Surf Forecasts:
Waiwakaiho surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 18 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 16s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 19 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 15s period, WSW swell with 7,840 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 15 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 14s 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 Tuesday (Sep 15) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Waiwakaiho in the next 16 days are 4.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 19) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Sat 19th Sep) | 13ft (4.0m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Waiwakaiho over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab your wettie, let's have a look at what's on offer here at Waiwakaiho.
Alright, the first week is a mixed bag, but hold on for a couple of real standouts. The pattern starts off a bit ordinary, but we’ve got some absolute gems later on.
Tuesday morning (15th Sept) kicks things off with a clean, glassy 6 ft WSW groundswell. The energy is pumping at (1301) and with that light 3 mph glassy wind, it's going to be smooth. That's a nice little window. The afternoon turns to rubbish with a cross-on wind though.
Wednesday (16th) is not worth your time with onshore winds and soft, messy surf.
Thursday (17th) gets blown out by strong onshore winds, and that 7 ft swell is just getting thrashed. Leave it.
Now, here we go. Friday morning (18th September) . This is your call. The wind goes light offshore from the south, cleaning up a solid 6 ft WSW groundswell with a super long 16-second period. The combined swell energy is strong at (2392), and it’s excellent for experienced surfers. This is the best the first week has to offer—proper lines with no crowd hassle yet.
Friday afternoon gets messy and too big. Saturday and Sunday are all blown out or too lumpy with that big swell.
Monday (21st) is just choppy and poor.
Now let’s talk about the second week. Wednesday morning (23rd September) is a serious standout, but it's a long way off. The forecast shows an exceptional 15 ft WSW swell (13 second period) with a clean offshore SSE breeze (16 mph). The energy is massive (11013) and it’s for experts only—that size is not for beginners. This is massive, powerful, and clean, but only if you've got the nerve.
Friday morning (25th September) brings a nice reset. Clean 8 ft swell with light offshore winds (9 mph). Clean and user-friendly again.
Saturday morning (26th September) is another beaut for the less experienced: a glassy 4 ft groundswell with zero wind. Perfect for a longboard or a funboard.
The swell gets big again late in the month, but the wind is onshore or side-onshore, so expect a lot of chop.
No water temperature data is in the file for me to chat about, so I’ll leave that out.
Keep your eyes on Friday the 18th for the first real highlight, and if you're experienced, Wednesday the 23rd is a promise of something special. The swell direction is right out of the optimum for Waiwakaiho, so the banks should be working. Crowds are only sometimes an issue, so you might get a peak to yourself.
Stay stoked,
Rusty
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Thu morning. Very mild (max 13°C on Tue morning, min 9°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, fresh winds from the SW by Thu afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat morning, min 9°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the S on Fri morning, strong winds from the SW by Sun morning). | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | ||||||||||||||
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 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 13 | W 12 | W 10 | WSW 14 | WSW 10 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 10 | WSW 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1647 | 1301 | 732 | 390 | 299 | 245 | 617 | 761 | 1038 | 1589 | 1591 | 4959 | 7840 | 1787 | 1447 | 6066 | 2786 | 3449 | 1567 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 11:42PM3.09m | 12:03PM3.01m | 00:17AM2.90m | 12:40PM2.84m | 00:55AM2.69m | 1:20PM2.64m | 1:38AM2.47m | 2:08PM2.44m | 2:31AM2.28m | 3:12PM2.29m | 3:45AM2.15m | 4:36PM2.23m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:58AM0.19m | 6:17PM0.35m | 6:34AM0.39m | 6:56PM0.56m | 7:13AM0.60m | 7:39PM0.78m | 7:58AM0.81m | 8:32PM0.98m | 8:56AM0.99m | 9:41PM1.11m | 10:11AM1.07m | 11:03PM1.12m | |||||||
 |  | | | | |  |  | |  |  | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — |
 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 3 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 |
Feels °C | 8 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 13 | W 12 | W 10 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 9 | — | — | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | — | — | — | WSW 14 |
| kJ | 1647 | 1301 | 732 | 390 | 299 | 245 | 617 | 761 | 1038 | 825 | 778 | — | — | 1413 | 1374 | — | — | — | 1206 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | WSW 6 | W 18 | — | WSW 14 | — | NNW 8 | WSW 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 53 | 6 | — | 577 | — | 64 | 1591 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | WSW 7 | WSW 7 | — | W 5 | — | N 5 | W 8 | WSW 10 | — | WSW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 10 | WSW 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 |
| kJ | — | — | 88 | 105 | — | 37 | — | 70 | 551 | 1589 | — | 4959 | 7840 | 1787 | 1447 | 6066 | 2786 | 3449 | 1567 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 264 | 108 | 108 | 257 | 108 | 108 | 247 | 61 | 0 | 239 | 178 | 215 | 244 | 247 | 247 | 178 | 11 |
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.
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