Surf Forecasts:
Whangara surf forecast from 6 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 9 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 8s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 6PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period, S swell with 986 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 9 Sep, 12AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 8s 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 Wednesday (Sep 09) at 12AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 9s. 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 2.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 7.5m 17s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 13) at 6AM.
| Wave Type | Time (NZST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 12AM (Wed 9th Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 12AM (Wed 9th Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 6PM (Tue 8th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Whangara over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, let’s have a look at what’s happening at Whangara over the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a slow burner, but there’s some real promise if you’re willing to be patient.
For the first week, it’s pretty flat or just plain ugly. Sunday the 6th through to Tuesday the 8th is a write-off – tiny, weak dribbles with combined wave energy barely getting out of double digits (9 to 68). Not worth paddling out for. Wednesday the 9th morning throws a real curveball: a glassy, clean 6ft SSE swell rolls in with a moderate 453 energy, but that’s a short period (8 seconds) and a bit of a cross-shore mess by the afternoon. It’s a tease more than a proper session.
Thursday the 10th stays small and ordinary, and Friday the 11th through Sunday the 13th is pretty much a dead zone with no surf to speak of. You’re looking at a solid gap with nothing recommendable.
Now, here’s the standout, and it’s a beauty. Monday the 14th morning at Whangara comes alive. We’ve got a solid 10ft S swell rolling in, with a 12-second period, and the combined energy is a hefty 2386 – that’s proper energy. The wind is light and clean, making for epic conditions. That is only for experienced surfers, as it’s over 8ft, but if you’ve got the skills, it’s the best on offer. The swell direction (S) is not the absolute optimum (ENE) for the break, but the size and cleanliness make up for it.
Tuesday the 15th is also a ripper. Morning sees a clean 4ft SSE groundswell (14-second period, 786 energy), and the afternoon kicks up to 5ft with a 13-second period and a massive 1602 energy, all under light offshore breezes. These two days are the clear winners. The water temp is sitting at 57°F, which is about average for this time of year, nothing wild there.
The second week gets messy. The 16th has some cleanish surf but nothing on the level of Monday and Tuesday. From the 17th, it drops off into tiny, weak, and messy conditions, with a big onshore blow kicking in from the 18th onwards. That 7ft swell on the 18th is ruined by wind, and the 19th and 20th are just a grim mix of heavy rain, strong onshore winds, and big, chunky swell – more of a kite-surfing proposition than a paddle session. The last day, the 21st, is no better.
If you’re keen, lock in Monday the 14th or Tuesday the 15th. That’s your window.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun morning, min 7°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Mon night, light winds from the WSW by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 7°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed morning, fresh winds from the WSW by Fri morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 10 | N 7 | NE 10 | NE 9 | NE 10 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | N 8 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | NE 14 | SE 7 | NE 13 | NE 14 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 | NE 13 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 9 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 108 | 58 | 52 | 659 | 432 | 421 | 207 | 84 | 47 | 25 | 44 | 29 | 27 | 44 | 27 | 27 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross | off | off | off | off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 12:56PM1.52m | 1:22AM1.45m | 1:57PM1.53m | 2:23AM1.44m | 2:57PM1.54m | 3:24AM1.45m | 3:57PM1.56m | 4:24AM1.46m | 4:54PM1.57m | 5:22AM1.48m | 5:49PM1.58m | 6:16AM1.51m | 6:41PM1.58m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:15PM0.19m | 7:38AM0.14m | 8:15PM0.18m | 8:37AM0.14m | 9:16PM0.17m | 9:37AM0.12m | 10:16PM0.14m | 10:36AM0.11m | 11:14PM0.11m | 11:34AM0.10m | 00:09AM0.08m | 12:29PM0.09m | 1:00AM0.07m | ||||||||
 | |  |  |  | | |  | | | |  |  | |  | | | | | |  | |
 | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — |
 | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 11 |
Feels °C | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 11 | SSW 9 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | S 9 | NNE 9 | N 8 | NNE 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | N 4 | NE 13 | SSW 18 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 17 | S 13 |
| kJ | 119 | 49 | 22 | 25 | 22 | 363 | 58 | 52 | 43 | 432 | 421 | 207 | 84 | 43 | 7 | 44 | 110 | 335 | 705 | 58 | 5589 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 10 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | NNE 9 | NE 16 | NE 17 | SSW 10 | NNE 7 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | S 8 | SE 7 | SSW 13 | NE 9 | SSW 18 | NE 13 | NE 13 | SSW 22 |
| kJ | 9 | 65 | 57 | 53 | 24 | 108 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 21 | 35 | 31 | 15 | 21 | 25 | 35 | 12 | 109 | 44 | 27 | 263 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | ENE 10 | NE 10 | NE 9 | NE 10 | S 16 | SSW 15 | — | NE 15 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | ENE 14 | S 9 | NE 14 | SSW 15 | NE 9 | NE 14 | NE 13 | SSW 18 | N 9 | NE 13 |
| kJ | — | 9 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 21 | — | 9 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 47 | 42 | 20 | 29 | 27 | 60 | 7 | 27 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 2 | N 7 | N 3 | N 5 | N 5 | WSW 4 | SSW 9 | S 8 | S 8 | — | — | NNE 3 | — | NNE 7 | N 5 | SSW 7 | S 8 | W 4 | W 4 | SSW 9 | SSW 13 |
| kJ | 1 | 8 | 6 | 52 | 85 | 17 | 949 | 1186 | 659 | — | — | 3 | — | 19 | 55 | 319 | 430 | 12 | 26 | 1469 | 8746 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 12 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 40 | 51 | 51 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 24 | 51 | 12 | 28 | 40 | 93 |
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.
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