Waitara Bar Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.99° S 174.22° E

Waitara Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 am 18 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Waitara Bar sea temperature is
13.9°C
0.4° 

Waitara Bar surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Waitara Bar surf forecast from 18 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 20 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 10s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 21 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 16s period, WSW swell with 7,826 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 18 Sep, 9PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 15s period with WSW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Waitara Bar this week:

The surf forecast for Waitara Bar over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 18) at 9PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 2.4m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Waitara Bar in the next 16 days are 4.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 21) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9PM (Fri 18th Sep)5.5ft (1.7m) 15s
Best Surf 9AM (Sun 20th Sep)15ft (4.5m) 10s
Most Powerful12AM (Mon 21st Sep)13ft (4.0m) 16s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Waitara Bar over the next 16 days.


Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri morning, min 7°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SE on Fri night, fresh winds from the WSW by Sat night).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue morning, min 6°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds.

Friday
18
Saturday
19
Sunday
20
Monday
21
Tuesday
22
Wednesday
23
Thursday
24
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
4
2
4
2
1
0
!
!
!
!
2
0
1
0
3
3
3
4
4
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
WSW
16
1.7
WSW
16
1.7
WSW
15
1.8
WSW
15
3
WSW
15
3
WSW
15
4.5
WSW
10
4.5
WSW
12
4
WSW
16
3.5
WSW
16
3
WSW
16
2.5
WSW
14
1.9
WSW
14
3
WSW
8
2.5
WSW
10
1.7
WSW
15
3
WSW
15
3
WSW
16
2.5
WSW
16
2.4
WSW
15
2.5
WSW
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1591
1376
1364
1432
3560
3771
4428
5992
7826
5499
4181
2638
1449
1161
1313
1275
3474
3901
3135
2493
2629
Wind (km/h)
10
SSE
20
WSW
5
SE
15
WSW
30
WSW
35
W
35
SW
35
WSW
15
SSW
20
WSW
25
W
20
W
20
NW
30
WSW
20
SSW
25
SW
25
SW
20
SE
15
SSE
25
WSW
25
WSW
Wind State
off
cross
off
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross
cross
High Tide
2:08PM2.84m
2:40AM2.67m
3:13PM2.69m
3:58AM2.55m
4:39PM2.62m
5:17AM2.55m
5:57PM2.69m
6:26AM2.65m
6:55PM2.84m
7:21AM2.80m
7:41PM3.02m
8:07AM2.98m
8:20PM3.21m
Low Tide
8:35PM1.28m
8:53AM1.25m
9:41PM1.40m
10:06AM1.37m
11:03PM1.41m
11:34AM1.33m
00:22AM1.29m
12:44PM1.17m
1:18AM1.08m
1:35PM0.96m
2:00AM0.84m
2:16PM0.73m
2:37AM0.61m
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:18
6:18
6:16
6:13
6:13
6:11
6:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:15
6:15
6:16
6:17
6:19
6:20
6:21
 mm
2
1
1
Temp °C
14
14
10
14
13
13
13
13
10
13
13
13
14
13
10
13
12
7
11
12
11
Feels °C
12
10
7
9
8
7
5
5
5
7
7
10
11
6
4
6
6
1
6
5
6
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Waitara Bar:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Waitara Bar surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.


Information about the Waitara Bar Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Waitara Bar provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Waitara Bar can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Waitara Bar 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 (Waitara Bar) 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 Waitara Bar 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 Taranaki? If you are looking for accommodation near Waitara Bar, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Taranaki, consider staying in New Plymouth which is 14 km (9 miles) away.

Nearest locationNearest