Surf Forecasts:
Whangamata Beach surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 17 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 9s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 17 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 6s period, ESE swell with 184 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 3PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 9s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Whangamata Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Whangamata Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 17) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Whangamata Beach in the next 16 days are 1.6m 6s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 17) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 5s period and expected on Monday (Aug 17) at 3PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whangamata Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, with a look at the local surf for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, it’s quiet. We’re looking at a solid week of flat to tiny, messy conditions starting now, with nothing worth paddling out for until Monday the 24th. It’s a long stretch of poor surf, but that’s the hand we’ve been dealt for now.
The only spot on the radar is Whangamata Beach. It’s a pretty consistent break, and it’s exposed to swell, but the problem is the direction. The optimum swell direction is from the NE, but for the first week, we’ve got small, weak, short-period SE and E swells coming through. Combined wave energy is mostly in the double digits – as low as 12 – so there’s just no power.
Things start to shift on Monday the 24th. The morning looks *glassy*, with an offshore flow from the WSW and light airs. A little bump of 3ft from the NNW creeps in, but with only 6 seconds of period, it’s going to be weak and wonky. Still, it’s the first clean-looking window in a while. The afternoon gets some size, up to 5ft from the NNW, and the energy jumps to 301, which is moderate. But the wind swings cross-shore, and for a beach break like this, that’s not doing us any favors. This is more of a “maybe get wet for a paddle” than a good surf.
Monday the 24th morning is the best of a bad bunch early on, just because of the glassy conditions.
Now, hold on to your boards, because the real story is the tail end of the forecast. The standout windows are a long way off, but they look special.
On Thursday the 28th of August, Friday morning for you, we’ve got a glassy start with no wind at all. A 6ft swell from the ENE comes in with a combined energy of 468 – that’s moderate to strong – and 8-second period. It’s a bit dumpy for a beach break, and with that size, it’s getting into intermediate territory. The crowd factor here is “sometimes,” so you might have company. The quality score for this window is the highest we see until the real punch lands.
But the real gold is Saturday the 29th of August. This is the best on offer. The morning is glassy again, and we’ve got a solid 10ft swell from the E, with a very long period of 12 seconds, pushing the combined energy to a massive 3484. This is serious, long-period groundswell. At this size, it’s expert territory – too big for beginners. The period is long, so the sets will be well-spaced and powerful, which can make paddling out easier between waves. The afternoon cleans up with a light offshore wind from the WSW, dropping to 6ft but still a strong 12-second period and energy of 1517. This is where you want to be if you’ve got the skills.
For kite surfers, the days with that significant ENE swell on Thursday the 28th and the big Saturday the 29th, combined with the onshore winds on Friday and the sizeable waves, would be a great setup. For paddling, it’s all about Saturday.
So, the summary: a long flat spell until the 24th, then a few ordinary days, a promising but not perfect window on the 28th, and one absolute standout day for experienced surfers on Saturday the 29th of August.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 13°C on Mon afternoon, min 4°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Sun night, light winds from the S by Mon afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Sat afternoon, min 8°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SE 6 | SE 6 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 6 | E 13 | E 13 | NE 14 | NNW 5 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
108 | 102 | 83 | 92 | 62 | 44 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 26 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 8 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:32PM1.93m | 9:59AM1.80m | 10:18PM1.86m | 10:46AM1.75m | 11:03PM1.77m | 11:34AM1.69m | 11:49PM1.68m | 12:22PM1.62m | 00:36AM1.59m | 1:12PM1.56m | 1:26AM1.52m | 2:05PM1.52m | 2:19AM1.47m | ||||||
Low Tide | 3:52AM0.08m | 4:09PM0.16m | 4:38AM0.13m | 4:56PM0.24m | 5:22AM0.20m | 5:42PM0.33m | 6:07AM0.28m | 6:30PM0.42m | 6:53AM0.35m | 7:19PM0.49m | 7:42AM0.41m | 8:11PM0.55m | |||||||
— | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 10 | 11 | 13 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 |
Feels °C | 3 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | E 8 | ESE 6 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | SSE 4 | SSE 4 | ESE 5 | ESE 9 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | NNW 5 |
108 | 90 | 43 | 92 | 62 | 44 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 26 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | E 9 | ESE 5 | NE 11 | — | NE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 12 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 5 | — | — | E 11 |
— | — | 83 | 14 | 4 | — | 4 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | N 11 | N 11 | — | — | — | NE 10 | E 10 | — | — | — | — | — | E 9 | — | — | NE 14 | NE 14 |
— | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 8 | 8 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 6 | SE 6 | S 5 | — | — | — | SW 3 | SSW 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 3 | WNW 2 | NW 3 |
92 | 102 | 24 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 159 | 115 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 154 | 115 | 245 | 111 | 106 | 106 | 111 | 111 | 195 | 237 | 114 | 237 | 237 | 241 |
Best forecast wave conditions in The Coromandel | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Whangamata Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Whangamata Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Whangamata Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Whangamata Beach 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 Beach) 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 Beach 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 Beach is 58 km (36 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.











