Whangara Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.58° S 178.21° E

Whangara Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 11 pm 29 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Whangara sea temperature is
13.2°C
0.8° 

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


Whangara surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 2 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 17s period, S swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 3PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 17s period, S swell with 980 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 6AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 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 Sunday (Aug 30) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Whangara in the next 16 days are 1.3m 17s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 3PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 12s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 3PM.

Wave TypeTime (NZST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6AM (Sun 30th Aug)2.5ft (0.7m) 11s
Best Surf 3PM (Wed 2nd Sep)4.5ft (1.3m) 17s
Most Powerful 3PM (Wed 2nd Sep)4.5ft (1.3m) 17s

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


The Lowdown

G’day, I’m Rusty, and here’s yer surf outlook for Whangara, starting now through the next 16 days.

Right off the bat, it’s a pretty flat and quiet spell for the most part, with a big gap of poor surf to sit through. The first real flicker of something decent doesn’t show until the afternoon of Wednesday, 2 September, and even then it’s a one-off burst. After that, it’s back to the doldrums until the morning of Friday, 11 September, when we get another promising window. The rest of the period is largely forgettable, so you’ll need to pick your moments.

Let’s walk through it. Sunday morning, 30 August, we’ve got a tiny 4ft NNE swell at 7 seconds, but the wind is glassy from the WNW, so it’s clean. The combined energy sits at 223 (moderate), but it’s just not enough to get excited. The rest of that week is a write-off—tiny swell, poor conditions, and a lot of “poor surf” flagged. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing wild.

Now, Wednesday afternoon, 2 September, is the standout. A solid 4ft S swell rolls in with a very long 17-second period, and the wind is offshore from the NNW at 20 km/h. That’s clean, powerful groundswell, and the combined energy hits 999 (very strong). The optimum swell direction here is ENE, but this S swell will still wrap in nicely at Whangara, a beach and reef break. It’s fairly consistent and sometimes crowded, so expect a few others in the water. The period is over 15 seconds, so those longer gaps between sets will make paddling out easier, and the reef should handle the length well. Keep in mind the swell is 4ft, so it’s fine for most, but if you’re a beginner, it might feel a bit pushy. The offshore wind means it’ll be glassy and clean.

After that, things drop off again. We’ve got a long gap from Thursday, 3 September, all the way through to Thursday, 10 September, with nothing but tiny, weak swells, often under 2ft, and poor conditions. The water temp stays average.

The next real highlight lands on Friday morning, 11 September. A 4ft NNE swell at 9 seconds, with strong offshore wind from the WNW at 25 km/h. The combined energy is 287 (moderate to strong), and the wind is clean and offshore. This one matches the optimum swell direction of ENE pretty well, so it’ll be well-shaped. The crowd factor is there, but with the clean conditions, it’s worth a paddle. The swell is 4ft, so again, not a beginner’s dream, but manageable for intermediates and up.

The rest of the outlook into the second week is pretty weak. The morning of Sunday, 13 September, has a 3ft S swell at 8 seconds with gentle offshore wind, but it’s only surfable, not standout. The combined energy is 172 (moderate), but it’s nothing to write home about. Beyond that, it’s flat and poor.

So, overall, you’ve got two true standouts: the afternoon of Wednesday, 2 September, with that long-period S groundswell and offshore wind, and the morning of Friday, 11 September, with the NNE swell and clean offshore breeze. The rest of the 16 days is a long stretch of small, poor surf, with a few gaps of several days where there’s nothing worth chasing. Stay patient, and keep an eye on those two windows.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon afternoon, min 8°C on Tue afternoon). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 6°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Sunday
30
Monday
31
Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
S
11
1.1
NNE
7
1.1
NE
8
1.3
NNE
9
0.9
NE
9
0.7
NE
9
0.5
NE
10
0.6
NE
10
0.5
NE
10
0.4
NE
9
0.4
NE
9
1.3
S
17
0.4
NE
9
0.3
NE
10
0.3
NE
11
0.2
ENE
10
0.2
ENE
11
0.3
N
8
0.3
N
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
154
117
167
252
123
74
54
57
46
31
20
980
22
17
18
11
11
12
13
Wind (km/h)
15
NNE
5
WNW
10
S
25
W
25
W
20
WNW
25
W
25
WSW
15
SSW
10
NW
15
NW
20
NNW
25
WNW
20
WNW
20
WNW
15
NW
15
NNW
20
NW
20
WNW
Wind State
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
cross-off
High Tide
7:09AM1.38m
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
Low Tide
1:07AM0.22m
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
rain showers
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
light rain
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:33
6:31
6:30
6:28
6:26
6:24
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:43
5:44
5:44
5:45
5:45
5:46
 mm
8
1
1
Temp °C
13
15
16
14
17
18
13
14
9
8
16
18
13
17
17
16
17
18
15
Feels °C
11
12
13
9
11
13
7
8
5
6
13
13
7
13
13
13
14
15
10
  • Map Icons:
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  • 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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