Surf Forecasts:
West Shore Beach surf forecast from 12 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 15s period, SE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 15s period, SE swell with 465 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 13 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 9s period with SE 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 Thursday (Aug 13) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 5s. Another secondary swell of 0.9m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at West Shore Beach in the next 16 days are 1.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 9s period and expected on Monday (Aug 17) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 9AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for West Shore Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s happening over the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, it’s a flat and quiet stretch ahead. The first real chance for a surf comes on Wednesday morning, August 12th, but don't get your hopes up too high.
Wednesday morning, August 12th, at West Shore Beach, we’ve got tiny 2 ft swell from the SE with a short 8-second period. The combined energy is weak, only 55, so there’s hardly any push. The water is a bit colder than normal at 53°F, which is a degree or so off the usual for this time of year. The wind is glassy from the NNE at 3 mph, so conditions are clean, but it's really only rideable for a beginner on a foamie. It’s surfable but very ordinary.
After that, the whole forecast goes quiet. There are no standout days, no real size, and the wind is mostly cross-onshore or straight onshore for the afternoons. Thursday the 13th and Friday the 14th are also poor, with small, weak swell and messy conditions. Saturday morning the 15th sees a slight bump to 4 ft from the east with clean cross-offshore winds, but the swell period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s choppy and weak, with combined energy at 151 (moderate), but the surf is still just "surfable but very ordinary".
Sunday the 16th and Monday the 17th have consistent offshore winds from the SSW, which is great for clean faces, but the swell stays tiny – around 2 ft to 3 ft – with hardly any energy. This is really only worth it if you’re desperate for a longboard or a summer funboard.
From Tuesday the 18th right through to the end of the outlook on August 27th, the swell drops to 0.6 ft to 1 ft, with periods that are sometimes long (12-15 seconds) but the size is just too small to break properly. The combined energy values are all under 100 – mostly between 12 and 98 – so the ocean is basically asleep.
The best of a poor bunch is probably Saturday morning, August 15th. That 4 ft east swell with clean cross-offshore winds gives you the most size and cleanest conditions, but it’s still small and short-period.
Bottom line: If you’ve got a longboard and low expectations, the early mornings from Wednesday the 12th through to Monday the 17th might just give you a few ankle-biters. After that, save your wax and wait for better days. Forecasts can change, so don’t write it off completely.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Fri night. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri morning, min 9°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat afternoon, min 4°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Sat afternoon, fresh winds from the SSW by Sat night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | ENE 6 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 119 | 117 | 53 | 35 | 150 | 66 | 73 | 192 | 181 | 148 | 160 | 120 | 101 | 181 | 216 | 307 | 281 | 294 | 279 | 81 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:51PM1.84m | 5:21AM1.69m | 5:49PM1.85m | 6:19AM1.70m | 6:44PM1.85m | 7:14AM1.71m | 7:36PM1.82m | 8:06AM1.73m | 8:26PM1.79m | 8:55AM1.74m | 9:16PM1.74m | 9:41AM1.73m | 10:05PM1.69m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:13PM0.09m | 11:34AM0.04m | 00:11AM0.07m | 12:27PM0.03m | 1:06AM0.07m | 1:19PM0.06m | 1:57AM0.09m | 2:12PM0.11m | 2:46AM0.14m | 3:04PM0.18m | 3:34AM0.20m | 3:56PM0.26m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  | |  | |  | |  | | | | |  | | |  | |
 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — |
 | 5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — |
mm | — | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 10 | 1 | — | 5 | 5 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 8 |
Feels °C | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | ENE 6 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | ESE 8 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 11 |
| kJ | 119 | 117 | 53 | 35 | 80 | 66 | 73 | 113 | 181 | 148 | 160 | 120 | 101 | 165 | 216 | 307 | 281 | 294 | 279 | 157 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | SE 13 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 14 | ESE 13 | SE 8 | ESE 10 | — | SSE 7 | ENE 9 | SE 10 | ESE 9 | E 8 | E 11 | E 9 | — | SE 9 |
| kJ | 40 | 17 | 13 | 7 | 17 | 15 | 20 | 17 | 3 | 30 | — | 30 | 68 | 181 | 123 | 43 | 39 | 14 | — | 81 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 11 | S 21 | SE 13 | S 9 | SE 13 | ESE 14 | SE 9 | S 15 | S 19 | ESE 13 | S 17 | S 20 | ESE 12 | S 19 | S 19 | S 19 | SSW 14 | — | — | E 11 |
| kJ | 2 | 8 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 19 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 23 | 7 | 15 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 158 | — | — | 20 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 4 | NE 4 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | — | — | E 7 | — | — | — | S 4 | SSE 9 | SSW 4 | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | — | SW 2 | SSW 4 | SW 3 |
| kJ | 14 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 150 | — | — | 192 | — | — | — | 13 | 232 | 7 | 8 | 4 | — | 1 | 7 | 3 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 92 | 13 | 20 | 37 | 13 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 167 | 225 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 227 | 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.
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