
Surf Forecasts:
Whangamata Bar surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 7s period, NNW swell with 114 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Whangamata Bar this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Whangamata Bar in the next 16 days are 1.1m 7s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 5s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whangamata Bar over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s look at what’s coming up for the next couple of weeks at Whangamata Bar.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – we’ve got a long stretch of time ahead with nothing to get excited about. Honestly, it’s a bit of a bummer. From now right through to the end of July, the swell is tiny and the conditions are just "poor surf conditions" across the board. We’re talking about a solid 12 days of flat or near-flat waves. That’s a big gap. The only thing moving is a weak, short-period windswell that’s barely breaking the 2 ft mark, with wave energy sitting in the low double digits (15 to 31). You’d be better off doing something else.
The water temperature is sitting at 59°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Now, the wait might be worth it if you’re a patient soul. The real action, if you can call it that, kicks off on Saturday, August 1st. The wind finally turns offshore from the West, cleaning things up noticeably. The morning swell jumps to 6 ft (moderate energy of 389), and while it’s still a bit raw for a beginner, it’s a massive step up. The real standout is the Saturday afternoon session. The swell pushes up to 7 ft (strong energy of 605), with a clean, moderate offshore breeze from the West. The period is a short 7 seconds, so it’s a windswell, not a groundswell, but when it’s this clean and the wave energy is that high, you’ll get some fun, punchy walls. That afternoon is the pick of the entire 16-day window. It’s too big for learners, but for the experienced crew, that’s your window.
The next day, Sunday the 2nd, drops right back off to 2 ft and weak energy, so that Saturday is definitely your one-shot deal.
So, to sum it up: a long flat spell, then one solid, clean afternoon on Saturday, August 1st at Whangamata Bar. Don’t bother with the rest.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun afternoon, min 8°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed afternoon, min 8°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu morning, fresh winds from the WSW by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 4 | ENE 6 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | NE 5 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | E 7 | N 6 | N 7 | N 7 | NNW 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
13 | 14 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 40 | 26 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 18 | 17 | 8 | 33 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 10:25AM1.79m | 10:49PM1.91m | 11:17AM1.74m | 11:38PM1.82m | 12:09PM1.68m | 00:27AM1.72m | 1:01PM1.62m | 1:16AM1.63m | 1:54PM1.57m | 2:06AM1.56m | 2:47PM1.54m | 2:58AM1.52m | 3:39PM1.53m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:36PM0.11m | 5:11AM0.12m | 5:26PM0.21m | 5:59AM0.18m | 6:16PM0.30m | 6:47AM0.25m | 7:06PM0.40m | 7:35AM0.32m | 7:57PM0.47m | 8:24AM0.37m | 8:50PM0.52m | 9:14AM0.41m | 9:43PM0.55m | ||||||||
7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | |
— | 5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:21 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | 18 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | 1 | 6 |
Temp °C | 14 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 10 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | ENE 6 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | NE 5 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | N 7 | N 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | E 7 | N 6 | N 7 | N 7 | E 9 |
13 | 14 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 40 | 26 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 18 | 17 | 8 | 6 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | E 12 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | N 8 | N 8 | — | E 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | — | E 7 | E 9 | E 8 | NE 8 |
2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 8 | N 8 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | E 11 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 10 | E 11 | — | — | — | E 6 | E 10 | E 17 |
— | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 6 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 2 | SW 2 | — | E 3 | E 4 | — | SSE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 5 | SW 2 | — | — | NNW 6 |
1 | 1 | — | 2 | 10 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 2 | — | — | 33 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 154 | 154 | 107 | 107 | 107 | 107 | 107 | 129 | 125 | 216 | 216 | 116 | 107 | 237 | 237 | 237 | 154 | 195 | 246 | 237 | 547 |
Best forecast wave conditions in The Coromandel | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Whangamata Bar Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Whangamata Bar provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Whangamata Bar can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Whangamata Bar 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 (Whangamata Bar) 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 Whangamata Bar 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.
Whangamata Bar is 59 km (37 miles) from the city of Tauranga. If you plan a holiday in The Coromandel, look for hotels and other accommodation in Tauranga. Tauranga has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










