Whakatane Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with ya – it’s a tough run for the next couple of weeks. The forecast for Whakatane Heads is looking pretty grim for most of the period, with a long stretch of nothing really worth paddling out for.

Right now, and for the first few days, we’re staring at a flat spell. The first recommendation doesn’t pop up until the morning of Monday the 24th of August, and even then it’s barely a whisper. That’s a solid couple of days of nothing from the get-go.

Monday morning the 24th, we get a tiny bit of life with a 3 ft swell from the northwest, but it’s wrapped in a clean cross-offshore breeze. The combined wave energy is weak at 70, so don’t expect much push. It’s surfable, but mate, it’s very ordinary. The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The next real chance comes on Sunday the 30th of August. The morning sees a 5 ft swell from the north, with the combined energy jumping to 269 – that’s moderate energy, finally some life. But the wind is a cross-onshore from the WNW at 12 mph, making it choppy. This is a beach and reef setup, and with that wind and moderate swell, it’s honestly looking more interesting for kite surfing than a clean paddle session. The afternoon drops to 4 ft, still cross-onshore, still choppy.

Then we get a glimmer on Monday the 31st of August. The morning is clean, with a light cross-offshore breeze from the SW at 3 mph, and a 3 ft swell from the northeast. The combined energy is moderate at 184. The swell direction is from the NE, which is close to the optimum direction of NNE, so it’s lined up well. The water is still around 57°, no anomaly. This is the best on offer in the whole outlook – small, clean, and lined up. But it’s still small, so don’t expect bombs.

The final standout worth mentioning is Thursday the 3rd of September. A gentle offshore wind from the south at 9 mph, with a 2 ft NE swell. The energy is weak at 87, but it’s clean and glassy. It’s a long wait for a tiny window, but if you’re desperate, that’s your best bet for a clean, small wave.

The whole period is a bust for bigger surf. The crowds are listed as “sometimes,” but with conditions this poor, you won’t be fighting for waves.

Stay patient, mate. The forecast can always change.

Rusty.

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