Whangamata Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what the next couple of weeks are looking like for the surf.

We got a real mixed bag ahead – a few windows where it’s worth paddling out, but a lot of days where you’re better off staying on the beach with a coffee. The swell never gets massive, so you won’t see any real heavy stuff, but the wind is going to be the main player. Starting off this Saturday morning, July 4th.

Saturday morning at Whangamata Bar is not where you wanna be. There’s a 4ft east swell with a 12-second period and moderate wave energy (487), but the wind is coming out of the NE at 3 mph, and it’s cross-onshore with light ripples on the surface. It’s messy. Not a great way to start the weekend, but stick with me.

Sunday morning, July 5th, is the one to aim for. The wind drops to almost nothing out of the WNW, and it’s glassy. That 3ft east swell with a 10-second period is going to look nice and clean. It’s not a big day, but when it’s glassy at a beach/bar break, that’s your best shot at some fun waves. The conditions are described as “expect good surf conditions.”

Monday morning, July 6th, sees a slight bump to 5ft from the NNE, but the period crashes to 7 seconds – that’s short-period windswell, not much push behind it. The wind is cross-off from the NNW, so it’ll be clean, but it’s still marginal. Monday afternoon drops to 3ft from the east with an 11-second period, and it’s clean again – might be worth a look if you’re flexible.

Now, from Tuesday morning, July 7th, things get ugly. Onshore winds at 19 mph from the ENE with rain – that’s just nasty. The wind keeps blowing all week, and while the 9th and 10th have some cross-off winds, the swell is tiny – 3ft to 4ft – and energy levels drop from 263 to 93. That’s weak.

We hit a long stretch here with no good recommendations until the middle of the second week. The 11th through the 13th are mostly flat or super small with crap winds. Combined energy drops into double digits – the ocean is basically asleep.

The window you want to mark is Tuesday morning, July 14th. It’s dead calm and glassy, with a 4ft swell from the ENE and a short 6-second period. The energy is only 166, but the glassy conditions mean it’ll be rideable. That’s a small, clean session for a beginner or anyone wanting to get wet without a fight.

That said, the standout across the whole 16 days is Sunday morning, July 5th. 3ft east swell, 10-second period, and glassy conditions with “expect good surf conditions” in the notes. That’s your session. Get out there early because it doesn’t get much better than that in this stretch.

The rest of the period is pretty barren for surf. From the 7th through the 19th, it’s either too windy or too small. Whangamata Bar is an inconsistent spot anyway, so these quiet stretches aren’t a surprise, but when it cleans up, it’s a gem.

Keep your eyes on the forecast – things might shift – but as it stands, Sunday morning is the call.

Rusty, signing off.

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