Whangamata Bar Surf Break

Lat Long: 37.20° S 175.89° E

Whangamata Bar Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 07 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Whangamata Bar sea temperature is
15.0°C
0.5° 

Whangamata Bar surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Whangamata Bar surf forecast from 7 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 8s period, NNE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 8s period, NNE swell with 92 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 8s period with NNE swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Whangamata Bar this week:

The surf forecast for Whangamata Bar over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 4s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Whangamata Bar in the next 16 days are 0.8m 8s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 5s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 3AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9AM (Tue 8th Sep)2.5ft (0.8m) 8s
Best Surf 9AM (Tue 8th Sep)2.5ft (0.8m) 8s
Most Powerful 9AM (Tue 8th Sep)2.5ft (0.8m) 8s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whangamata Bar over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, but I’m not gonna lie – it’s a bit of a slow burner. The surf is small and inconsistent for most of the run, but there are a couple of windows where things could get interesting. The best bet by a long shot is the week three window, but we’ll get to that.

We start on Tuesday, the 8th of September. The swell is small, around 3ft from the NNE, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (107). It’s not big, but the wind is a light cross-off from the SSW, and the water temp is about average for the time of year. It’s clean, but frankly, it’s pretty ordinary. The afternoon goes glassy, but the swell drops to 2ft and the energy falls off (60). It’s a knee-high dribble, really.

From Wednesday the 9th through to the 22nd of September, it’s a real struggle. The swell is tiny, mostly under 2ft, and the energy is weak (ranging from 13 to 89). The wind is often cross or onshore, and even when it goes offshore, the waves are just too small to get excited about. There are a few days, like Thursday the 10th afternoon, with a 1ft swell from the NE and a 14-second period, giving it a long-period groundswell feel, but the energy is still weak (72) and the size is just not there. The 16th of September sees a pulse of 3ft from the NNW with a short 6-second period, but the wind is howling offshore at 25 mph, making it hard to paddle into and quite messy. The energy is moderate (117) but the quality is poor.

Then we hit the standout window. On Tuesday the 22nd of September, the swell starts to build properly. The morning sees 5ft from the NNE, with a 7-second period and the combined energy is strong (386). The wind is onshore from the east, which is a shame, but the size is there. The afternoon is similar, 5ft, energy 225.

But the real highlight is Wednesday the 23rd of September. This is the one to circle. The swell is 6ft from the NNE, with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is very strong (562). The wind is light onshore from the east, which is a bit of a bummer, but it’s still a solid, powerful swell. For intermediate surfers, this is a bit of a handful – over 5ft means it’s not for beginners. For the experienced crew, this is the best on offer. The water is still about average for the time of year. The break is Whangamata Bar, a beach/bar setup that can handle a bit of size. It’s inconsistent, so don’t expect non-stop waves, but when the sets come through, they’ll have some punch. Expect crowds to be possible.

So, the long and short of it: the first two weeks are mostly a write-off unless you’re happy with ankle-snappers. The big energy on the 23rd is the one to wait for. It’s still a week and a half away, so keep an eye on the forecasts, but it’s the most promising day in the whole run.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 8°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun morning, min 10°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu night, fresh winds from the WSW by Sat afternoon).

Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
Saturday
12
Sunday
13
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
N
7
0.8
NNE
8
0.6
NNE
8
0.5
NNE
7
0.2
ENE
15
0.3
NNE
6
0.4
NE
8
0.4
NE
7
0.4
NE
14
0.4
NE
13
0.4
NE
13
0.4
NE
13
0.4
NE
13
0.3
NE
13
0.4
NE
13
0.3
NE
13
0.2
ENE
13
0.3
NE
13
0.2
ENE
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
112
92
49
29
21
8
21
19
47
44
43
42
42
26
43
27
16
27
16
Wind (km/h)
20
SSE
10
SSW
5
SSW
10
SW
10
ESE
5
E
10
WSW
10
W
15
WNW
10
NW
10
SSE
20
SW
20
WSW
25
WSW
30
WSW
25
WSW
20
WSW
25
WSW
20
WSW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
cross-on
on
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
High Tide
3:16AM1.65m
3:57PM1.76m
4:21AM1.68m
4:58PM1.81m
5:22AM1.72m
5:53PM1.86m
6:18AM1.77m
6:44PM1.90m
7:10AM1.81m
7:32PM1.91m
7:58AM1.83m
8:18PM1.89m
Low Tide
9:09PM0.36m
9:34AM0.24m
10:15PM0.32m
10:37AM0.21m
11:16PM0.25m
11:36AM0.17m
00:13AM0.18m
12:31PM0.14m
1:04AM0.12m
1:22PM0.12m
1:52AM0.09m
2:10PM0.13m
2:37AM0.08m
light rain
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
clear
part cloud
cloud
light rain
light rain
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:28
6:26
6:24
6:22
6:20
6:20
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:00
6:00
6:01
6:02
6:04
6:05
 mm
1
4
2
Temp °C
12
14
15
10
12
12
11
15
15
12
11
10
12
15
15
11
16
16
11
Feels °C
8
11
13
8
10
10
10
12
12
10
9
6
8
9
9
5
11
10
6
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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