Whakatane Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let's have a look at what's on the cards for our corner of the coast, starting right now.

Alright, so we’ve got a bit of a mixed bag coming up over the next couple of weeks. For the first few days, honestly, it’s pretty grim. We’re looking at a real flat spell with some funky winds to start. The good news is things start to wake up around Tuesday the 8th, and then there’s a bigger pulse trying to push in later on, around the 21st of September, but that one’s a long way off.

For the standout, I’d have to point you towards Tuesday morning, September the 8th, at Whakatane Heads (New Zealand). We get a solid 5ft swell from the North with a 9-second period, and the wind is a clean offshore from the SSW at 12 mph. That’s the kind of combo that’ll have the place looking proper. The combined energy is moderate at 382, so there’s a bit of push behind it. This is an advanced spot, so it’ll be a bit chunky, and you can expect crowds to show up sometimes. The water temp is sitting at 57°F, which is pretty average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

The Tuesday afternoon session is still good, with 4ft from the NNW and lighter offshore winds, making for a clean drop. That’s your next best bet.

Now, after Tuesday the 8th, it fades out fast. Wednesday the 9th drops to a tiny 2ft, and from there we hit a proper dry spell. We’re talking from Wednesday the 9th all the way through to Friday the 18th of September where there’s nothing really worth paddling out for. A few tiny pulses here and there, but the winds are messy or onshore, and the swell just doesn’t have any grunt. There’s a bit of a spike on the 16th and 17th with some 6ft swell from the NW, but the wind is cross or cross-off with a fresh breeze, making it a choppy, lumpy mess. It’s only for the keeners or the kites.

Then we get to the far end of the outlook, around Monday the 21st of September. Now, this one has potential, but it’s a long-range call. We’re looking at a 7ft to 8ft swell from the North, with a period stretching out to 12 seconds on the afternoon session. That’s a proper groundswell. The combined energy on the Monday morning is strong at 613, and the afternoon absolutely pumps at 1652, which is very strong energy. The problem is the wind is forecast to be a fresh cross-shore, which will put a nasty chop on it. For an exposed spot like Whakatane Heads, that long-period groundswell needs clean conditions to really shine, and right now it’s looking lumpy. It’s one to keep an eye on for sure, but don’t book the day off work just yet.

So, the call is clear: get on it Tuesday the 8th of September for the best clean waves, and keep a loose eye on the 21st for a possible big, but messy, groundswell.

Rusty.

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