
Surf Forecasts:
Whangara surf forecast from 6 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 11 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, SSE swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 10 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, SSE swell with 3,386 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 7 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 8s period with NNE 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 07) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 1.4m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 1.4m and 9s is also forecast. 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 4.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 10) at 6AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.4m 9s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 11) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Tue 7th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Sat 11th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 6AM (Fri 10th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whangara over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Alright, surfers. Rusty here, checking in on the local scene. We’ve got a bit of a mixed bag coming our way over the next couple of weeks, so let’s break it down.
We’re looking at a solid run of surf starting this Tuesday morning at Whangara, a beach and reef setup that’s fairly exposed to the east-northeast. The water temperature is sitting right around average for this time of year, nothing unusual there, just your typical winter chill.
Tuesday morning kicks things off with a clean 5ft swell rolling in from the east, nine-second period, and glassy conditions with a light westerly. The wave energy is moderate (785), and it’s gonna feel real good out there. This is a genuine standout for the start of the week. The afternoon stays glassy on a 5ft east swell, still clean, still inviting.
Wednesday morning gets a bit more interesting as the swell bumps up to 6ft from the east-southeast, but with a light cross-shore wind. It’s surfable, but not as clean. That afternoon the wind turns cross-onshore and it gets choppy, so I’d be getting my session in early.
Thursday is a similar story – 5ft to 5ft east-southeast swells, but with a gentle cross-shore wind. It's rideable, but nothing to write home about.
Now, hold onto your boards. Friday and Saturday we see a big spike in size. A 13ft south-southeast swell hits Friday morning with a strong cross-onshore wind – it’s messy, dangerous, and borderline unsurfable. The wave energy is very strong (3088). Same story Saturday with another 13ft pulse. This is strictly for kites, not paddles. The setup looks way more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
Sunday morning brings some relief. The swell drops to a much more manageable 7ft from the southeast, with a light cross-offshore wind and clean conditions. Wave energy is moderate (847), and it’s a proper session. This is another highlight.
The start of the next week, Monday and Tuesday, we’re looking at smaller surf – 4ft to 5ft from the east-southeast. Winds are light and clean through the mornings, so you’ll find some fun little waves if you’re after a cruise.
Wednesday the 15th and Thursday the 16th see the swell push back up a little, 5ft to 5ft from the east-southeast, and it’s a long-period groundswell (14 seconds). That long period will give you well-shaped, powerful waves, and it’ll be particularly good at this point/reef setup. Thursday afternoon looks sweet with an offshore wind and clean conditions. This is the best call in the second week, but it’s over a week away, so keep an eye on it.
The run into the 18th and 19th of July is just too big for this break – 18ft to 20ft swells with lumpy cross-shore winds. Massive energy numbers well into the four digits. Leave it alone.
We finish up with a big 12ft pulse from the north-northeast on Wednesday the 22nd, but that’s also flagged as too big for this spot. The Tuesday morning before that, the 21st, looks promising with a clean 7ft southeast swell and offshore winds – that’s a solid, expert-level session. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, so be ready for company on the good days.
So, bottom line: Tuesday morning and Sunday morning this week are your standout sessions. Keep Thursday the 16th and Tuesday the 21st on the radar for next week.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 13°C on Wed morning, min 9°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 36mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 13°C on Thu night, min 7°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Fri afternoon, light winds from the S by Sun afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Mon 13 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | ESE 10 | S 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
634 | 327 | 383 | 573 | 603 | 637 | 616 | 459 | 544 | 1018 | 3088 | 2967 | 2787 | 3199 | 1828 | 1115 | 847 | 673 | 456 | 345 | 276 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | glassy | glassy | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 10:34PM1.42m | 10:59AM1.32m | 11:18PM1.42m | 11:47AM1.35m | 00:06AM1.43m | 12:38PM1.39m | 00:59AM1.44m | 1:34PM1.44m | 1:55AM1.46m | 2:31PM1.50m | 2:54AM1.49m | 3:31PM1.56m | 3:54AM1.52m | 4:30PM1.62m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:59AM0.24m | 5:10PM0.27m | 5:43AM0.22m | 5:58PM0.26m | 6:29AM0.19m | 6:50PM0.25m | 7:20AM0.16m | 7:46PM0.22m | 8:14AM0.13m | 8:45PM0.19m | 9:11AM0.10m | 9:46PM0.16m | 10:10AM0.06m | ||||||||
— | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | |
— | — | 4:59 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:02 | |
mm | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | 18 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 11 |
Feels °C | 8 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 |
475 | 327 | 383 | 573 | 603 | 637 | 616 | 459 | 544 | 482 | 69 | 61 | 82 | 50 | 1828 | 1115 | 847 | 673 | 456 | 345 | 276 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | NE 9 | NNE 8 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | SSW 10 | NNE 8 | S 12 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | — | S 21 | SSW 15 | S 17 | S 15 | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 |
202 | 134 | 224 | 193 | 111 | 116 | 124 | 160 | 56 | 139 | 136 | 121 | — | 9 | 44 | 153 | 170 | 153 | 130 | 104 | 83 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 19 | NE 8 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 8 | S 8 | NNE 8 | SSW 16 | NE 8 | — | — | — | SSW 21 | SSW 20 | SSW 8 | — | SSW 20 | NE 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 |
71 | 86 | 42 | 55 | 28 | 23 | 29 | 59 | 51 | 29 | — | — | — | 44 | 75 | 113 | — | 38 | 6 | 5 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | — | — | SW 3 | SSW 9 | — | S 4 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
634 | 238 | — | — | 5 | 116 | — | 11 | 319 | 1018 | 3088 | 2967 | 2787 | 3199 | 264 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 12 | 24 | 0 | 17 | 28 | 107 | 108 | 108 | 107 | 35 | 51 | 17 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 19 |
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.











