Wharariki Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s going down at Wharariki Beach for the next couple of weeks.

The first real shot of surf hits on Thursday morning, 20 August – and it’s a ripper. We’ve got a 3ft swell from the west with a long 14-second period, proper groundswell. Water temp is about average for this time of year at 57°. The wind is light from the SSW at 6 mph, blowing cross-offshore, so the waves will be clean and lined up. The combined energy is moderate (411), so there’s some push. Crowds are never an issue here, so it’s your standout session – glassy and empty.

Thursday afternoon the wind swings west and picks up to 16 mph, going cross-shore and choppy. The swell drops a little and the quality goes south, so stick to the morning.

Friday morning, 21 August, still has clean waves thanks to a WSW wind at 12 mph cross-off, but the swell is smaller at 3ft with a very long period of 16 seconds. The sets will be spaced out, but shape should be good. Energy is moderate (328). Worth a look if you missed Thursday.

Friday afternoon and Saturday are blown out – winds up to 28 mph and 22 mph – making a mess of things. Saturday morning has small waves but the wind is cross or cross-on, so not worth it.

Sunday 23 August is a no-go for surfing. 12ft of swell from the west, but the wind is howling at 34 mph – near gale force. That’s dangerous and blown out. If you’re into kite surfing, that cross-shore wind might be fun, but for paddle surfing, stay on the sand.

Monday 24 August brings a massive 10ft west swell with a 15-second period – that’s a lot of water. The wind is cross-off from the WSW at 22 mph in the morning, so it’s clean, but this is strictly for experts only. Over 8ft, it’s too big for most. The energy is extreme (4413 in the morning). Unless you’re charging, sit this one out.

The rest of the week from Tuesday 25 August through the end of the month is a mix of moderate to strong winds, mostly cross or cross-on, with swell sizes bouncing between 2ft and 8ft. Nothing stands out. A few clean windows are either too small or too windy.

Saturday 29 August shows a shift in swell direction to the NW and NNW, with 7ft swell and a shorter period of 9 seconds. The wind is cross-off from the ESE at 28 mph, keeping the surface clean, but the quality is marginal. Energy is moderate (1110). Not a standout, but maybe worth a check.

Early September sees a couple of bigger swells on the 2nd and 3rd – 10ft from the NNW on Wednesday afternoon (2 Sep) and 7ft from the NNW on Thursday morning (3 Sep). The wind is cross-off and light to moderate, so the surf will be clean, but that 10ft is only for experts. Thursday 3 Sep afternoon has 6ft from the west with a 16-second period and a light 12 mph WSW cross-off – that’s a solid, clean session for strong intermediates. Energy is high (2091).

The big standout is Thursday morning, 20 August – clean, chest-high west swell, light offshore wind, and nobody else out. That’s the one to mark. The 3rd of September also looks good for those who can handle a bit of size.

Rusty.

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