Whangamata Estuary Surf Break

Lat Long: 37.23° S 175.89° E

Whangamata Estuary Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 am 15 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Whangamata Estuary sea temperature is
15.0° C
0.2° 

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


Whangamata Estuary surf forecast from 15 Jul 2026:

  • Most powerful swell: Friday 17 Jul, 12PM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 17s period, ESE swell with 58 kJ wave energy.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Whangamata Estuary this week:

The most powerful waves expected at Whangamata Estuary in the next 16 days are 0.3m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 17) at 12PM. 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 Saturday (Jul 18) at 6PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)--
Best Surf--
Most Powerful12PM (Fri 17th Jul)1ft (0.3m) 17s

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


The Lowdown

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you—this 16-day window for Whangamata Estuary is a pretty quiet stretch. The first week or so is mostly tiny, junk waves, and even when things pick up a little in the second week, it’s never gonna get your heart racing. There’s a gap of about 8 days at the start where the surf is just too poor to bother with. The best of a very average bunch is around the 23rd to 25th of July, but even then, it’s far from epic.

Let’s break it down. From Wednesday 15th July right through to the 22nd, we’re looking at flat to waist-high dribble—0.3ft to 2ft—with weak swell energy (mostly under 30 in the combined energy readings). The water temp is sitting at 59°F, which is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there. The wind is often offshore or glassy, especially on the 15th afternoon with a total glass-off, but the swell is just too small and short-period to make anything of it. Thursday 16th and Friday 17th have clean offshore winds, but again, it’s 0.7ft to 1ft with periods around 12-13 seconds—not enough push to get a proper wave.

The real standout, if you can call it that, is Thursday 23rd July. The morning brings a 2ft swell from the NE, with a 10-second period and a combined energy reading of 100 (moderate). The wind is a light offshore from the W, making for clean conditions. The swell direction (NE) matches the optimum direction for this spot (ENE) pretty closely. It’s still small, but it’s the first time the energy gets to a moderate level. The afternoon holds similar size, and the offshore wind sticks around. It’s beginner-friendly at 2ft—definitely not too big. Friday 24th and Saturday 25th also have some cleaner moments, with the swell nudging 3ft to 4ft on the Saturday morning, and combined energy climbing to 188. The wind is glassy to light offshore, so the waves will be clean, but the period is short (9 seconds) so they’ll be a bit soft and mushy. This spot is a beach/bar setup, so with that short period, it’s not going to peel like a point break. It’s inconsistent here, so don’t expect a solid session—more like a few grovelly runners.

After that, the 27th to 30th of July sees the swell drop back to 2ft to 3ft, with energy fading. The wind stays mostly offshore or glassy, but the waves just aren’t there. The 28th afternoon has a bit of energy (97), but it’s still ordinary.

In summary, keep your expectations low. The best bet is the 23rd to 25th July, with the cleanest conditions and the most push. It’s not a day to call in sick for, but if you’re desperate for a paddle, you’ll find a few little peelers. Nothing here for experts—this is strictly beginner territory.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu afternoon, min 10°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat afternoon, min 8°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
AM
PM
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
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)
0.2
E
12
0.2
E
11
0.2
E
11
0.2
E
13
0.3
E
12
0.2
E
18
0.2
E
18
0.3
ESE
17
0.3
ESE
15
0.3
ESE
14
0.2
ESE
14
0.2
E
14
0.2
E
13
0.1
E
13
0.7
ESE
4
0.6
E
4
0.6
E
5
0.5
ENE
5
0.5
ENE
5
0.4
ENE
5
0.4
ENE
5
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
11
9
9
13
27
26
24
55
42
37
18
15
13
3
16
14
18
15
14
10
10
Wind (km/h)
5
WSW
0
WNW
10
W
10
W
10
W
20
WSW
10
WSW
15
SW
10
W
15
WSW
20
WSW
15
WSW
20
SE
15
ESE
15
SE
5
SSE
5
ENE
5
WSW
5
SW
0
NNW
5
WSW
Wind State
off
glassy
off
off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
off
High Tide
7:23PM1.99m
7:42AM1.87m
8:17PM2.02m
8:37AM1.86m
9:09PM2.02m
9:31AM1.84m
10:00PM1.98m
10:25AM1.79m
10:49PM1.91m
11:17AM1.74m
11:38PM1.82m
12:09PM1.68m
00:27AM1.72m
Low Tide
1:04PM0.01m
1:41AM0.12m
1:59PM-0.01m
2:37AM0.08m
2:53PM-0.00m
3:30AM0.07m
3:45PM0.04m
4:21AM0.09m
4:36PM0.11m
5:11AM0.12m
5:26PM0.21m
5:59AM0.18m
6:16PM0.30m
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:26
7:26
7:26
7:26
7:24
7:24
7:24
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:16
5:17
5:17
5:19
5:20
5:20
5:21
 mm
Temp °C
14
15
12
14
16
12
13
14
11
13
14
12
12
13
11
11
11
10
11
12
10
Feels °C
14
15
11
13
14
10
10
10
8
9
10
8
6
9
6
8
9
8
9
10
8
  • 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 Estuary Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Whangamata Estuary provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Whangamata Estuary can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Whangamata Estuary 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 Estuary) 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 Estuary 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 Estuary is 56 km (35 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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