
Surf Forecasts:
Whangamata Estuary surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period, N swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 7s period, NNW swell with 326 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 25 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period with N 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 3AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 12s. 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 1.9m 7s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 6s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 9PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 6ft (1.9m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whangamata Estuary over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here, checking in with the local scoop for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got one spot on the radar, and it’s a bit of a slow burner, so let’s get into it.
The big picture is that we’re looking at a long stretch of very small, weak surf to start. For the first few days, from Wednesday the 22nd through to Friday the 24th, the swell is tiny—barely a ripple, with combined wave energy barely cracking double digits (7 to 35). You’d be fighting for a knee-high slosh, and it’s just not worth the effort. We’re looking at a gap of about three days with nothing to recommend.
Things start to show a pulse on Saturday the 25th. The morning at Whangamata Estuary sees a jump to 3ft of east swell, but it’s the period that’s got my attention—11 seconds, a proper groundswell. The wind is offshore from the WSW, cleaning things right up. The combined energy kicks up to a solid 286, which is a decent push. It’s not huge, but it’s clean and it’s the first real window in the period. The crowd factor is a “sometimes” here, so you might have a few mates out, but nothing crazy. The water temp is sitting at 59°, which is bang on average for the time of year, so no surprises there.
The next morning, Sunday the 26th, is glassy with a light SSE breeze, but the swell has dropped a touch to 2ft and the energy is down to 87. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. Not a standout.
Now, if you’re looking for the true highlight of this forecast, point your eyes to Saturday the 1st of August. The morning brings a punchy 6ft ESE swell, with a short period of 7 seconds. The wind is light offshore from the west, keeping it clean. The combined energy is a strong 306, so there’s some grunt in the water. The short period means it’ll be a bit crumbly on the banks, but that offshore wind and clean face will still offer some fun walls. That’s the best we’ve got—a solid, clean, slightly punchy day for the experienced crew.
After that, the week of the 4th of August looks promising. Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th are clean and glassy with 3ft to 4ft of east swell and a nice 12-second period. The combined energy is strong (383 and 288), and the winds are light, near calm, or glassy. The longer period will give you some nice, lined-up runners, but it might be a bit straight at a beach/bar setup like this. Still, for consistency and quality, that stretch is a close second to the 1st of August.
So, the standout day is Saturday the 1st of August for the biggest, cleanest swell. The mid-week of the 4th and 5th is worth a paddle for the quality and consistency. The rest is a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Fri night. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri afternoon, min 9°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Very mild (max 11°C on Sat morning, min 4°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Sat morning, calm by Sun morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 4 | E 10 | E 10 | E 5 | E 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | E 8 | NNW 7 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | ESE 6 | E 13 | E 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 14 | E 15 | E 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 15 | 33 | 326 | 157 | 116 | 84 | 82 | 59 | 106 | 90 | 87 | 58 | 40 | 112 | 106 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 1:01PM1.62m | 1:16AM1.63m | 1:54PM1.57m | 2:06AM1.56m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:06PM0.40m | 7:35AM0.32m | 7:57PM0.47m | 8:24AM0.37m | 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 | ||||||||
7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | |
— | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 2 | — | — | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 10 |
Feels °C | 10 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | E 4 | E 5 | E 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | E 8 | N 7 | N 8 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | ESE 6 | ESE 5 | E 13 | ESE 13 | ESE 14 | E 15 | E 14 |
4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 15 | 33 | 131 | 129 | 116 | 84 | 82 | 59 | 84 | 14 | 87 | 58 | 40 | 112 | 106 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 11 | N 7 | N 6 | E 3 | E 6 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | E 13 | E 11 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | ESE 11 | E 13 | E 5 | E 18 | E 17 | N 10 | — |
2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 161 | 157 | 46 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 43 | 90 | 4 | 6 | 22 | 2 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | E 10 | E 10 | N 8 | N 7 | E 11 | E 12 | — | — | — | — | S 6 | E 15 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | N 6 | N 6 | SE 4 | — | — |
1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | ESE 3 | — | — | — | N 4 | NNW 7 | W 3 | WSW 4 | WSW 3 | — | E 4 | SE 5 | SE 4 | SSW 2 | SSW 3 | — | SSW 3 | SW 3 |
— | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 7 | 326 | 5 | 18 | 8 | — | 9 | 106 | 24 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 197 | 216 | 114 | 106 | 239 | 236 | 217 | 236 | 5 | 0 | 106 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 51 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in The Coromandel | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










