
Surf Forecasts:
Wharariki Beach surf forecast from 5 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 9 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, NNW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, NNW swell with 2,404 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 6 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 14s 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 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Wharariki Beach in the next 16 days are 3.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Thu 6th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Wharariki Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s in store for us up at Wharariki Beach. We’ve got a classic West Coast setup on the cards, and it’s going to be a tale of two halves. The immediate forecast is a bit sad, but there’s some serious firepower waiting for us later on if we’re patient. The water is sitting at 57°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Right off the bat, Thursday the 6th is a tough one. There’s a tiny 1ft swell coming in from the WSW with a short period of 14 seconds, and the overall energy is really weak (85). It’s glassy in the morning, which is beautiful, but the waves are just super ordinary. Honestly, not worth paddling out for.
Friday the 7th and Saturday the 8th are a write-off. The wind is cross-shore and onshore, getting stronger, and the swell is disorganised with short periods. It’s just chop and lumpy junk. Hard pass.
Things get interesting, but tricky, from Sunday the 9th. The swell jumps up to 10ft on Sunday morning from the NNW, but that’s way too big for Wharariki. The energy is getting strong (1786), but it’s properly cranking. That one is for experts only, and honestly, it’s pushing the limits of the beach. The wind is cross-offshore, keeping it clean, but the size is the main issue here. The afternoon drops to 7ft but the wind swings cross-shore and messes it up.
Monday the 10th is a real standout. The swell drops back to 3ft from the west, but the period stretches out to 16 seconds – that’s proper groundswell energy. The wind is offshore from the SE, making for clean conditions. The wave energy is moderate (590) and it’s shaping up for some tidy little lines. Not a big day, but the quality is there. For the size of the swell, a long-period west swell at Wharariki might break a bit straight on the beach, but it’ll be clean and rippable.
Tuesday the 11th is a waste. Strong winds from the ESE at 25 mph, even though it’s offshore, clean up the surf but the swell is small and weak. Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th have a bit of size but the winds are messy cross-shore and onshore, making for lumpy, poor quality surf. Not our best days.
Now, looking way ahead to Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th of August? That’s where the real power is. The swell is massive. Saturday morning has 13ft from the WNW with very strong energy (5584) and a light offshore wind. That is a beast. The afternoon goes glassy with an 12ft swell from the WNW. Both windows are clean but the size is well over 8ft, so strictly for the experts only. This is a heavy, powerful setup that will be thrilling for the right crew, but it’s not for the faint-hearted.
If you’re looking for a solid, accessible session, hold out for Monday the 17th. The swell drops to a more manageable 6ft from the west, with a long 12-second period, and clean offshore winds from the WSW. The energy is still strong (1831), so the waves will have some push. That is the best all-round option for intermediate surfers. The morning is clean, the swell is solid but not terrifying.
The final week from Tuesday the 18th onwards settles into a nice pattern. Smaller west swells, between 3ft and 4ft, with clean cross-offshore winds from the SE. The water is clear, the energy is moderate, and the consistency looks decent. It’s not pumping, but it’s clean, fun surf with long-period swell. Thursday the 20th and Friday the 21st both have some tidy west groundswell with a 16-second period, giving clean, glassy conditions in the mornings. These are great little windows for a longboard or a fish.
The long and short of it is: the first week is mostly a bust, with a nice clean day on Monday the 10th and a massive, expert-only pulse on the weekend of the 15th. The real pick is Monday the 17th for solid, clean waves, and then the following week is a nice run of small but clean conditions.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 42mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri night, min 8°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (calm on Thu morning, strong winds from the N by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Tue night. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue night, min 10°C on Sun night). Mainly strong winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | W 19 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 10 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | N 9 | N 9 | N 7 | WNW 12 | NW 12 | WNW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
66 | 58 | 29 | 74 | 314 | 492 | 322 | 333 | 744 | 1484 | 846 | 359 | 382 | 339 | 257 | 235 | 252 | 306 | 283 | 1522 | 1738 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 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 | 9:23AM3.14m | 9:47PM3.40m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 3:13AM0.21m | 3:32PM0.14m | ||||||||
7:30 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | |
— | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 1 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 7 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | W 12 | WNW 10 | W 14 | W 13 | W 19 | W 18 | W 18 | NNW 10 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | N 7 | NNW 7 | W 15 | WNW 13 |
66 | 58 | 26 | 74 | 15 | 14 | 64 | 99 | 315 | 1484 | 846 | 359 | 180 | 151 | 207 | 235 | 252 | 306 | 177 | 167 | 1738 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | W 7 | W 19 | WSW 14 | N 11 | W 19 | W 12 | W 12 | — | W 14 | W 14 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | W 13 | W 19 | W 18 | WNW 12 | — | N 7 |
10 | 9 | 29 | 20 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 11 | — | 148 | 194 | 325 | 382 | 339 | 257 | 123 | 184 | 226 | 283 | — | 27 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 21 | W 21 | N 11 | W 19 | — | N 11 | W 24 | — | — | W 18 | W 18 | W 12 | W 6 | W 7 | W 18 | W 21 | W 13 | W 13 | W 17 | — | N 10 |
9 | 34 | 2 | 7 | — | 2 | 11 | — | — | 154 | 155 | 49 | 28 | 17 | 26 | 138 | 53 | 30 | 204 | — | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 7 | WNW 2 | WNW 10 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NNW 8 | — | W 8 | W 6 | — | — | ESE 4 | ESE 5 | E 4 | — | NW 7 | NW 12 | — |
— | — | 15 | 1 | 314 | 492 | 322 | 333 | 744 | — | 159 | 54 | — | — | 23 | 112 | 15 | — | 140 | 1522 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 111 | 34 | 34 | 111 | 111 | 98 | 111 | 188 | 86 | 95 | 4 | 0 | 20 | 95 | 95 | 11 | 34 | 95 | 95 | 97 |
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.
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.











