Surf Forecasts:
Wharariki Beach surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 12AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, W swell with 4,930 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 13s 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 17s. 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 3.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 3AM. 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 Saturday (Aug 22) at 12AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Wharariki Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let's get into it. We've only got one spot on the radar for the next couple of weeks: Wharariki Beach.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you—this is a bit of a mixed bag. The pattern is a long stretch of windy, messy conditions, with a few real windows of clean surf. The water's sitting around 57°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year, no real surprises there.
The standout session is looking like Wednesday morning, the 19th of August. We've got a solid 4ft swell rolling in from the west, with a cracking 16-second period—that's proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is a strong 890 (moderate to strong) and the wind is light, cross-off out of the southeast. That's going to produce some clean, lined-up waves at this exposed beach. It's a consistent spot, so you'll get plenty of waves and the crowd factor is never an issue. This is the one to circle.
The other real highlight is a bit further out, on Sunday the 30th of August. The afternoon session is looking special. Expect a solid 7ft pulse from the north-northwest, with a period of 8 seconds. The wind is glassy—dead calm—so the surface will be like a mirror. The combined energy is a strong 715 (moderate to strong). This is going to be a fun, punchy afternoon. Just keep in mind, with a swell over 5ft, it's getting a bit much for the beginners, and the shorter period means it might be a bit fickle, but the glassy conditions make it a must-do.
Before that, the first week is pretty rough. After Wednesday morning, the wind swings onshore and it turns into a chop fest from the 19th afternoon right through until the 28th of August. There's a big, messy pulse on the 23rd and 24th—12ft and 8ft swells with near-gale winds. That's just a washing machine. The 28th afternoon might offer a tiny window of glassy conditions, but the swell is only 2ft so it's a grovel.
After the Sunday 30th glass-off, the wind turns onshore again, and the last few days of the forecast are pretty ordinary with strong cross-onshore winds and messy conditions.
So, keep your powder dry for Wednesday morning the 19th and the glassy Sunday afternoon on the 30th. Everything else is a fight with the wind.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Wed night, min 9°C on Tue morning). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, fresh winds from the W by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat afternoon, min 10°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (fresh winds from the W on Fri morning, near gales from the W by Sun morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | W 13 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | WNW 5 | WNW 8 | W 9 | W 10 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 236 | 546 | 459 | 875 | 822 | 730 | 333 | 324 | 236 | 314 | 842 | 4 | 92 | 74 | 623 | 1807 | 1375 | 4678 | 3498 | 2559 | 1847 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 1:38PM2.97m | 1:55AM2.90m | 2:20PM2.78m | 2:39AM2.67m | 3:09PM2.59m | 3:31AM2.47m | 4:09PM2.44m | 4:39AM2.33m | 5:24PM2.37m | 5:58AM2.31m | 6:40PM2.42m | 7:09AM2.40m | 7:41PM2.57m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:48PM0.49m | 8:10AM0.54m | 8:32PM0.72m | 8:56AM0.76m | 9:24PM0.93m | 9:51AM0.95m | 10:28PM1.08m | 11:00AM1.06m | 11:45PM1.12m | 12:16PM1.05m | 00:58AM1.04m | 1:22PM0.93m | 1:56AM0.88m | ||||||||
 | |  | | |  | | | | | | |  |  |  | | |  |  | | | |
 | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — |
 | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — |
Temp °C | 10 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
Feels °C | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 13 | W 13 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 16 | — | NNW 4 | W 14 | WSW 11 | — | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | WNW 16 | — | — |
| kJ | 94 | 546 | 459 | 875 | 822 | 730 | 333 | 324 | 236 | 314 | — | 3 | 92 | 38 | — | 58 | 18 | 18 | 97 | — | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 14 | — | W 18 | E 11 | ENE 5 | WNW 4 | W 5 | — | NW 14 | — | — | W 14 | W 14 | W 19 | — | NW 17 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 236 | — | 99 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 11 | — | 8 | — | — | 4 | 4 | 29 | — | 11 | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 18 | — | E 13 | — | W 5 | E 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 25 | — | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ESE 2 | E 6 | — | — | — | WNW 4 | W 4 | W 4 | W 15 | W 5 | W 4 | WNW 5 | WNW 8 | W 9 | W 10 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 |
| kJ | — | — | 1 | 15 | — | — | — | 14 | 9 | 18 | 842 | 117 | 35 | 74 | 623 | 1807 | 1375 | 4678 | 3498 | 2559 | 1847 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 111 | 4 | 20 | 0 | 152 | 0 | 0 | 163 | 111 | 111 | 152 | 111 | 111 | 152 | 97 | 215 | 196 | 152 | 152 | 196 | 192 |
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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