Whangamata Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, let’s have a look at what’s on offer. I’m gonna be straight with you – for the next week or so, things are looking pretty flat and uninspiring. There’s a real gap here at the start, with almost nothing worth paddling out for. The first real sign of life doesn’t show up until Sunday the 30th of August.

We’re looking at Whangamata Beach for the whole run. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing wild there.

The early part of the week is a write-off. Tiny, weak swell with hardly any energy behind it. You’ll see a few inches here and there, but the wind is often cross or cross-off, and the wave comment is just “poor surf conditions” day after day. Not worth the wax.

Thursday the 27th afternoon, we finally get a little bump. Swell around 3ft from the ENE, with a period of just 5 seconds. That’s short period, windswell stuff. The energy reading is 81, which is weak. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Friday the 28th morning, we get a 3ft swell from the NNE, also 5 seconds, and the wind goes glassy – that’s borderline. The combined energy is 93, still weak. It’s the best of a bad lot early on, but it’s not a standout.

The real standout, the only one worth circling on your calendar, is Sunday the 30th of August afternoon. The swell jumps to 6ft from the NNW, with a period of 7 seconds. The combined energy of all swells directed here hits 491 (moderate wave energy). That’s a solid pulse. The wind is a light breeze from the west, which is a clean cross-off. This is the best on offer by a long shot. The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions”. For a beach break, it’s going to be a bit fat and sectiony on that 7-second period, but the size and clean wind will make for some fun, punchy waves. It’s a beginner-friendly size, but just watch the rip if it gets a bit more powerful.

After that pulse, it drops back down. Monday the 31st has some knee-high leftovers, and the rest of the run into early September is mostly small, weak, and often choppy or windy. The 4th of September has a glassy morning, but the swell is only 0.7ft, so it’s a flat, glassy morning for a paddle, not a surf.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a dud. The window is Sunday the 30th of August afternoon. That’s your one shot at some decent, clean, head-high waves. After that, it’s back to flat spells. Crowds are possible at Whangamata, so you might have some company on that Sunday.

Rusty

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