
Surf Forecasts:
Wharariki Beach surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 16s period, W swell with 8,669 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 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 Tuesday (Jul 21) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 11s. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 4s is also forecast. 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 4.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Monday (Jul 20) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Sat 25th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 16s |
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 cookin’ at Wharariki Beach.
This setup is a bit of a wild one. We’re looking at a solid 16-day window, but the first week is a real mixed bag of wind and messy conditions. The real standout, and I mean a proper standout, is the Saturday morning session on the 25th of July. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. After that, the swell gets huge and the wind gets nasty, but we’ve got a couple of late-in-the-game options if you’re an experienced surfer.
Water temp is sitting at 58°F which is about average for this time of year, so nothing weird going on there.
The first real chance to wet a line is Wednesday afternoon, the 22nd of July. It’s tiny and weak, with a combined energy of only 115 – that’s weak stuff. Swell is 1ft from the WSW with a 12-second period, and the wind is a light cross-off. It’s surfable, but it’s ordinary. More of a cruise than a mission.
Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th are a write-off. The wind is up, the swell is messy, and it's just not worth the paddle. Friday morning sees a 8ft, 7-second wind swell from the NW with a strong cross-off wind. That’s a mess.
Now, Saturday the 25th of July. Lock it in. Morning session is the best on offer in the whole outlook. We’ve got a 10ft swell from the W with a very long 16-second period – that’s a proper groundswell. The combined energy is a huge 4386, so there’s plenty of power. But here’s the thing: the wind is a strong cross-off, and the report says it’s too big for this break. That means it’s only for the experts. If you’re not comfortable in heavy, powerful surf, stay on the beach. The swell direction is W, which is bang on the optimum from the guidance. This is a big, clean, powerful day for the brave.
After that, the bottom drops out. Saturday afternoon, the 25th, we get a gale with 43 mph winds and a 13ft swell. That’s dangerous. Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th are still blown out or marginal. The wind just doesn’t let up.
The next real window pops up on Wednesday the 29th of July. Morning session is looking excellent for experienced surfers. We’ve got a 7ft swell from the W with a 15-second period, combined energy of 1847, and a light offshore wind from the SSW. That’s clean, big, and powerful. Another one for the experts.
Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st of July see the swell absolutely pumping – 13ft to 18ft. The wind is light and offshore or cross-off, which is a dream, but again, the size is a limit. The guidance says it’s too big for this break. The combined energy hits 10453 on Friday morning, which is very strong. Only the most experienced chargers should even look at this.
Saturday the 1st of August is still big, but the wind picks up on the afternoon. Then Sunday the 2nd of August morning is a bit more manageable at 7ft from the W, 13-second period, with a moderate cross-off. It’s a marginal call, but it’s cleaner.
The final call comes on Tuesday the 4th of August. The afternoon session is looking excellent for experienced surfers. We’ve got a 7ft swell from the W, 14-second period, combined energy of 1973, and a light offshore wind from the ESE. That’s a clean, powerful, late-afternoon session to finish the run.
So, to sum it up: the best of the best is Saturday the 25th of July morning, but it’s for experts only. The Wednesday the 29th of July morning is a close second for the same crew. The rest of the time is either too big, too windy, or too small. If you’re a beginner, keep an eye on the Wednesday afternoon the 22nd for a tiny, gentle paddle, but that’s it.
Stay safe out there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Wed afternoon, min 10°C on Mon morning). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, strong winds from the WSW by Tue afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 43mm), heaviest during Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 9°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (moderate winds from the W on Thu morning, gales from the WNW by Sat afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 12 | WSW 6 | WSW 12 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | NW 7 | W 8 | W 9 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | W 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
405 | 394 | 293 | 219 | 573 | 77 | 56 | 48 | 320 | 436 | 284 | 163 | 498 | 643 | 1431 | 4168 | 8669 | 7961 | 5433 | 4007 | 1892 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 2:19PM2.91m | 2:38AM2.93m | 3:08PM2.75m | 3:27AM2.72m | 4:01PM2.60m | 4:22AM2.55m | 5:00PM2.50m | 5:25AM2.44m | 6:06PM2.47m | 6:32AM2.42m | 7:10PM2.52m | 7:34AM2.48m | 8:05PM2.63m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:28PM0.50m | 8:57AM0.52m | 9:18PM0.70m | 9:46AM0.70m | 10:13PM0.87m | 10:42AM0.85m | 11:15PM0.99m | 11:45AM0.93m | 00:22AM1.02m | 12:49PM0.93m | 1:25AM0.96m | 1:47PM0.85m | 2:19AM0.85m | ||||||||
7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | |
— | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 14 | 2 | 6 | — | 15 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
Temp °C | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 |
Feels °C | 2 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3 | -4 | 2 | 0 | -3 | -3 | -5 | -2 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | NNW 11 | W 12 | WSW 6 | W 5 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 21 | N 7 | NW 9 | WNW 17 | — | NW 15 | NW 15 | W 14 | W 13 |
405 | 394 | 293 | 219 | 22 | 77 | 56 | 29 | 320 | 436 | 284 | 163 | 9 | 89 | 61 | 184 | — | 499 | 365 | 4007 | 1892 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 11 | NNW 11 | NNW 11 | NNW 10 | — | W 16 | W 12 | WSW 12 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | — | — | — | N 7 | NNW 7 | — | N 7 | — | — | — |
23 | 22 | 11 | 22 | — | 21 | 25 | 48 | 5 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 17 | 31 | — | 17 | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 22 | W 20 | E 4 | NE 5 | NNW 10 | W 16 | W 15 | N 10 | N 9 | — | — | — | — | WNW 16 | NW 9 | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 9 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 43 | 38 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 26 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 6 | E 5 | E 4 | — | W 13 | WSW 6 | — | — | — | W 3 | W 4 | WNW 5 | NW 7 | W 8 | W 9 | W 16 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | — | — |
198 | 83 | 13 | — | 573 | 67 | — | — | — | 5 | 37 | 83 | 498 | 643 | 1431 | 4168 | 8669 | 7961 | 5433 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 34 | 34 | 0 | 111 | 152 | 111 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 111 | 119 | 175 | 97 | 192 | 261 | 152 | 215 | 211 | 95 | 198 | 163 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nelson - West Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










