Whangamata Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 37.22° S 175.88° E

Whangamata Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 19 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Whangamata Beach sea temperature is
14.9° C
0.3° 

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


Whangamata Beach surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:

  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 23 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 6s period, NNW swell with 104 kJ wave energy.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Whangamata Beach this week:

The most powerful waves expected at Whangamata Beach in the next 16 days are 1.3m 6s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 12AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)--
Best Surf--
Most Powerful 6PM (Sun 23rd Aug)4.5ft (1.3m) 6s

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


The Lowdown

G'day, Rusty here. Look, I've got to be straight with you—over the next 16 days, Whangamata Beach is really struggling to find its groove. The swell is tiny and weak for most of the run, and what little energy does show up is often messy or on the wrong wind. We're looking at a long stretch of nothing much at all, so don't get your hopes up too high.

Right now, today, Wednesday August 19, there's a tiny 1 ft SE windswell with a short 5-second period—it's just not worth paddling out for. Water's sitting at 59°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year. The next few days are a quiet spell: Thursday and Friday see little 1.0 ft to 2 ft waves from the east, but with super weak energy—the combined swell energy is only 15 to 40—so it's basically flat. That continues through the weekend, with a bump on Sunday afternoon reaching 4 ft from the NW, but the period is a poor 6 seconds and the wind is a moderate cross-shore, making it choppy. Combined energy creeps to 106, but it's still not surfable.
Monday through Thursday of the next week are a dead zone—swell heights barely 0.3 ft to 1.0 ft, combined energy often under 15. I'm talking a gap of several days where you might as well stay home.

Things start to look a little more interesting around Friday August 28, when a 5 ft NNW swell rolls in with a 6-second period, but the wind is a fresh cross-onshore at 19 mph, making it lumpy. Combined energy jumps to 203, but it's not clean. Saturday August 29 offers a slight improvement: the morning has 1 ft NE swell with a 9-second period and light cross-offshore wind, but the afternoon sees 3 ft N swell and light cross-offshore wind, making it clean. Combined energy sits at 68—still ordinary. Sunday August 30 is the best of a weak bunch: 2 ft NE swell at 10 seconds, light cross-offshore wind, and combined energy of 118. It's surfable, but nothing to write home about.

The real standout, if you can call it that, is Thursday September 3. The afternoon brings 4 ft ENE swell at 10 seconds, with glassy conditions—light east-southeast wind. Combined energy is a solid 309, and the water should be clean. This is the only session in the whole 16 days that gets a decent score, and it's a week and a half away, so treat it as promising but not locked in. The swell direction is east-northeast, which is close to the optimum northeast direction for this beach, so it should wrap in okay. The wave quality should be good, but don't expect perfection.

For the rest, it's a long wait. Most of the time, the swell is too small, the period too short, or the wind too messy. Honestly, if you're a beginner, the 4 ft to 5 ft swells later in the run might be okay, but the 5 ft on August 28 is windy and lumpy, so not ideal. The 4 ft glassy session on September 3 is your best bet—and it's manageable for intermediates, too. Crowds are sometimes an issue at Whangamata Beach, but given the poor run, it might be quieter than usual.

So, to sum it up: mostly flat and uninspiring, with a short window of hope around September 3. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but don't hold your breath.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Sat morning, min 8°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue afternoon, min 9°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
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)
0.8
SE
5
0.5
E
8
0.3
E
8
0.4
E
11
0.3
E
10
0.3
E
10
0.2
E
9
0.1
E
8
0.1
NE
14
0.1
NE
14
0.4
NNW
5
0.7
NNW
6
0.7
N
6
0.4
N
6
0.1
NE
12
0.1
NE
11
0.1
NE
11
0.1
NE
10
0.1
E
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
29
37
12
35
17
16
7
1
8
8
9
31
39
13
5
5
4
4
4
Wind (km/h)
10
S
10
WSW
10
SW
10
WSW
5
W
10
WSW
10
W
15
W
15
W
15
WNW
20
WNW
25
WNW
15
WSW
10
WSW
10
WSW
10
W
5
WNW
15
WNW
10
WNW
Wind State
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
11:49PM1.68m
12:22PM1.62m
00:36AM1.59m
1:12PM1.56m
1:26AM1.52m
2:05PM1.52m
2:19AM1.47m
3:00PM1.50m
3:14AM1.46m
3:55PM1.51m
4:08AM1.46m
4:48PM1.55m
Low Tide
6:07AM0.28m
6:30PM0.42m
6:53AM0.35m
7:19PM0.49m
7:42AM0.41m
8:11PM0.55m
8:34AM0.45m
9:06PM0.57m
9:28AM0.45m
10:02PM0.56m
10:22AM0.43m
10:57PM0.52m
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:54
6:52
6:52
6:50
6:48
6:48
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:45
5:45
5:46
5:47
5:47
5:49
 mm
2
Temp °C
9
12
14
10
14
14
12
15
15
12
14
14
13
14
16
10
15
17
15
Feels °C
5
10
11
7
11
11
9
10
11
8
10
11
10
11
13
8
12
13
12
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  • 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 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.

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