
Surf Forecasts:
West Shore Beach surf forecast from 28 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 28 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 13s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 13s period, ESE swell with 769 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 28 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 13s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for West Shore Beach this week:
The surf forecast for West Shore Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 13s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at West Shore Beach in the next 16 days are 1.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 10s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 02) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Tue 28th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for West Shore Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a pulse. The standout window is Tuesday morning, July 28th, at West Shore Beach. We’re looking at a clean 5 ft swell from the ESE, with a solid 13-second period. That’s groundswell energy, and it’s packing a punch with a combined energy reading of 745, which is moderate. The wind is a light cross-offshore breeze, so the face is going to be clean. The water is sitting at 54°, which is a bit colder than usual for this time of year—about 2° off the mark, so you’ll want a good hood and gloves. This is a beginner-friendly spot, and it’s fairly consistent, but it does get crowded often, so get there early. The morning is where it’s at; the afternoon turns marginal.
Wednesday morning, July 29th, is another solid look. The swell drops a touch to 4 ft, still from the ESE with a 13-second period, but the wind goes glassy out of the WNW. That’s about as good as it gets for clean conditions. Combined energy is still moderate at 514. It’s a little smaller, but for a beginner break, that’s still a fun wave.
After that, the week pulls back. Thursday morning, July 30th, has a cleaner 3 ft ESE swell, but the energy drops to 287. It’s surfable, but nothing special. From Friday, July 31st, through the weekend and into the start of the next week, we hit a flat spell. The swell drops to under 3 ft, with combined energy falling into the double digits. The wind is mostly offshore or cross-off, but there’s just not enough push to get excited about. This is a several-day gap with no real recommendations.
There’s a flicker of hope on Saturday, August 8th, in the afternoon. We see a 3 ft SE swell clocking in at 12 seconds, with a combined energy of 272 and clean cross-offshore winds. It’s a long way out, so keep an eye on it. The run from August 9th onward is a write-off—strong winds, lumpy conditions, and tiny swell. The combined energy plummets to under 100.
Overall, the first two days are your best bet. After that, it’s a waiting game.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu morning, min 6°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri morning, min 4°C on Sat night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | E 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | SE 16 | SE 16 | SE 8 | SE 10 | SE 13 | SE 10 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
745 | 769 | 653 | 514 | 467 | 425 | 279 | 209 | 161 | 123 | 119 | 61 | 38 | 38 | 69 | 85 | 26 | 216 | 169 | 108 | 116 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:48PM1.53m | 5:04AM1.41m | 5:32PM1.53m | 5:51AM1.40m | 6:17PM1.53m | 6:38AM1.42m | 7:01PM1.55m | 7:25AM1.45m | 7:45PM1.56m | 8:09AM1.49m | 8:29PM1.59m | 8:52AM1.53m | 9:14PM1.61m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:35AM0.43m | 11:03PM0.44m | 11:19AM0.39m | 11:48PM0.39m | 12:00PM0.35m | 00:33AM0.34m | 12:42PM0.31m | 1:18AM0.30m | 1:25PM0.29m | 2:02AM0.27m | 2:10PM0.27m | 2:45AM0.25m | 2:57PM0.27m | ||||||||
7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | |
— | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 9 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 9 |
Feels °C | 6 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | E 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | ESE 10 | SE 16 | SE 8 | SE 10 | SE 13 | SE 10 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 |
745 | 769 | 653 | 514 | 467 | 425 | 279 | 209 | 161 | 123 | 119 | 61 | 36 | 38 | 69 | 85 | 26 | 216 | 169 | 108 | 116 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SSW 10 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | S 7 | S 19 | S 18 | — | NE 6 | NE 4 | SE 15 | ESE 15 | SE 16 | E 10 | SE 14 | SE 13 | SSE 14 | SE 13 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | E 13 |
26 | 10 | 22 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 6 | — | 1 | 7 | 36 | 21 | 38 | 19 | 50 | 45 | 20 | 46 | 25 | 15 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | S 10 | S 9 | — | S 18 | S 16 | SE 16 | S 12 | E 18 | E 18 | E 17 | E 10 | SSE 14 | E 15 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | — |
— | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | 6 | 20 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 20 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 3 | N 3 | NE 4 | N 4 | — | NNW 3 | — | S 8 | — | — | SSE 10 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | — | 1 | — | 82 | — | — | 179 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 22 | 2 | 2 | 44 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 214 | 169 | 4 | 13 | 2 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Hawkes Bay | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the West Shore Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for West Shore Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at West Shore Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our West Shore 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 (West Shore 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 West Shore 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.
West Shore Beach is 9 km (6 miles) from the city of Napier. If you plan a holiday in Hawkes Bay, look for hotels and other accommodation in Napier. Napier has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










