Surf Forecasts:
Wharariki Beach surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 19 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 16s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 19 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 17s period, W swell with 2,968 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 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 Sunday (Jul 19) at 12PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 11s. 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 2.2m 17s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Wharariki Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s coming down the pipe for Wharariki Beach.
First up, let's talk about the water. It’s sitting at 59°F which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice little bonus.
The next few days are a bit of a mixed bag, but we’ve got a real standout on Sunday afternoon, the 19th of July. We’re looking at a solid 5 ft of west swell with a long 16-second period – that’s proper groundswell, lots of energy behind it. The wind is going to be a light ESE breeze, which is cross-offshore, keeping things clean. The combined energy of all swells is moderate (1124), so there’s some punch. Conditions are flagged as excellent for experienced surfers, and with the consistency being good, this is your window. The wave face should have some decent shape, but that long period can make it a bit straight at a beach break, so pick your peak wisely.
Leading into that, Friday the 17th is a bit of a write-off. The swell is a beefy 7 ft from the west, but it’s coming in with a strong 22 mph WSW wind. It’s just too big and messy for a good paddle. That size is really only for the experts, and even then, it’s marginal. The following Saturday morning on the 18th drops to 4 ft, but the wind is still howling at 25 mph, so it’s a no-go.
After the Sunday highlight, we hit a real flat spell. Monday the 20th drops to knee-high, and the wind is up again. From Tuesday the 21st right through to the end of the month, the swell drops right off, with most days seeing waves under 3 ft and persistent cross-offshores that just aren't combining with any real energy. The combined energy readings are consistently in the low hundreds or even below 100, which is weak. It’s a pretty long gap of nothing much worth paddling out for.
Then, looking way out, we get a flicker of hope on the 1st of August. The Saturday afternoon brings a 3 ft west swell, but the wind is a light SE breeze, which would be a clean cross-off. The combined energy is still weak (280). It’s marginal, but it might be a small, glassy session if you’re desperate.
So, bottom line: don’t waste your time on Friday. Point your truck towards Wharariki on Sunday afternoon the 19th for the best of the run. Everything else in this 16-day window is either too small, too windy, or both. It’s a long wait, but that one session looks worth it.
Stay frothy.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Sun afternoon, min 9°C on Fri night). Mainly strong winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Tue afternoon, min 10°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, strong winds from the WSW by Tue night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 15 | W 15 | W 15 | W 18 | W 17 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | N 10 | W 16 | W 15 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 2204 | 876 | 736 | 1420 | 2968 | 848 | 1106 | 606 | 489 | 394 | 293 | 219 | 272 | 7 | 43 | 39 | 125 | 345 | 582 | 163 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross |
High Tide | 00:23AM3.46m | 12:47PM3.19m | 1:08AM3.33m | 1:33PM3.07m | 1:53AM3.14m | 2:19PM2.91m | 2:38AM2.93m | 3:08PM2.75m | 3:27AM2.72m | 4:01PM2.60m | 4:22AM2.55m | 5:00PM2.50m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:10PM0.03m | 6:40AM0.03m | 6:55PM0.14m | 7:25AM0.16m | 7:41PM0.30m | 8:10AM0.33m | 8:28PM0.50m | 8:57AM0.52m | 9:18PM0.70m | 9:46AM0.70m | 10:13PM0.87m | 10:42AM0.85m | 11:15PM0.99m | |||||||
 |  | | |  | |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | | |  | |
 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — |
 | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:27 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 12 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
Feels °C | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | W 18 | W 17 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | ENE 4 | N 10 | W 16 | W 15 | W 13 | W 13 | NW 14 | W 13 |
| kJ | 662 | 876 | 736 | 1420 | 869 | 848 | 1106 | 606 | 489 | 394 | 293 | 219 | 1 | 7 | 43 | 39 | 125 | 345 | 8 | 163 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 8 | W 8 | NW 5 | W 7 | NW 5 | W 16 | N 11 | NNW 11 | NNW 11 | N 10 | N 10 | ENE 4 | N 10 | W 12 | N 8 | N 8 | W 5 | N 9 | N 8 | N 7 |
| kJ | 2 | 110 | 1 | 127 | 1 | 522 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NW 8 | NW 8 | W 7 | N 12 | N 11 | NNW 11 | — | W 21 | W 20 | N 10 | W 18 | — | N 9 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 11 | — | 9 | 8 | 8 | 25 | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 15 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | W 7 | W 17 | W 7 | — | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | E 5 | E 5 | — | W 13 | W 5 | WSW 5 | W 5 | — | — | W 13 | WNW 6 |
| kJ | 2204 | 166 | 247 | 200 | 2968 | 187 | — | 53 | 102 | 88 | 36 | — | 272 | 78 | 102 | 59 | — | — | 582 | 113 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 152 | 111 | 111 | 152 | 111 | 111 | 0 | 11 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 4 | 111 | 111 | 111 | 0 | 0 | 111 | 111 | 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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