
Surf Forecasts:
Whangara surf forecast from 9 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 15 Aug, 12PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 8s period, SSE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 3AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period, ENE swell with 838 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 10 Aug, 9AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 11s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Whangara this week:
The surf forecast for Whangara over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Whangara in the next 16 days are 2.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 5.0m 11s period and expected on Monday (Aug 17) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 9AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 12PM (Sat 15th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Sat 15th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whangara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.
We’ve got a solid run of surf coming up at Whangara, a beach and reef set-up that’s fairly exposed to the swell. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.
The action kicks off Monday morning, 10 August, with a clean 3 ft swell from the south. It’s a light cross-offshore breeze, making for some tidy lines. That combined energy is moderate at 297. The swell period is 11 seconds, a nice groundswell that will wrap in well here. It’s a good start, but the standout of the whole forecast is building.
Tuesday morning, 11 August, sees a jump in size and energy. We’re looking at 4 ft from the SSE with a period of 12 seconds, and the combined energy is strong at 558. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the WSW. This is the best on offer in the first week – punchy, lined-up waves with good shape.
Things stay fun into Wednesday morning, 12 August, with glassy conditions and a 4 ft SSE swell. The period drops to 8 seconds, so it’s a bit more of a wind swell, but the glassy morning makes it clean and fun. After that, the wind gets messy for a few days. Thursday morning, 13 August, is still clean with a cross-offshore breeze and 4 ft SE swell, but the afternoon turns choppy.
We hit a bit of a lull in quality Friday and Saturday, but then Saturday afternoon, 15 August, is a real gem. The swell bumps up to 6 ft from the ESE with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy is strong at 763. The wind is light, almost glassy, and it’s a clean cross-off. This is the other standout – it’s going to be a rippable afternoon with some power.
Sunday morning, 16 August, is still chunky with 6 ft from the east and a long 11-second period, but the wind is cross-shore and lumpy, so it’s not as clean. The following week sees a big pulse of swell. Monday, 17 August, gets a massive 16 ft from the south, but with a strong cross-onshore wind, it’s a messy, dangerous mess. This is for experts only, and honestly, it looks more suited to a kite session than a paddle.
Tuesday, 18 August, through Thursday, 20 August, has solid 12 ft to 13 ft swells, but the forecast says it’s too big for this break. That’s a warning – unless you’re a seasoned charger, sit this one out.
The run finishes with a nice return to form. Saturday morning, 22 August, has 6 ft from the ESE with a 12-second period and a clean cross-offshore wind. The combined energy is strong at 1088. This is a promising long-range call – clean, powerful, and well-shaped. Sunday morning, 23 August, is also clean with 6 ft, and Monday morning, 24 August, goes glassy with 4 ft. A solid end to the outlook.
The real highlights are Tuesday morning, 11 August, and Saturday afternoon, 15 August. Get on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 9°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 34mm), heaviest during Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat morning, min 8°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ENE on Fri afternoon, calm by Sat afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 12 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 8 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | ESE 9 | E 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
488 | 229 | 167 | 344 | 486 | 270 | 198 | 161 | 515 | 459 | 211 | 182 | 123 | 210 | 274 | 455 | 265 | 572 | 487 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 2:36AM1.47m | 3:13PM1.56m | 3:37AM1.49m | 4:13PM1.59m | 4:38AM1.51m | 5:12PM1.63m | 5:37AM1.53m | 6:08PM1.65m | 6:34AM1.54m | 7:03PM1.66m | 7:29AM1.55m | 7:55PM1.65m | |||||||
Low Tide | 8:52AM0.11m | 9:29PM0.16m | 9:52AM0.09m | 10:31PM0.13m | 10:52AM0.06m | 11:31PM0.09m | 11:51AM0.03m | 00:29AM0.06m | 12:48PM0.02m | 1:24AM0.04m | 1:42PM0.03m | 2:17AM0.03m | |||||||
— | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:27 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:29 | — | — | 5:30 | — | |
mm | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 13 | 14 | — | 3 | 1 |
Temp °C | 13 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 12 |
Feels °C | 12 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 16 | 15 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | S 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | NNE 6 | ESE 7 | SE 8 | NE 8 | ESE 9 | E 9 |
488 | 229 | 167 | 344 | 486 | 270 | 111 | 161 | 515 | 459 | 211 | 182 | 123 | 58 | 191 | 96 | 205 | 572 | 487 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 12 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NE 6 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | S 7 | S 10 | S 10 | ESE 13 | S 9 | NE 10 | NE 6 | ESE 13 | E 8 | SSE 8 | NE 8 |
6 | 62 | 68 | 32 | 50 | 34 | 198 | 88 | 51 | 54 | 70 | 17 | 15 | 25 | 43 | 18 | 265 | 117 | 49 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 12 | NE 12 | SE 13 | N 8 | S 17 | S 18 | N 8 | N 8 | NNE 8 | S 16 | ESE 13 | S 18 | NE 10 | ESE 14 | NE 10 | S 15 | ESE 13 | NNE 8 | SSW 18 |
11 | 6 | 28 | 36 | 22 | 55 | 31 | 36 | 38 | 5 | 17 | 6 | 16 | 19 | 25 | 4 | 17 | 74 | 64 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 5 | — | — | — | — | S 9 | — | ENE 3 | — | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | NE 5 | ESE 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | SE 8 | SSW 6 | S 6 |
71 | — | — | — | — | 412 | — | 3 | — | 49 | 88 | 88 | 49 | 210 | 274 | 455 | 155 | 242 | 193 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 15 | 95 | 95 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Whangara Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Whangara provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Whangara can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Whangara 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 (Whangara) 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 Whangara 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Gisborne and Mahia? If you are looking for accommodation near Whangara, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Gisborne and Mahia, consider staying in Gisborne which is 22 km (14 miles) away.











