Surf Forecasts:
Whangara surf forecast from 30 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 30 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 8s period, NNE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 9AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 18s period, S swell with 620 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 6PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 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 Sunday (Aug 30) at 6PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 10s. 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 1.0m 18s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.5m 10s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 3AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 6PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whangara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s chew the fat on what’s coming up for Whangara.
We’ve got a slow burn to start, but the back half of this forecast has some real juice. The first chance at surf comes Sunday the 30th, but it’s nothing to write home about. A small NNE swell around 4ft with a short period of 7 seconds, and the water temp is 56°, which is about 1° cooler than average for this time of year—so it’s a bit nippy, nothing crazy. The morning Sunday is glassy so it’ll be clean, but the wave energy is weak with a combined reading of just 226. By afternoon, it’s poor with a cross-on wind.
From Monday the 31st right through to Saturday the 5th of September, we’re in a flat spell. Swells barely reach 0.7ft, and the combined energy sits in the single digits. It’s a dead run—no decent surf for nearly a week. The wind does go offshore for a lot of that, but there’s no swell to work with.
Monday the 7th of September, we see a pulse. Morning brings a 3ft N swell with an 8-second period, clean cross-off wind, combined energy of 106—still weak but a sign of life. By the afternoon, the swell jumps to 6ft from the SSW with a lousy 6-second period and messy cross-off wind. Marginal at best.
Tuesday the 8th stays marginal with a 5ft SE swell, 8-second period, clean in the morning, but cross-on and choppy by afternoon.
Now Wednesday the 9th of September is where it gets good. Morning has a 3ft S swell with a sweet 10-second period and glassy conditions—the wind is light west at 3 mph. Combined energy hits 324, which is moderate, and the swell direction (S) lines up nicely with Whangara’s optimum ENE direction (beach and reef setup) for some clean, lined-up waves. This is the standout of the whole forecast—fun, clean, and not too crowded if you’re early.
Thursday the 10th is a different beast. Swell jumps to 12ft in the morning and 16ft in the afternoon with combined energy of 1478 and 4725—strong to very strong. Too big for this break unless you’re an expert, and even then, the cross winds will make it messy. Kitesurfing territory that day.
Friday the 11th drops to a 7ft ESE swell in the morning with fresh cross winds, but the afternoon turns glassy with a 5ft easterly swell, 9-second period, and combined energy of 459. A solid, clean session for the intermediate to advanced crew.
Saturday the 12th is a washout—18ft south swell with a 12-second period, combined energy 7877, and strong cross winds. Not surfable.
Sunday the 13th stays big at 12ft south, clean conditions, but again only for experts.
The best bet of the whole outlook? Wednesday the 9th of September, morning at Whangara. Clean, glassy, S swell at 3ft with a long 10-second period, moderate energy (324), and crowds only “sometimes” an issue. A proper little gem.
Signing off, Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon afternoon, min 6°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun morning, fresh winds from the W by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Fri afternoon, min 8°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NNE 7 | NE 8 | NE 9 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 10 | NE 9 | S 18 | NE 9 | NE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | N 8 | N 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | NNE 4 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
120 | 187 | 168 | 86 | 58 | 54 | 61 | 33 | 31 | 620 | 22 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 1 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:31PM1.47m | 7:54AM1.42m | 8:14PM1.49m | 8:39AM1.45m | 8:59PM1.50m | 9:25AM1.48m | 9:46PM1.50m | 10:13AM1.50m | 10:35PM1.49m | 11:04AM1.51m | 11:27PM1.48m | 11:59AM1.52m | 00:23AM1.46m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:21PM0.20m | 1:51AM0.18m | 2:07PM0.18m | 2:35AM0.15m | 2:53PM0.17m | 3:20AM0.14m | 3:41PM0.16m | 4:06AM0.13m | 4:31PM0.17m | 4:54AM0.13m | 5:23PM0.17m | 5:46AM0.13m | 6:17PM0.18m | ||||||||
6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | |
— | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 |
Feels °C | 13 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 13 | 15 | 7 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 7 | NE 8 | NE 9 | NE 8 | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | NE 10 | NE 10 | S 13 | S 13 | S 17 | S 15 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 |
120 | 187 | 168 | 86 | 427 | 1090 | 61 | 33 | 3042 | 2232 | 3945 | 2096 | 902 | 480 | 224 | 220 | 146 | 94 | 110 | 82 | 45 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | N 9 | N 9 | S 18 | SSW 9 | NE 10 | SE 11 | SE 11 | NE 9 | S 18 | NE 9 | NE 9 | ENE 10 | N 4 | ENE 11 | N 8 | N 8 | N 5 | NNE 6 | ENE 10 | SSW 15 |
85 | 76 | 78 | 225 | 129 | 54 | 5 | 5 | 31 | 620 | 19 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 12 | 13 | 6 | 10 | 42 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 12 | S 10 | SSW 11 | SSW 8 | NE 8 | SE 11 | — | SE 12 | — | NE 9 | — | N 11 | N 11 | ENE 11 | N 8 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | N 9 | ENE 10 | S 15 | NNE 4 |
21 | 53 | 68 | 41 | 58 | 5 | — | 5 | — | 20 | — | 2 | 2 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | WSW 3 | W 4 | W 4 | WNW 4 | S 12 | S 12 | — | — | NNE 8 | W 3 | NW 3 | WNW 3 | N 4 | N 3 | N 4 | — | W 3 | NNE 3 | — |
— | — | 5 | 18 | 13 | 5 | 2486 | 2297 | — | — | 22 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 16 | — | 4 | 3 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 61 | 17 | 32 | 17 | 28 | 107 | 28 | 11 | 17 | 11 | 32 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 64 | 11 |
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.











