
Surf Forecasts:
Waiwakaiho surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 19 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 16s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 16s period, WSW swell with 8,680 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 16s period with WSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Waiwakaiho this week:
The surf forecast for Waiwakaiho over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Waiwakaiho in the next 16 days are 4.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) 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 1.2m 6s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Waiwakaiho over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Waiwakaiho. The next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag, with some real windows of opportunity if you’re patient. The swell is mostly from the west-southwest, which is the direction this sandbar loves, but the wind is going to be the main character here.
The first decent window is Monday the 20th. We’ve got a clean 5ft to 5ft swell from the WSW, with a 14-second period, giving it some real push. The wind is light and cross-off, setting up some tidy walls. The energy is moderate (943-797), so it’s not a full-on power session, but it’s super surfable. The morning is a bit smaller and cleaner, but the afternoon is the pick with the lighter breeze. This is the best on offer for the first week.
Tuesday the 21st morning is a real standout for the crew who like it glassy. The wind is dead calm, glass, and the swell is a clean 4ft from the WSW, 13-second period. The energy is a bit lower (527), but for a long, drawn-out session with no chop, you can’t beat it. This is a true highlight for the smooth, clean lines.
We hit a rough patch from Wednesday the 22nd through to the end of the first week. The swell gets a bit messy, with strong cross-shore winds and a lot of chop. Saturday the 25th afternoon sees the swell jump to 13ft, but with a 40 km/h cross-onshore wind, it’s a total mess. That one is for experts only, and even then, it’s a battle. The energy is very strong (3484), but the quality is poor.
The second week opens with a bit of hope on Monday the 27th, but the wind is still cross and messy, with a 7ft swell. The real gem comes on Tuesday the 28th morning. A clean 4ft swell from the WSW, 12-second period, with a light cross-off breeze from the SSE. The energy is low (477), but it’s clean and fun.
Then, on Wednesday the 29th, we get a bit of a shift. The swell goes to 7ft from the WNW, a short 8-second period, which means it’ll be a bit walled up and fast, but the wind is light and cross-off, so it’ll be clean. A good option for a quick session.
Thursday the 30th sees a big jump in size, 12ft from the west, with a long 13-second period. The wind is light cross-onshore, so it might be a bit bumpy, but the energy is very strong (3495). This is a big groundswell, and it’ll be breaking straight at the beach, so it’s one for the experts only. The following days are a write-off with strong winds and messy conditions.
The final stand-out is Sunday the 2nd of August. The wind finally goes offshore, light from the SE, and the swell is a clean 6ft to 5ft from the WSW, with a 12-second period. The energy is moderate (810-701), and the conditions are clean. This is the best session of the whole run, a true reward for waiting it out. The water temperature is around average for the time of year, so no surprises there.
Overall, the best bets are Tuesday the 21st morning for the glass, and Sunday the 2nd of August for the clean offshore lines. The big swell days are for the experienced crew only.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun morning, min 8°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 13°C on Wed morning, min 8°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed night, fresh winds from the NNW by Fri morning). | ||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | W 9 | WSW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
2096 | 1569 | 1512 | 1452 | 943 | 788 | 653 | 491 | 414 | 341 | 211 | 165 | 133 | 788 | 700 | 389 | 245 | 465 | 915 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | on | cross | cross | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross |
High Tide | 00:50AM3.17m | 1:14PM2.90m | 1:34AM2.98m | 2:01PM2.74m | 2:20AM2.77m | 2:51PM2.59m | 3:10AM2.57m | 3:46PM2.46m | 4:06AM2.40m | 4:49PM2.37m | 5:12AM2.31m | 5:57PM2.36m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:12AM0.19m | 7:27PM0.32m | 7:58AM0.35m | 8:15PM0.52m | 8:45AM0.53m | 9:06PM0.72m | 9:36AM0.69m | 10:03PM0.88m | 10:33AM0.82m | 11:07PM0.98m | 11:35AM0.88m | 00:13AM0.99m | |||||||
— | 7:37 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 |
Feels °C | 7 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 6 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WNW 7 | W 9 | WSW 13 |
2096 | 1569 | 1512 | 1452 | 943 | 788 | 653 | 491 | 414 | 341 | 125 | 93 | 51 | 788 | 700 | 389 | 111 | 465 | 915 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NW 11 | N 11 | N 11 | N 11 | NNE 4 | W 19 | WSW 17 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 11 | — | — | W 6 | WSW 12 | — | NNW 6 |
— | — | — | 5 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 28 | 59 | 51 | 45 | 76 | — | — | 24 | 245 | — | 33 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 21 | W 20 | WSW 19 | N 10 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | WSW 14 | — | — | — | — | — | W 21 |
— | — | — | — | — | 9 | 32 | 36 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 133 | — | — | — | — | — | 35 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | — | — | SE 7 | — | — | — | WSW 4 | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | — | — | N 4 | NNW 4 | N 6 | NNW 6 | — |
382 | 488 | 319 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 9 | 211 | 165 | — | — | 9 | 22 | 191 | 98 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 244 | 108 | 178 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 96 | 11 | 215 | 0 | 0 | 108 | 108 | 149 | 108 | 108 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Taranaki | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Waiwakaiho Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Waiwakaiho provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Waiwakaiho can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Waiwakaiho 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 (Waiwakaiho) 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 Waiwakaiho 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 Waiwakaiho, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Taranaki, consider staying in New Plymouth which is 4 km (2 miles) away.










