Whangamata Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for the next couple of weeks.

To be honest, it’s a quiet stretch ahead at Whangamata Bar. The wave energy is weak for the most part, with the combined energy sitting between 3 and 187 (weak to low-moderate) for the entire run. We’ve got a long gap of poor conditions right through from Monday afternoon of the 17th all the way to the end of the month. Short period swells, small heights, and a mix of cross-off, glass, and offshore winds will keep the water clean, but the lack of size means there’s nothing really worth paddling out for.

The one true standout, and it’s a long way off, lands on Saturday the 29th of August. That morning we see a jump to 5 ft swell from the north, with a period of 8 seconds and combined energy of 309 (moderate). The wind is cross-shore from the south at 6 mph, which is light, so it’ll be a bit bumpy but workable. This is more of a hopeful look for experienced surfers—size is borderline for beginners, and the northerly swell isn’t quite the optimum NE direction for the bar, but it’s the best we’ll see. The water temperature is 60°, which is 1° above the long-term average—pretty normal for this time of year.

Later that same Saturday afternoon, the swell drops to 4 ft from the north-northeast, but it goes glassy with a light easterly breeze. That’ll be clean, but the energy drops to 202 (moderate) and the period stays short at 8 seconds. It’s very ordinary, but the best of a very flat run.

After that, Sunday the 30th and Monday the 31st slip back into tiny, weak surf with onshore winds, so nothing to get excited about.

So, if you’re desperate, circle Saturday the 29th of August. Everything else is a flat, clean, but ultimately forgettable stretch. Keep an eye on the forecast—it might improve, but right now, it’s a wait-and-see kind of situation.

Rusty.

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