Whakatane Heads surf break

Whakatane Heads surfForecast / Bay of Plenty / New Zealand

information circle12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 12 pm Friday 26 Dec 2025 NZDT
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Whakatane Heads surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Whakatane Heads sea temperature is
20.1° C
(Which is 1.2°C warmer than normal for this time of year)


Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Whakatane Heads this week:

The surf forecast for Whakatane Heads over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Dec 27) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Whakatane Heads in the next 12 days are 3.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Dec 30) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Monday (Dec 29) at 4PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7AM (Sat 27th Dec)5ft (1.6m) 7s
Best Surf 1AM (Tue 30th Dec)8ft (2.5m) 10s
Most Powerful 1PM (Tue 30th Dec)11ft (3.5m) 9s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whakatane Heads over the next 12 days.

Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast Moderate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Fri night. Warm (max 21°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Heavy rain (total 51mm), heaviest during Tue morning. Warm (max 21°C on Wed afternoon, min 15°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SE on Mon afternoon, calm by Tue night).

Friday
26
Saturday
27
Sunday
28
Monday
29
Tuesday
30
Wednesday
31
Thursday
01
AMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
4
3
2
3
0
0
0
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
0.5
NNE
1.1
N
1.7
NNW
1.5
N
0.9
NNW
1.1
N
1
N
0.9
NNE
1.1
NE
1.5
ENE
1.7
NE
2.5
NNE
2.5
NNE
3
NNE
2.5
NNE
2.3
NNE
2.2
N
1.7
NNE
1.2
NNW
1.4
NNW
1.1
NNW
Period(s) (?)146677777688101099998886
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)10594212246911249477852643731367127315911090808766389171215104
Wind
(km/h)
10
NNW
20
N
15
NW
10
W
15
N
10
W
5
S
10
NNE
20
SE
35
SE
35
SE
20
SSE
20
SE
15
ENE
5
N
20
NE
20
NNE
25
N
15
NW
15
N
5
SW
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
cross-
on
oncross-
on
crossoncrossglassoncross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
offcross-
off
cross-
on
oncross-
on
cross-
on
oncross-
on
oncross-
off
High Tide
/ height (m)
12:09PM
1.81
12:11AM
1.68
12:51PM
1.81
1:02AM
1.67
1:36PM
1.81
1:58AM
1.69
2:23PM
1.82
2:55AM
1.74
3:17PM
1.82
3:55AM
1.79
4:18PM
1.84
5:00AM
1.85
5:22PM
1.86
Low Tide
/ height (m)
6:36PM
0.41
6:38AM
0.37
7:23PM
0.37
7:26AM
0.42
8:10PM
0.34
8:21AM
0.47
9:00PM
0.33
9:21AM
0.50
9:54PM
0.35
10:25AM
0.50
10:55PM
0.36
11:28AM
0.48
11:57PM
0.36
Friday
26
Saturday
27
Sunday
28
Monday
29
Tuesday
30
Wednesday
31
Thursday
01
Sunrise5:48--5:48--5:48--5:50--5:50--5:50--5:52--
Sunset-8:35--8:36--8:36--8:36--8:37--8:37--8:37-
clear
part cloud
heavy rain
cloud
light rain
rain showers
clear
cloud
light rain
mod rain
light rain
light rain
heavy rain
thunderstorm
rain showers
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
part cloud
clear
Rain (mm)
--11-11--36141773445---
Temp. °C212119191916201918182018202018202119212219
Feels °C (?)201919171715181715121415172119192018202221
  • 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

Latest Updates

submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Whakatane Heads:

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 Whakatane Heads 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.


false

Information about the Whakatane Heads Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Whakatane Heads provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at Whakatane Heads can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Whakatane Heads 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 (Whakatane Heads) 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 Whakatane Heads 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 Bay of Plenty? If you are looking for accommodation near Whakatane Heads, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Bay of Plenty, consider staying in Whakatane which is 2 km (1 miles) away. Other places in and around Bay of Plenty where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Rotorua which is 70 km (43 miles) away and Tauranga, 79 km (49 miles) away.

Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest