Whangamata Estuary Surf Break

Lat Long: 37.23° S 175.89° E

Whangamata Estuary Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 5 am 10 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Whangamata Estuary sea temperature is
15.5° 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 9 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 11 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 10s period, E swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 11 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 10s period, ESE swell with 163 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 11 Jul, 6PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 10s period with E swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Whangamata Estuary this week:

The surf forecast for Whangamata Estuary over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 11) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 4s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Whangamata Estuary in the next 16 days are 0.9m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 11) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 6AM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6PM (Sat 11th Jul)2.5ft (0.7m) 10s
Best Surf 6PM (Sat 11th Jul)2.5ft (0.7m) 10s
Most Powerful12AM (Sat 11th Jul)3ft (0.9m) 10s

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


Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a proper look at what's coming up for Whangamata Estuary.

Honestly, looking at the whole 16-day window, it’s a pretty grim run for this spot. We've got a massive gap of near-flat, poor conditions stretching from now until pretty much Saturday the 25th of July. The only glimmer of hope comes right at the very end of the forecast, and even that’s a gamble.

The first proper surfable recommendation doesn't show up until Saturday the 25th of July. That's a long, quiet spell of over two weeks. Most days are a write-off—tiny swells, cross-shore winds, or just messy, weak energy. The combined swell energy barely climbs into triple digits for most of that time, staying in the weak zone until that final weekend.

Now, for the one standout: Saturday the 25th of July morning at Whangamata Estuary. The stars nearly align. We’re looking at a glassy morning with a glassy wind from the WNW. This is a major positive—it’s going to be clean as a whistle. There’s a 6-foot swell rolling in from the ENE with a decent 10-second period, giving it some shape. The combined energy is moderate at 663, so it’s got a bit of push. The tricky part is that 6-foot is getting into the "too big for beginners" territory, and for a spot that can be inconsistent, this might be a real treat if it lines up. The swell direction (ENE) is a solid match for the optimum direction for this break. Crowds are sometimes a factor here, so you might have company, but with this kind of clean, shoulder-to-head-high swell, it’ll be worth it.

That afternoon on the 25th, the wind swings onshore and gets a bit lumpy, so the morning is definitely the call.

If you’re after something smaller for the kids, the 2-3 foot days in the first week are crossed-off and messy—not worth paddling out for.

So, bottom line: hold out for that Saturday the 25th morning window. It’s the only real shot of the whole run, and it looks promising, but don’t hold your breath for anything before that.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri afternoon, min 7°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue morning, min 10°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
10
Saturday
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
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
1
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)
0.6
E
10
0.9
ESE
10
0.9
ESE
10
0.8
E
10
0.8
E
10
0.7
E
9
0.6
E
9
0.5
E
9
0.4
E
9
0.3
E
9
0.2
E
9
0.8
NNE
4
0.7
N
6
0.6
N
5
0.2
E
11
0.4
NNE
5
0.2
E
10
0.2
E
10
0.2
E
12
0.2
E
12
0.2
E
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
69
148
163
125
122
87
63
41
25
14
6
23
29
20
9
11
8
8
11
11
13
Wind (km/h)
20
S
20
SSE
15
S
10
S
10
SSE
10
SSW
5
S
5
E
5
NNE
10
NNE
15
NNW
20
N
10
N
5
SSW
10
WSW
5
WSW
5
N
5
SW
0
S
5
NNE
5
WSW
Wind State
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-off
cross
on
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
off
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross-off
High Tide
2:27PM1.65m
2:43AM1.71m
3:27PM1.71m
3:44AM1.74m
4:28PM1.78m
4:45AM1.77m
5:28PM1.86m
5:46AM1.81m
6:27PM1.94m
6:45AM1.85m
7:23PM1.99m
7:42AM1.87m
8:17PM2.02m
Low Tide
8:35PM0.37m
9:07AM0.20m
9:37PM0.35m
10:06AM0.15m
10:40PM0.30m
11:07AM0.10m
11:43PM0.24m
12:06PM0.05m
00:43AM0.18m
1:04PM0.01m
1:41AM0.12m
1:59PM-0.01m
2:37AM0.08m
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:28
7:28
7:28
7:28
7:28
7:26
7:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:14
5:14
5:15
5:15
5:15
5:16
5:17
 mm
2
2
1
2
1
Temp °C
12
13
9
11
12
8
12
12
12
13
14
13
15
15
12
14
15
11
13
14
12
Feels °C
6
8
5
7
8
5
10
10
10
10
11
9
15
14
10
14
15
10
13
14
11
  • Map Icons:
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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 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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