinary. The afternoon picks up to 4ft but it’s still not clean.
Things turn around on Sunday, July 12th. The morning brings a clean 4ft west swell with a 16-second period and a light offshore breeze. The energy sits at 598. That’s a great start. The afternoon then goes glassy – no wind, clean 3ft west swell (period 15 seconds). This is your first good window.
Monday, July 13th is a full miss. Onshore winds up to 25 mph and rain. Nothing to see here.
The middle of the week gets messy. Tuesday is choppy with a moderate cross-shore on a 5-5ft swell. Wednesday brings the biggest swell of the period, hitting 8ft from the WNW with a long 16-second period. The combined energy is over 2900, but it’s blown out with strong onshore winds. That’s a big, ugly wave. Better suited for kite gear than a surfboard.
Thursday, July 16th the swell drops to 5-6ft and the wind turns offshore, cleaning it up. The morning could offer a challenge for experienced crew, but the afternoon wind is near gale force.
Here’s a good day: Friday, July 17th. A near glassy morning with a light offshore breeze, clean 4ft west swell, and 553 energy. Afternoon is clean too with a 4ft swell. Solid all day.
The surf settles into the second week. Monday, July 20th has a clean 2ft west swell in the morning. Wednesday, July 22nd is a real beauty – the morning is dead calm, glassy on a 2ft swell. The afternoon is totally flat calm, glassy on the same size. Perfect for a small-wave cruiser.
Then look at Friday, July 24th. The morning brings a clean 6ft west swell with a 12-second period. The wave energy is a solid 912. This is the long-range standout, but it’s a way off so don’t book the trip yet.
The period closes with onshore winds and rain on the 25th and 26th.
So, your best bets are the clean, smaller days around the 12th, 17th, and the glassy 22nd, plus that promising bigger swell on the 24th. The big windy days in the middle of the period are mostly for the hardcore or the kiters.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 14°C on Mon afternoon, min 9°C on Sat morning). Winds increasing (calm on Sun afternoon, near gales from the NNW by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Tue night. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue night, min 11°C on Thu night). Mainly strong winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | 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) | W 18 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 8 | WNW 12 | W 16 | WNW 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 389 | 636 | 732 | 592 | 441 | 271 | 200 | 106 | 586 | 302 | 322 | 1177 | 2480 | 2883 | 1879 | 1297 | 984 | 808 | 553 | 604 | 806 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-on | on | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:04PM2.90m | 7:32AM2.92m | 8:08PM3.06m | 8:35AM3.05m | 9:06PM3.24m | 9:32AM3.17m | 9:59PM3.40m | 10:24AM3.27m | 10:49PM3.49m | 11:14AM3.30m | 11:37PM3.52m | 12:01PM3.28m | 00:23AM3.46m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:46PM0.51m | 1:21AM0.55m | 1:50PM0.40m | 2:25AM0.38m | 2:49PM0.26m | 3:23AM0.21m | 3:44PM0.12m | 4:16AM0.07m | 4:35PM0.02m | 5:06AM-0.01m | 5:23PM-0.01m | 5:54AM-0.03m | 6:10PM0.03m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  | |  |  |  | | | |  | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:50 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — |
 | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 5 | — | 1 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
Feels °C | 5 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 18 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | N 8 | NW 9 | N 7 | W 18 | W 16 | WNW 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | N 6 |
| kJ | 389 | 636 | 732 | 592 | 441 | 271 | 200 | 96 | 377 | 302 | 62 | 321 | 2480 | 2883 | 1879 | 1297 | 984 | 808 | 553 | 604 | 1 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 14 | E 12 | — | — | NE 12 | N 11 | N 11 | — | W 14 | N 7 | W 13 | N 10 | NNW 6 | — | NNW 7 | N 7 | ESE 4 | E 5 | ENE 4 | — | N 6 |
| kJ | 192 | 3 | — | — | 6 | 2 | 2 | — | 61 | 159 | 89 | 2 | 75 | — | 93 | 44 | 6 | 16 | 1 | — | 1 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 15 | — | — | — | — | N 14 | N 13 | — | W 23 | W 13 | W 18 | NW 19 | — | — | — | — | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | SE 4 | — | N 6 |
| kJ | 4 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 4 | — | 10 | 53 | 58 | 14 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 4 | 1 | — | 1 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NE 12 | NE 12 | — | NNE 3 | N 4 | N 5 | NW 9 | — | NW 8 | WNW 12 | — | NNW 6 | — | SE 3 | ESE 5 | — | — | — | W 13 |
| kJ | — | — | 6 | 6 | — | 3 | 11 | 106 | 586 | — | 322 | 1177 | — | 53 | — | 2 | 23 | — | — | — | 806 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 111 | 111 | 97 | 86 | 34 | 95 | 95 | 98 | 95 | 95 | 163 | 152 | 204 | 0 | 152 | 111 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nelson - West Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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