Wharariki Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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.

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