
Surf Forecasts:
Whangamata Estuary surf forecast from 4 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 5 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 11s period, E swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 4 Jul, 3PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 12s period, E swell with 454 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 5 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 11s 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 Sunday (Jul 05) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 1.6m and 6s. 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 1.3m 12s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 04) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 09) at 12PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Sun 5th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 6AM (Sun 5th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 3PM (Sat 4th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whangamata Estuary over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what we've got for the Whangamata Estuary over the next couple of weeks.
Right now, the surf is pretty quiet. The first real chance to paddle out shapes up on Sunday, July 5th. Sunday morning is where it's at – we've got a glassy, clean 4ft easterly swell pushing through with a 10-second period. The combined energy reading of 386 (moderate energy) means there's enough push to get into a few nice ones. The water temp is sitting at around 60°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so you won't need a super thick suit. The break here is an inconsistent beach/bar setup, so you'll have to be patient, but when it's glassy like that, it's worth the wait. Crowds are only sometimes an issue, so you could have it mostly to yourself.
After Sunday, things get messy. Monday morning, July 6th, brings a bigger 5ft swell from the NNE, but the period drops to a short 7 seconds, making for a bit of a bumpy ride. Still, the wind is cross-offshore and it’s clean, so it's surfable if you're keen. That combined energy jumps to 568 (moderate) but with that short period, expect more chop and less glide.
Then we hit a long dry spell. From Tuesday, July 7th, right through to the middle of the next week, conditions turn pretty average. Strong winds, onshore slop, and some rain make for poor surf day after day. There's a tiny window on Wednesday afternoon, July 8th, with glassy conditions and a 4ft easterly swell (period 10s), but the energy's moderate at 412 – it could be a brief, clean session, but nothing to write home about.
The real standout if you're planning ahead? That would be Sunday morning, July 5th. Glassy 4ft east swell with a nice 10-second period, clean conditions, and low crowds potential. That's your best bet.
The following week looks mostly bleak until the very end of the forecast period. By Saturday, July 18th, the swell starts picking up again – 7ft from the ENE on Saturday afternoon – but the period is short (7 seconds) and the wind is light cross-onshore. Then on Sunday, July 19th, we see a big 10ft NE swell but with strong onshore winds and rain. That’s solidly in the “experts only” zone and the conditions are poor. That kind of heavy, short-period swell with onshore wind is more a kite-surfing setup than a paddle session.
So, bottom line: the best of the next 16 days is this coming Sunday morning. After that, it’s a waiting game with a few fleeting clean moments but nothing consistent until maybe the very end, and even then it's rough.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 31mm), heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 15°C on Sat afternoon, min 10°C on Mon morning). Winds increasing (calm on Sun morning, fresh winds from the NNE by Sun night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Tue morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue morning, min 8°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 4 | Sunday 5 | Monday 6 | Tuesday 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 12 | E 12 | E 11 | NNE 7 | E 10 | E 10 | NNE 7 | NNW 8 | E 8 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | E 10 | NNE 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
485 | 454 | 282 | 195 | 162 | 200 | 337 | 169 | 112 | 132 | 161 | 301 | 199 | 271 | 161 | 96 | 104 | 98 | 89 | 58 | 45 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | glassy | cross | cross | off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross |
High Tide | 9:33AM1.57m | 10:00PM1.71m | 10:15AM1.56m | 10:39PM1.71m | 10:58AM1.55m | 11:19PM1.70m | 11:44AM1.56m | 00:03AM1.70m | 12:34PM1.58m | 00:51AM1.69m | 1:29PM1.61m | 1:44AM1.70m | 2:27PM1.65m | 2:43AM1.71m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:47PM0.29m | 4:21AM0.35m | 4:27PM0.31m | 5:02AM0.34m | 5:09PM0.34m | 5:44AM0.32m | 5:54PM0.36m | 6:29AM0.29m | 6:43PM0.38m | 7:17AM0.27m | 7:36PM0.38m | 8:10AM0.23m | 8:35PM0.37m | ||||||||
7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | |
— | 5:09 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:10 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:12 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:14 | — | |
mm | — | — | 9 | — | — | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 10 |
Feels °C | 10 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 12 | E 12 | E 11 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | E 10 | NNE 7 | E 10 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | NE 7 | NNE 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 9 |
485 | 454 | 282 | 195 | 116 | 200 | 337 | 133 | 101 | 132 | 161 | 241 | 199 | 271 | 161 | 96 | 104 | 98 | 89 | 58 | 45 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 10 | N 10 | — | E 10 | E 10 | — | E 10 | N 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 7 | NNE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | — | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | NE 8 |
2 | 2 | — | 175 | 162 | — | 156 | 71 | 112 | 92 | 104 | 109 | 70 | 188 | 93 | 36 | 20 | — | 4 | 4 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | N 7 | — | — | NE 7 | — | — | — | — | E 10 | — | — | N 8 | N 7 | — | NE 8 | — | N 6 |
— | — | — | — | 72 | — | — | 59 | — | — | — | — | 153 | — | — | 5 | 4 | — | 3 | — | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NE 3 | NNE 6 | — | — | NNE 6 | — | NNW 8 | NNW 7 | — | — | E 10 | S 4 | — | WSW 2 | SW 2 | SW 3 | SSE 3 | S 2 | SSE 3 | SSE 5 |
— | 5 | 111 | — | — | 62 | — | 169 | 60 | — | — | 301 | 12 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 14 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 5 | 239 | 158 | 0 | 39 | 139 | 0 | 4 | 64 | 106 | 106 | 106 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 20 | 4 | 15 | 20 |
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.










