Whangamata Estuary Surf Break

Lat Long: 37.23° S 175.89° E

Whangamata Estuary Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 am 24 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Whangamata Estuary sea temperature is
15.1° C
0.1° 

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 24 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, NNW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 7s period, NNW swell with 297 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 25 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period with NNW 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 25) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.8m and 11s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Whangamata Estuary in the next 16 days are 1.7m 7s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) 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 1.0m 6s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 9PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9AM (Sat 25th Jul)5ft (1.6m) 8s
Best Surf 9AM (Sat 25th Jul)5ft (1.6m) 8s
Most Powerful 3AM (Sat 25th Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 7s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for the Whangamata Estuary over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – it's a bit of a slow start. The first few days are looking pretty average, so don't expect much. We're talking about a long stretch of small, weak surf with not much power behind it. The water temp is sitting right around 59°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The only real window that might get your heart pumping is Saturday morning, the 25th of July. That's the standout. We've got a 5 ft swell rolling in from the NNW, and while the period is a bit short at 8 seconds, the key here is the wind. It's a clean 12 mph offshore from the west. The combined energy will be pumping at a solid 547, so it'll have some push. For a beach/bar set-up like the Estuary, that offshore wind is going to tidy things up nicely. It's a little on the bigger side, so maybe not one for the complete beginners, but for anyone comfortable on a board, that's your session.

After that, things drop off again. Saturday afternoon sees a smaller swell and a strong WSW wind, making it pretty messy. The rest of the week into early August is a bit of a write-off. Sunday the 26th starts glassy, but the swell is barely a ripple. We get a few days late in the month with tiny, glassy waves and a bit of energy (around 130), but it's just not enough to make a proper session of it. Then we get hit by a solid run of strong, onshore SE winds from the 1st of August onwards. Those winds will just chop everything up, and with the swell dropping away, it's gonna be a frustrating stretch. For a spot that's already a bit inconsistent, this is a normal quiet spell. The set-up with all that wind and small swell might honestly look more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. There's a little glimmer on Thursday the 6th of August with a 3 ft east swell and a 12-second period, but the wind is a bit messy, so keep your expectations low.

So, bottom line: if you're keen, be on the water Saturday morning, the 25th. That's your best bet. The rest of the forecast is a waiting game.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri morning, min 5°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Sat afternoon, calm by Sun morning).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 12°C on Wed afternoon, min 5°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
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
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
1
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
ENE
6
0.5
E
9
1.8
NNW
7
1.6
NNW
8
0.7
E
11
0.6
E
11
0.5
E
11
0.5
E
10
0.4
ESE
13
0.4
ESE
12
0.4
ESE
13
0.4
ESE
13
0.4
ESE
13
0.5
E
13
0.6
E
13
0.6
E
13
0.6
E
13
0.5
E
12
0.5
E
12
0.4
ESE
12
1.1
N
6
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
14
39
295
270
118
85
59
56
55
50
56
56
57
92
130
126
125
80
73
48
77
Wind (km/h)
10
NNW
20
NNW
20
NW
20
W
35
WSW
25
WSW
5
W
15
SSW
15
SSE
10
WSW
10
SW
10
SW
5
SSW
5
E
5
SW
5
SSW
5
NNE
5
WNW
5
NNW
15
NW
10
NNW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross
glassy
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
2:47PM1.54m
2:58AM1.52m
3:39PM1.53m
3:50AM1.50m
4:31PM1.54m
4:41AM1.50m
5:20PM1.57m
5:30AM1.52m
6:07PM1.61m
6:17AM1.55m
6:51PM1.66m
7:02AM1.57m
7:33PM1.70m
Low Tide
8:50PM0.52m
9:14AM0.41m
9:43PM0.55m
10:05AM0.42m
10:36PM0.54m
10:56AM0.40m
11:28PM0.52m
11:45AM0.37m
00:17AM0.48m
12:32PM0.33m
1:04AM0.43m
1:16PM0.29m
1:48AM0.38m
part cloud
cloud
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
clear
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:22
7:20
7:20
7:20
7:18
7:18
7:16
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:22
5:23
5:24
5:25
5:25
5:27
5:28
 mm
1
1
1
Temp °C
15
15
13
11
10
10
12
12
9
9
11
7
9
10
8
10
12
9
13
14
12
Feels °C
11
10
8
5
2
3
10
8
5
5
7
4
7
7
5
8
9
7
10
10
9
  • 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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