
Surf Forecasts:
Whangara surf forecast from 8 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 16 Jul, 3AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 17s period, ESE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 10 Jul, 12AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 11s period, SSE swell with 6,395 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 12 Jul, 6AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s 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 Sunday (Jul 12) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 9s 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 5.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 10) at 12AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.2m 8s period and expected on Friday (Jul 10) at 6PM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 6AM (Sun 12th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 3AM (Thu 16th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 12AM (Fri 10th Jul) | 16ft (5.0m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whangara over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Whangara’s got cooking for the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there are a couple of sessions worth circling on the calendar.
Right off the bat, the water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so just your usual winter wetsuit will do.
We kick things off on Thursday the 9th of July, but don’t get too excited. Thursday morning shows a 5ft easterly swell with a 10-second period. The wind is cross from the SSW at 6 mph, and the combined swell energy is 515 (moderate). It’s a bit marginal though, and the afternoon goes downhill fast as a southerly wind kicks up to 16 mph, making it a write-off.
Friday the 10th is a total mess. A big 15ft southerly swell hits in the morning, but with a fresh 22 mph cross-onshore, it’s all chop and no hope. That energy reading hits 4328 (strong), but it’s for the kites, not us. The afternoon is just as blown out.
Saturday the 11th offers a slight improvement but nothing to rave about. The morning has an 8ft SE swell with a moderate cross-shore wind, giving a combined energy of 1431 (moderate). Still, it’s only a 2/10, and the afternoon brings rain and cross-onshore wind, flattening the vibe.
Now, Sunday the 12th of July is where we start to see some light. The morning cleans right up with a light 6 mph cross-offshore W wind. Swell drops to 6ft from the SE, period 10 seconds, and the energy sits at 513 (moderate). It’s clean, it’s glassy, and it’s rideable.
Monday the 13th has smaller waves, around 3ft from the ESE, but it stays clean with a light offshore. It’s nothing special, but you could get a fun little board out if you’re desperate.
Tuesday the 14th morning is tiny – 1ft – but the afternoon throws a curveball. A 5ft northerly swell shows up with a 6-second period and a clean offshore NNW wind. It’s short period, so it’ll be a bit crumbly, but the energy is low at 292 (weak), so it’s a light, playful option.
The real standout, though, comes on Thursday the 16th of July. This is the one. Thursday morning delivers a 5ft ESE groundswell with a very long 16-second period. The wind is virtually nothing from the north at 3 mph, glassy as hell. The combined energy is 1137 (moderate). This is classic Whangara: a long-period groundswell from the ESE, hitting a beach and reef setup. Expect clean, well-shaped sets with good gaps between them. That long period will make it a rippable wave, and given it’s a fairly exposed spot, it should hold up nicely. The crowd factor: “sometimes,” so you might have a few locals out, but it won’t be a zoo.
Friday the 17th brings a 6ft swell from the ESE, but a fresh 19 mph SW cross-wind chops it up. Energy is 1264 (moderate), but the quality tanks.
The rest of the run into the third week is pretty grim. From Saturday the 18th onwards, we get a long stretch of onshore winds and increasing swell, but it’s all rough and lumpy. The energy readings stay in the three-digit range (moderate), but the wind is never your friend. By Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd, we’re looking at fresh cross-onshore winds from the ENE at 19 mph, making it a full-on battle.
So, to sum it up: Sunday morning the 12th is a nice, clean little session, but Thursday morning the 16th of July is the standout – that long-period groundswell, glassy conditions, and moderate energy make it the best bet of the whole outlook. Get on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 35mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 9°C on Sat morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the SW on Wed night, strong winds from the S by Thu night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 8°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wed 15 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 10 | E 10 | S 10 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | N 6 | ESE 10 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
520 | 459 | 1277 | 6395 | 4328 | 2661 | 1145 | 1431 | 1126 | 612 | 513 | 360 | 211 | 126 | 90 | 61 | 24 | 151 | 59 | 66 | 130 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross |
High Tide | 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 | 4:54AM1.55m | 5:29PM1.67m | 5:53AM1.57m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 10:47PM0.11m | 11:09AM0.02m | 11:48PM0.07m | 12:08PM-0.01m | ||||||||
— | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | |
— | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:02 | — | — | 5:02 | — | — | 5:04 | |
mm | — | 2 | 5 | 21 | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 11 | 15 | 16 |
Feels °C | 7 | 11 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 8 | 13 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | S 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 19 | SSW 17 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | NNE 6 | NE 6 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 |
520 | 666 | 459 | 234 | 136 | 58 | 1145 | 1431 | 1126 | 612 | 513 | 360 | 211 | 126 | 90 | 61 | 24 | 79 | 43 | 66 | 130 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 9 | E 10 | NNE 8 | NE 8 | — | SSW 17 | S 12 | S 11 | S 20 | SSW 7 | SSW 15 | S 14 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | NE 6 | NE 6 |
86 | 459 | 52 | 17 | — | 258 | 76 | 58 | 196 | 71 | 292 | 189 | 184 | 114 | 77 | 50 | 20 | 56 | 59 | 15 | 11 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | NNE 8 | SSW 16 | — | — | — | — | SSW 16 | SSW 10 | S 17 | — | S 7 | E 12 | NE 12 | NE 12 | S 16 | SSW 9 | S 9 | S 9 | N 6 | N 6 |
31 | 56 | 53 | — | — | — | — | 25 | 36 | 280 | — | 24 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 17 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 5 | — | S 10 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSW 8 | SSW 7 | SSW 8 | — | — | — | N 2 | NNE 3 | NNE 4 | NNE 5 | NNE 6 | N 6 | — | — | — |
53 | — | 1277 | 6395 | 4328 | 2661 | 497 | 197 | 204 | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 30 | 138 | 126 | 151 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 24 | 24 | 108 | 110 | 110 | 108 | 51 | 28 | 28 | 17 | 0 | 62 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 15 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Gisborne and Mahia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











