Surf Forecasts:
Whakatane Heads surf forecast from 7 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 8s period, NNW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 6AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 8s period, NNW swell with 290 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 8s period with NNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Whakatane Heads this week:
The surf forecast for Whakatane Heads over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 16s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Whakatane Heads in the next 16 days are 1.4m 8s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 13) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whakatane Heads over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s break it down. For the next couple of weeks, Whakatane Heads is mostly a flat spell with a few clean windows that might just save your week. The early days are a washout, but there’s a couple of sessions worth setting the alarm for.
The first real chance comes in on Tuesday, September 8th. Tuesday morning we’ve got a 4ft swell from the NNW, with a 9-second period pushing in from the exposed direction. The wind is offshore from the SSW at 15 km/h, keeping things clean. The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is about average for this time of year. The combined energy is moderate at 268. It’s not massive, but it’s clean and rideable for the advanced crew. That morning session is your best bet early on.
After that, it drops away fast. Wednesday the 9th is tiny, with 2ft and glassy conditions in the morning but no real push. The rest of the week into the weekend is small and messy, with weak energy readings mostly under 80 and a lot of onshore or cross-shore wind. There’s a long gap of really poor surf from Wednesday the 9th right through to the end of the following week.
The next standout is a long way off. On Sunday, September 20th, the morning looks promising. We’ve got a 4ft NNE swell with an 8-second period, but the wind is glassy out of the SW at 5 km/h. That’s about as clean as it gets. The combined energy sits at 217, moderate but not overwhelming. The waves should be clean and lined up for those who are patient. It’s a standout in an otherwise flat period.
The following Tuesday, September 22nd, also has some potential in the morning. A 4ft ENE swell with a 12-second period gives the waves a bit more shape and energy, with the combined energy climbing to 393. The wind is light cross-off from the W at 10 km/h, keeping the surface tidy. It’s a quality option but it’s the second week out, so keep your expectations in check.
Overall, the best of the 16-day window is Sunday morning, September 20th, at Whakatane Heads. Glassy, clean, chest-high swell, and the sort of conditions that make you want to be out there early. The other windows are short-lived and not worth getting excited about.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon afternoon, min 6°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun morning, min 5°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | ||||||||||||||
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) | NNW 8 | N 8 | NNW 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | NNE 15 | NE 8 | NE 14 | NE 14 | NE 12 | NE 9 | NE 13 | NNE 12 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 12 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 520 | 349 | 258 | 173 | 74 | 36 | 22 | 16 | 29 | 47 | 24 | 29 | 44 | 30 | 43 | 44 | 44 | 26 | 26 | 24 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | off | off | cross-off | off | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:10AM1.70m | 4:03PM1.80m | 4:17AM1.70m | 5:03PM1.86m | 5:20AM1.71m | 5:57PM1.90m | 6:18AM1.75m | 6:46PM1.90m | 7:12AM1.79m | 7:33PM1.87m | 8:01AM1.82m | 8:20PM1.83m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:22PM0.46m | 9:43AM0.33m | 10:25PM0.43m | 10:45AM0.30m | 11:27PM0.37m | 11:42AM0.28m | 00:24AM0.31m | 12:37PM0.26m | 1:17AM0.24m | 1:31PM0.25m | 2:06AM0.20m | 2:22PM0.24m | 2:52AM0.18m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  | |  |  | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — |
 | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — |
mm | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 17 | 17 | 11 |
Feels °C | 15 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 8 | N 8 | NNW 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | NNE 6 | NNE 4 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NNW 5 | NE 9 | N 5 | N 5 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NW 6 |
| kJ | 520 | 349 | 258 | 173 | 74 | 36 | 17 | 6 | 25 | 16 | 9 | 29 | 7 | 12 | 43 | 44 | 44 | 26 | 26 | 5 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 16 | NE 16 | NE 17 | NE 7 | NNE 15 | NNW 7 | NE 8 | NE 14 | NE 14 | NE 12 | NNW 4 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | WNW 6 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 12 |
| kJ | — | 5 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 22 | 9 | 16 | 29 | 47 | 24 | 4 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 24 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | NE 16 | — | NNE 15 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NW 6 | ENE 8 | NE 12 | NE 13 | NNE 12 | N 5 | N 6 | ENE 8 | N 7 | N 15 | N 14 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | 22 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 23 | 44 | 30 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 16 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 3 | SSW 3 | — | SE 3 | — | NE 3 | — | — | WNW 2 | — | — | N 5 | — | SSW 3 | — | W 4 | W 4 | WNW 5 | W 4 |
| kJ | — | 8 | 2 | — | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 11 | — | 1 | — | 15 | 21 | 9 | 20 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 131 | 61 | 5 | 54 | 54 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 61 | 0 | 119 | 131 | 47 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Bay of Plenty | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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 16 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.
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