Whangara Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.58° S 178.21° E

Whangara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 am 19 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Whangara sea temperature is
13.9° C
0.7° 

Whangara surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Whangara surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 22 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 12s period, S swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 22 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 12s period, S swell with 510 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 9AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 11s period with SE 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 Tuesday (Jul 21) at 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 11s period. 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 1.3m 12s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.4m 19s period and expected on Monday (Jul 20) at 9PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9AM (Tue 21st Jul)2.5ft (0.7m) 11s
Best Surf 9AM (Wed 22nd Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 12s
Most Powerful 9AM (Wed 22nd Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 12s

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


The Lowdown

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let’s see what’s in store for Whangara over the next couple of weeks.

We start off a bit slow, but there’s a nice little window early on. Sunday the 19th is looking pretty tidy. The morning session is the pick, with a clean 4ft swell coming from the ESE, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the W keeping things smooth. The water’s sitting at 57°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there. The combined energy is moderate (572), so there’s some push behind it. Whangara is a beach and reef setup, fairly exposed to the ENE, and this morning should offer some fun, clean lines. Crowds are sometimes a thing here, so you might have a few others out, but it’s worth it. The swell period is 13 seconds, which is a nice long groundswell, meaning better shaped waves and more energy between sets – perfect for this point and reef setup.

The afternoon on Sunday turns a bit average with a cross-shore breeze and a moderate chop, so I’d stick to the morning. Monday and Tuesday are pretty ordinary – small, with cross-onshore winds and choppy conditions. Not worth getting wet for.

Then Wednesday the 22nd brings a surprise. The morning is glassy as a mirror, with a light NW breeze, and a 4ft swell from the S. The energy is solid (554), and the conditions are clean. The afternoon holds the same glassy vibe, with a bit of ENE breeze but still smooth. It’s a good day for a paddle, but the swell is on the smaller side, so keep your expectations in check.

The rest of the week into the weekend is pretty flat and windy. Thursday Friday and Saturday are small, weak, and mostly blown out. The combined energy drops into the double digits (58, 38, 43), so it’s really not worth the effort. Sunday the 26th has a bit more size (3ft) but the wind is fresh and strong, making it messy.

Now, here’s the standout. On Wednesday the 29th of July, we’ve got a proper pulse. Morning session sees a 8ft swell from the S, with a light offshore from the NW, and a combined energy of 1381 – that’s strong wave energy. This is a groundswell with an 11-second period, so it’s got some grunt. This is for experienced surfers only – too big for beginners, and the waves will be meaty. The winds are offshore and clean, so the break should be firing. This is the best on offer in the whole outlook, no question. If you’re keen, be ready for a crowd, but it’s a treat.

After that, it drops off again. Thursday and Friday are small and weak, with just a pulse of 3ft on the 30th, but nothing special. The weekend into the start of August is flat and forgettable, with combined energy below 200 for most of it. The final day, Monday the 3rd of August, has a huge 10ft swell from the SSE, but it’s a messy cross-offshore wind, and the energy is massive (2263). That’s expert territory again, but the wind isn’t ideal, so it’s a bit of a gamble.

Overall, the best surf is on Sunday the 19th morning for a fun, clean session, and the real standout is Wednesday the 29th morning for the big, clean, offshore swell. The rest is a lot of waiting.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun afternoon, min 8°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri morning, min 8°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed afternoon, fresh winds from the WNW by Fri night).

Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
2
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.3
ESE
13
1.2
ESE
13
1
ESE
12
0.9
ESE
12
0.9
ESE
12
0.8
ESE
11
0.7
SE
11
0.7
ESE
11
0.6
ESE
11
1.3
S
12
1.2
S
12
0.4
SE
10
0.6
S
9
0.6
S
12
0.4
SSE
11
0.4
SSE
10
0.3
SSE
10
0.3
S
9
0.3
SE
13
0.4
ESE
17
0.7
SE
16
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
572
430
304
247
215
160
123
109
78
510
400
25
57
99
38
33
18
15
27
109
255
Wind (km/h)
10
W
20
SSW
20
SSW
15
SSW
15
S
10
S
10
WSW
5
SSE
10
NW
5
NW
5
ENE
10
W
10
WNW
15
NE
15
NNW
15
NNW
20
NNW
30
WNW
25
W
25
NW
40
WNW
Wind State
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
on
off
glassy
glassy
cross-off
off
cross
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
High Tide
9:39AM1.52m
10:04PM1.61m
10:33AM1.49m
10:55PM1.54m
11:25AM1.44m
11:45PM1.47m
12:16PM1.40m
00:34AM1.40m
1:06PM1.37m
1:23AM1.35m
1:55PM1.34m
2:12AM1.31m
2:44PM1.33m
Low Tide
3:52PM0.06m
4:26AM0.06m
4:44PM0.12m
5:16AM0.11m
5:35PM0.19m
6:04AM0.16m
6:26PM0.25m
6:51AM0.22m
7:15PM0.31m
7:38AM0.27m
8:04PM0.35m
8:25AM0.31m
8:53PM0.37m
clear
clear
rain showers
cloud
part cloud
rain showers
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:18
7:18
7:18
7:16
7:16
7:16
7:15
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:07
5:07
5:08
5:08
5:09
5:10
5:12
 mm
1
1
1
Temp °C
13
15
12
12
12
11
11
11
9
11
12
10
12
13
9
14
14
12
12
14
14
Feels °C
10
10
9
7
8
7
8
8
6
9
10
8
9
9
5
9
10
8
6
8
7
  • 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 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.

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